Northfield is home to a progressive food community with over a dozen community supported agriculture (C.S.A.) farms, a thriving food co-op, and several institutions actively implementing sustainable food practices.
Northfield Food Map
Take a look at this map of Northfield highlighting various locations to get local food. Included on the map are community gardens, locally-owned farms, city land with growing potential, food access points, and Free Food Help Yourself gardens.
Community gardens and Free Food Help Yourself gardens work towards alleviating food insecurity, raising awareness, providing easy food access to areas in need, and promoting learning opportunities for growing food in neighborhoods.
Cannon River Area Sustainable Farming Association
The MN SFA supports local farmers in the development and enhancement of sustainable farming systems through farmer-to-farmer networking, innovation, demonstration, and education. This coalition of farmers is dedicated to promoting sustainable growing practices and community consumption patterns throughout Northfield and surrounding town. Please join the movement by emailing kzeman@kmwb.net, or become a member at https://org2.salsalabs.com/o/7232/donate_page/join
Carleton College Food Alliance
The goal of the group is to work on community food systems resilience by bringing together representatives from food related groups across campus and in the Northfield community. We share ideas to create space for increased collaboration between all groups so as not to duplicate efforts and draw on our collective strengths; to publicize each others events for optimal campus and community participation; and to create long term goals that we can collectively work on that will advance the food movement locally
Contact: Erica Zweifel, ezweifel@carleton.edu
Carleton College Food Recovery Network
Working together with Bon Appetit, Carleton’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) founded Carleton’s chapter of the national Food Recovery Network (FRN) in January 2014, the first such branch in the state of Minnesota. Striving to reduce food waste from the dining hall, they achieve threefold goals of addressing food access, reducing Carleton’s campus carbon footprint, and connecting in a meaningful way to the surrounding community. They package up leftover food from campus dining halls and donate it to community partners in Northfield and Faribault. They recovered 19,139.71 pounds of food between Fall 2014 and Fall 2017.
Contact: Erica Zweifel, ezweifel@carleton.edu
Carleton College Gleaning Program
Description: One to two times a week Carleton students organize volunteers to glean excess produce from local farms. We are in need of more farms that may want to participate in this program. Additionally, there might be a better use of the food gleaned as the Northfield Food Shelf is receiving an abundance of produce that they cannot store. Carleton Gleaning Program in the news.
Contact: Erica Zweifel, ezweifel@carleton.edu
Community Action Center (CAC) Food Shelf
Since 1985, the Food Shelf has provided high-quality, nutritious food each month for people in need. Currently, over 38,000 pounds of food is distributed each month to about 475 local families.
Healthy Rice County: Statewide Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)
Healthy Rice County is working to implement policies, systems and environmental changes that improve access to nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables. Through SHIP we:
- Encouraging use of locally grown produce in school food programs “Farm to School”
- Educational opportunities for children and families to learn nutrition basics from local experts
- Increasing access and use of local farmers markets
- Facilitating the development and expansion of community and school gardens
- Supporting school and worksite wellness policies
- Supporting healthy eating in licensed child care and pre-school settings
Contact: 507.332.6111 or RCPublicHealth@co.rice.mn.us or visit us at 320 NW 3rd St. Faribault, MN 55021 (M-F: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
Just Food Co-op
Northfield’s community-owned natural foods market and deli is a source for fresh, local, and organic food and sustainable household and personal care products. The co-op is owned by 2,600 of your friends and neighbors and regularly hosts educational workshops and events related to sustainable living.
Contact: justfood.coop
Main Street Project
Main Street Project is working to build a socially, economically and ecologically sustainable food system with the power to revitalize rural communities.
Contact: 507-786-9900
Northfield Farmer’s Market
The Northfield Farmer’s Market (7th and Water St) brings you fresh, tasty, and wholesome foods from local growers and producers! Free range eggs, meats, numerous vegetables, apples, berries, melons, maple syrup, bedding plants, breads, pies, cookies, firewood, jams, jellies, and pickles, are available from mid-May through the end of October. Occasionally, bluegrass musicians serenade market goers on Fridays. Fun for all ages and family members – guaranteed!
Schedule and Location:
7th ST W in Riverside Park, 11:45 am – 1:00pm on Tuesdays & Fridays, 9:00 – 11:00am on Saturdays, May thru October.
On the third Friday of every month, November thru April, from 11:45am to 1:00pm in Riverside Park.
Contact: Rae Rusnak at
Riverwalk Market Fair
Riverwalk Market Fair is a Saturday open-air market located on Bridge Square in historic downtown Northfield.This one-of-a-kind European-style market is open Saturdays from June through October. Each Saturday features a different combination of organic and sustainably grown produce from local farmers, artisan foods, seasonal flowers and a juried selection of the region’s top art and fine crafts.
Contact: Kathy Zeman,
St. Olaf Garden Research & Organic Works
Founded in 2005, STOGROW is the student-run organic farm at St. Olaf College. Operating approximately 0.75 acres of land at the James Farm on the western border campus, the farm aims to provide local, organic produce to the campus food service. Additionally farmers strive to get the student body and surrounding community involved in the importance of healthy and sustainable eating and living!
Contact: currentfarmers@stolaf.edu
The Sustainable Farming Association
The Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota supports the development and enhancement of sustainable farming systems through farmer-to-farmer networking, innovation, demonstration, and education.
Contact: info@sfa-mn.org or 763-260-0209