Our Farmers
The goods of the North Circle Online Farmers Market are lovingly grown and crafted using organic techniques in the East Central Region of Minnesota.
Read on to meet our farmers.
Our Farmers
North Circle goods are lovingly grown and crafted using
organic techniques in the east-central region of Minnesota.
Read on to meet our farmers.
Amador Hill Farm and Orchard
(A program of Women's Environmental Institute)
Jacquelyn Zita, North Circle Manager
Almelund, MN
The Women’s Environmental Institute (WEI), a local nonprofit and Chisago County charity organization, is the administrative arm of the North Circle Online Farmers Market. Jacquelyn Zita, Farm Manager at Amador Hill Farm and Orchard, created, developed and manages North Circle as part of the environmental and food justice mission of WEI. Jacquelyn is also Farm Manager for Amador Hill Farm. Along with co-manager Loren Winsor, Flat Broke Farm, and a team of talented farm crew members, Amador Hill Farm grows organically certified vegetables, fruits , herbs and apples for North Circle. Eat healthy and learn more at w-e-i.org.
Log House Sugar Bush
Kelly & Randy Garbe
Taylors Falls, MN
The Garbes operate Log House Sugar Bush, a family-owned small business. We started out over 30 years ago tapping 50 maple trees in our backyard to produce maple syrup - a tradition in the region for hundreds of years. As our family grew, and the kids got bigger, so did our hobby. As a small business we expanded, until our operation was tapping and hanging buckets to collect sap from over 500 maple trees every spring. The kids helped collect the sap daily and transported it back to the sugar shack where it was boiled down to concentrate the natural sugars into pure maple syrup.
After high school the kids left home to start their own families. Since losing our free labor, we have replaced our buckets with tubing to make collection easier. Today, a gravity-fed system collects sap from hundreds of trees into huge stainless steel holding tanks.
It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of syrup. Pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener, and not just for pancakes! It can be used for baking, cooking, and marinating meats. Our 100% pure maple syrup has no additives or preservatives. We do not use any chemicals for cleaning our equipment, and we do not use fertilizers on our land.
Northwood Mushrooms
Jeremy McAdams
Clayton, WI
Cherry Tree House Mushrooms is a farm northeast of the Twin Cities that provides log-grown shiitake and other culinary and medicinal mushrooms and mushroom products to markets, restaurants, vegetable CSAs, and stores in the Twin Cities and the upper midwest.
We are a small-scale family farm in Harris, Minnesota, in our fourth year of operation. We grow chemical-free food, flowers, and forage for our family, friends, and animals. We strive to preserve the agrarian way of life and the farm landscape of our community. The conservation of wildlife, watersheds, and pollinator habitat is at the forefront of our farming practices; we want this land and farm to be a legacy we gift to future generations. We produce pastured-raised pork, turkey, and chicken and feed our animals soy-free organic grain. We also offer a variety of market vegetables and herbs, cut flowers, maple syrup, and strawberry products.
Follow us on Instagram or connect with us on Facebook.
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Bender's Produce Farm
The Bender Family
Mora, MN
We are a family farm – Grandfather and Grandmother Bender along with oldest daughter, husband, and seven children run our farm. We are committed and enjoy growing healthy produce for many people. No chemicals!
Carlson Lake Farm
Liz Dougherty
Lindstrom, MN
Carlson Lake farm is a small hobby farm located in Lindstrom. We have been making quality all-natural goats milk soap and shampoo bars for 7 years. We specialize in unique scents and utilize foraged or home grown ingredients whenever possible. We make our soap with simple ingredients, striving to make it as allergen-free as possible. Our goal is to help you achieve your skin care goals in a natural, healthy way.
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Ferris Family Farm
Jessica, Jon, Rob, Carol,
and Ellie Ferris
Cambridge, MN
The Ferris Family Farm is a 40-acre multi-generational family farm located between Princeton and Cambridge, Minnesota. We raise chickens, cows and pigs using organic farming standards. We use no antibiotics and no steroids.
Eichten's Hidden Acres
Center City, MN
Eichten’s cheeses are all-natural European-style cheeses made on the family farm from cow’s milk. Producing a quality artisan cheese on the farm since 1976, our commitment to quality cheese making is evident in the products we produce. All of Eichten’s natural cheeses are made on the family farm in Minnesota from fresh cow’s milk. We add no coloring, artificial flavors, preservatives, or GMO rennet. (In addition, our milk contains no growth hormones, antibiotics, or rBGH). Eichten's cheese is handmade in an open vat, which is identical to the way cheese is made on the farms in Holland and throughout Europe. Aging rooms are kept at a precise temperature, and the cheese is moved and turned daily for correct breathing and aging. Eichten’s cheese is aged 60 days or longer—the longer the aging period, the stronger the flavors. Eichten’s Hidden Acres Farm is a third- generation farm where your cheese is locally made. Learn more at eichtenscheese.com.
Alstad Farm
Emily and Eric Chapman
Shafer, MN
We are Emily and Eric Chapman, first generation farmers motivated to build community by growing fresh and local produce using organic practices near the St. Croix River Valley in Minnesota. We were inspired to start Alstad Farm to complement our other professional endeavors. Emily is passionate about helping people lead active lives through functional movement and enjoys watching crops grow. Eric is a practicing academic, where he combines his research and teaching interests in food system sustainability and policy with his desire of working with his hands in the field. Eric is motivated to integrate organic vegetable production to provide biological research and educational opportunities for students.
Please visit our website to learn more: alstadfarm.org!
