Cooking for a Healthy Brain – Stroke, Brain Health & Cancer Prevention

Join us at the Aitkin Farmers Market for an interactive cooking demonstration all about nourishing your brain and supporting long-term cognitive health. In this session, you’ll learn how simple, flavorful foods can boost brain function, enhance memory, and help protect against age-related cognitive decline — while also layering in choices that support cancer prevention.

This session will be led by both Hannah Sovinski – Registered Dietitian and Community Health Specialist (Aitkin County Public Health) and Jodi Nordlund – Rural Health Education Coordinator (University of Minnesota Extension & Masonic Cancer Center)

We’ll focus on:

• Antioxidant-Rich Foods

• B Vitamins for Cognitive Function

Attendees can taste test the recipe and receive take-home kits with the recipe (first come, first serve – limited to 25 people). Walk away with practical tips and easy recipes to support brain health and overall wellness

Join us for a beautiful on-farm gathering honoring the arrival of the summer solstice — a season of growth, vitality, and celebration to the light.

Set against the backdrop of the farm at the height of early summer, this immersive evening will showcase the richness of Minnesota’s local food systems through thoughtfully prepared seasonal bites featuring fresh farm produce, foraged ingredients, and locally raised livestock. Guests will experience the flavors of the solstice through vibrant grazing boards, handcrafted small plates, botanical beverages, and community celebration. See details below.

This event is designed to reconnect us to the land, the farmers who steward it, and the joy of gathering around truly seasonal food in community with one another.

What’s on the Menu:

Grazing Boards:

• A variety of local sausages from Righteous Oaks Farm

• Seasonal pickled and roasted vegetables from Clear Lake Gardens

• Homemamde whole grain mustard in

• Minnesota-made cheeses from Red Headed Creamery

• Seasonal fresh fruits and fruit preserves

• Red lentil hummus

• Tzatziki with yogurt from Murphy’s Grove Micro Dairy Farm and locally-sourced cucumbers and dill

• Homemade rye sourdough crackers made with grain from Ole Lakes Farm

• Various colorful microgreens from Bubba’s Botany Microgreens

Solstice Bites:

• Cornmeal bellinis with cabbage and kale veggie sliders, topped with Murphy’s Grove ricotta sautéed with garlic scapes

• Beet stem bruschetta on crostinis with balsamic reduction and micro arugula

• Mushroom tapenade and creamed garlic on nettle crackers

• Thai lettuce wraps with lamb from Rosey Future Farm

• Chengwatana Community Farm apple ginger braised pork bites with napa cabbage and ginger slaw

Sweet Treat:

• Solstice cookies made by Kelley of Clear Lake Gardens

Beverages:

• Berry ginger kombucha

• Nettle berry virgin mojito

Activities Happening throughout the Event:

1. “Let It Go” Letters and Bonfire

2. Sunflower Seed Planting (Plant an Intention for the next part of the year)

3. Moss Ball Craft to celebrate the Earth

4. You Pick Flowers and Kale

Come welcome the longest day of the year through food, community, and celebration of the local farms that nourish our region

Cost: $49/ Person

On-Farm Community Fika

A Traditional Nordic Gathering Around Pastries, Coffee, and Tea

Our Sunday Fika is a simple, steady gathering—something to look forward to at the close of each week. Settle in with a warm cup of seasonal tea or a well-brewed, ethically sourced coffee, and enjoy a table of handmade pastries crafted with locally milled flour, honoring the grains and growers close to home.

It’s an unhurried hour to visit, catch up, and savor the comforts of good food and familiar company—rooted in tradition, shaped by the seasons, and shared around the table

June 21st, 2026

Menu:

• Strawberry Spiced Scones w/ White Chocolate Drizzle

• Open-Faced Sandwiches

  • Cucumber, Dill, and Homemade Cream Cheese 

  • Garlic Scape - Infused Cream Cheese w/ Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

• Chocolate Balls

• Shortbread

  • Rosemary, Lemon, and Honey

  • Espresso Cardamom

Donation-Based Event to Bring People Together

Eat well all summer by using the produce local to Minnesota! In this hands-on summer meal prep class, you’ll learn how to build vibrant, satisfying meals using seasonal vegetables, clean proteins, and fresh, flavorful dressings made from scratch. We’ll focus on smart prep techniques, using whatever veggies are in season, and simple components that keep meals exciting, nourishing, and easy—perfect for busy schedules and warm-weather eating.

Italian Pulled Chicken Salad w/ Roasted Red Pepper and Arugula

Minnesota Chopped Salad w/ Maple Dijon Vinaigrette and Barbeque Pork

Carrot Top Pesto Flatbread w/ Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Quick-Pickled Shallots, and Parmesan Cheese

Come learn how to pickle, roast, sear, chop, bake, and more to make delicious summer meals!

Cost: $65/ Person

Linking Brain Health to What We Eat ~

Join us at the Aitkin Farmers Market for our collaborative Food as Medicine seminar series where we link aspects of our physical and mental health to the food we put in our bodies.

This is the second out of six free monthly seminars that will be engaging, one-hour experiences designed to deepen your connection to foods that nourish your body and amplify your health.

Continue your journey in our Food as Medicine series with this second, one-hour session focused on nourishing the brain through whole foods.

In this session, we’ll explore the key nutrients that support brain health, including those that play a role in memory, focus, and mood. Learn how everyday ingredients can help fuel cognitive function and protect long-term neurological wellness.

The experience includes a live culinary demonstration featuring sautéed chicken and asparagus with lemon. You’ll learn simple, practical techniques for cooking this balanced, brain-supportive dish, along with tips for enhancing flavor while preserving nutrients.