Tim's Timber
Tim & Maureen Harder
Hugo, MN
Tim's Timber began 20 years ago as a portable sawmill operation and added a sugar shack to cook down maple sap shortly thereafter. We sustainably tap over 500 trees on our 75 acres and use only natural cleansers and defoamers in our cooking and cleaning processes.
I became a sawyer 20 years ago because I love trees and working with wood. When asked, my wife calls me a "dead and down guy." I don't advocate cutting down healthy trees. However when they're down or dying, I like to see them repurposed. Many times a good use is to have them sawn up into lumber. That's where I come in. I bring my portable sawmill to your site. My mill has high-quality hydraulics that lift the logs and the mill rotates them so no heavy equipment is needed. I operate a Wood-Mizer LT50 mill with a 47.5 diesel engine and it cuts fast. I mainly cut in the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In addition to custom milling, I also sell lumber, custom wood products, furniture, and maple syrup. Learn more at timstimbermn.com.
Eichten's Bison
Nick
Center City, MN
The Eichten’s had been farming for more than 40 years when they started looking for an all-natural meat to complement their all-natural European cheeses.
Ed Eichten traveled extensively to research the viable options: deer, ostrich, fish and bison (buffalo). He determined that bison were the best fit for their land usage goals:
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pasturing on native grasses
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raising crops for bison consumption
Ed wintered his first herd of 13 bison in 1987. The herd grew to over 300 and is USDA certified all-natural meaning that they are free ranged on pasture and are not subject to any added growth hormones or antibiotics. The combination of native grasses and organic grains was carefully researched and selected to ensure the great flavor experienced when enjoying Eichten’s buffalo meats.
In 2021 Ed's son-in-law, Nick, joined the family business and has since taken over ownership of the operation. The bison meat is distributed regionally to natural food co-ops, high-end restaurants, bars & grills, and grocery stores.
Sunrise Flour Mill
Marty and Darrold Glanville, Founders & CEAD Farms, Partner
North Branch, MN
Sunrise Flour Mill is your local flour mill located in North Branch, Minnesota, founded by Darrold and Marty Glanville. Dedicated to milling the very best heritage grains into premium flour, we source only 100% organic, non-GMO varieties, and we even privately test for glyphosate (Roundup) residue on the wheat berries we source from farmers. After becoming ill from eating wheat, Darrold began searching for a way that he could enjoy bread again. His search led him to heritage wheat varieties like Turkey Red. Modern wheat is very different from the heritage varieties that were prevalent before the "Green Revolution" of the 1950s. The developments in modern grain have made it difficult for some people to digest, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they need to change to a gluten-free diet. If you’ve experienced negative health effects as the result of gluten sensitivity but miss your morning toast or favorite dessert, Sunrise Flour Mill’s Heritage Flour products may be the answer. We provide ongoing education and support to people who want to get back to home baking, with monthly baking classes and a bread festival held annually in Minneapolis. You can find a list of restaurants throughout the Twin Cities area who use our wheat by visiting our website, Sunriseflourmill.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Country Road Farm
Jonathan Bontrager
MN
Where memories are being made by the Bontrager family on a diversified 40 acre peice of farmland with horses, pastue and sheep, chickens, orchards, woodlands and wildlife. Here we strive with the Lord's blessings to provide wholesome food for our local area, family, friends and you.
The land is farmed with strong draft horses. Vegetables are picked and packed by hand as a family.
Big Sky Acres
Kisch Family
Shafer, MN
Trevor and Hailey had decided that they wanted to have a part in the way that their food was grown and raised, so a dream started with a chicken coop and a small, raised bed garden in a trailer park in Montana. With Hailey going to college and Trevor working as an electrical apprentice, it was important for them to start looking at the quality of the food they were eating and started practicing food preservation. After they moved back to Minnesota, they looked for a piece of property where they could build that dream of having a say and impact on the local food system.
Sitting outside of Shafer, Hailey and Trevor, along with their four kids, work with the land through best management practices in order to produce high quality, delicious produce and pasture raised animals. An important aspect to their farm is the way that they are teaching their kids how to enhance the soil by using local resources as well as being able to take the harvest and preserve it for future use.
Wild Haven Farm
George and Mandi Sawyer
Sunrise, MN
Rust Hill Ranch
Rebecca and Matt Hardy
Franconia, MN
Rust Hill Ranch is a 40-acre family farm in Franconia, Minnesota providing nutrient-dense food, soil restoration, and animal happiness. Rebecca (Rustebakke) Hardy and her husband Matt are fourth-generation family farmers, committed to producing wholesome food for our family and yours. We believe the key to environmental and economic restoration is the direct relationship between farms and their customers.
Rust Hill Ranch features grass-fed lamb and beef, forest-raised pork, and better-than-organic pastured chicken & eggs. Our regenerative practices promote soil health and livestock vitality. We are honored to serve the community with the wholesome, humanely raised meat from our family to yours.
Comfort Community Foods
Meno
Mora, MN
We are a family farm producing certified organic soy-free eggs, produce & meats. Our mission is to assist sustainable small farms; provide local, natural, organic food to families, buying clubs & businesses; employ members of the community; and seek opportunities to support food shelves & organizations that help the needy.
Stone Creek Farm
Dan Sheild
Taylors Falls, MN
Hours of Operation
MON – FRI
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.–10:30 p.m.
SAT
3:00pm – 10:30pm
SUN
We are closed
Drop Us a Line
Don’t be shy. Let us know if you have any questions!