This interactive session is perfect for anyone looking to support mental clarity, fight inflammation of the brain that can lead to Dementia and Alzheimer’s, and helps with overall well-being through food. Come ready to learn, taste, and build confidence in the kitchen.

Feed your brain, one meal at a time.

Our Generous Sponsors and Collaborators

Join us on the farm for a fermentation workshop rooted in simplicity, seasonality, and time-honored preservation. Together, we’ll walk through three approachable vegetable and fruit ferments, using what’s fresh from the fields to show how everyday ingredients can be transformed into flavorful, living foods.

During the workshop, we’ll go over how to make lacto-fermented sauerkraut with farm-grown cabbage, a bright blueberry ferment, fermented honey garlic, and a simple brined seasonal vegetable. Along the way, we’ll cover the fundamentals of salt ratios, wild fermentation, flavor balancing, and how to safely ferment at home without special equipment.

This is a relaxed, practical class designed to build confidence and curiosity—perfect for fermentation beginners or anyone looking to reconnect with traditional food skills. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of fermentation and inspiration to carry each year’s harvest into every season.

Cost: $35/ Person

Discover the art of Mediterranean mezze—fresh, flavorful small plates designed for sharing and everyday nourishment. In this hands-on class, you’ll learn how to prepare classic favorites like:

Red Lentil Hummus

Tabouli

Flatbread

Oven-Baked Falafel

Tzatziki

Assorted Pickles

Come build balanced snacks and light meals using whole ingredients, herbs, Mediterranean spices, and healthy fats. Perfect for entertaining or weeknight eating, this class will inspire simple, vibrant ways of eating.

Cost: $65/ Person

Join us for a cooking demonstration at the Aitkin Farmers Market focused on foods that support a healthy heart and help manage blood pressure and cholesterol — two leading risk factors for stroke. In this session, we’ll explore simple, delicious ways to cook meals that protect your heart, improve circulation, and contribute to overall well-being. This session will be led by both Hannah Sovinski – Registered Dietitian and Community Health Specialist (Aitkin County Public Health) and Jodi Nordlund – Rural Health Education Coordinator (University of Minnesota Extension & Masonic Cancer Center)

We’ll focus on:

• Identify foods that support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol

• Incorporate heart-friendly ingredients into everyday meals

• Reduce intake of foods that increase heart disease risk

You will also discover how these same heart-healthy choices—like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins — can help reduce inflammation and support cancer prevention, creating a holistic approach to long-term health. Attendees will have the opportunity to taste test the recipes and receive take-home kits (first come, first serve – limited to 25 people). Walk away with practical tips and easy-to-make recipes that support heart health and help lower the risk of stroke.

Plus, Aitkin County Public Health will be on site at the Farmers Market conducting FREE blood pressure screenings — check your numbers and receive a “The Beat Goes on Bag.”

Supporting Your Heart & Cardiovascular System w/ Simple Ingredients ~

Join us at the Aitkin Farmers Market for our collaborative Food as Medicine seminar series where we link aspects of our physical and mental health to the food we put in our bodies.

This is the third out of six free monthly seminars that will be engaging, one-hour experiences designed to deepen your connection to foods that nourish your body and amplify your health.

Join us for a free, one-hour seminar in our Food as Medicine series, where we explore how everyday ingredients can become powerful tools for long-term cardiovascular health. In this session, attendees will learn about spices, herbs, and whole ingredients that not only support the cardiovascular system, but also help with weight management, fatigue, and disease prevention.

During the live culinary demonstration, we’ll prepare a roasted seasonal root vegetable salad paired with a bright lemon ginger vinaigrette—highlighting ingredients known for their cardiovascular benefits and showing you how to bring them together in a simple, delicious way. You’ll leave with approachable strategies, recipe inspiration, and a deeper understanding of how to use food intentionally to support a strong, resilient heart.

Our Generous Sponsors and Collaborators:

On-Farm Community Fika

A Traditional Nordic Gathering Around Pastries, Coffee, and Tea

Our Sunday Fika is a simple, steady gathering—something to look forward to at the close of each week. Settle in with a warm cup of seasonal tea or a well-brewed, ethically sourced coffee, and enjoy a table of handmade pastries crafted with locally milled flour, honoring the grains and growers close to home.

It’s an unhurried hour to visit, catch up, and savor the comforts of good food and familiar company—rooted in tradition, shaped by the seasons, and shared around the table.

July 19th, 2026

Menu:

• Blueberry Maple Coffee Cake

• Open-Faced Sandwiches

  • Carrot Top Pesto w/ Fresh Mozzarella

  • Ratatouille and Goat Cheese

• Chocolate Balls

• Shortbread

  • Blueberry Basil

  • Raspberry Vanilla

Donation-Based Event to Bring People Together

Step into the woods and fields of Minnesota for a guided foraging walk that invites you to slow down and see the landscape with fresh eyes for delicious and nutritious edibles. Together, we’ll explore the abundance of the season—learning how to respectfully harvest wild forest greens, mushrooms, and other edible plants that thrive in our region.

Along the way, we’ll talk through responsible foraging practices, habitat awareness, and key identification tips for common finds such as nettles, wild greens, roots, and select mushrooms (based on the season and conditions). After our walk, we’ll gather to enjoy a simple tasting featuring some of what we’ve found, prepared in a way that highlights the unique flavors of the wild.

This experience is rooted in connection to the land, to tradition, and to the quiet richness of the natural world. Whether you’re new to foraging or looking to deepen your knowledge, you’ll leave with a greater sense of confidence, curiosity, and appreciation for what grows just beyond the path.

Cost: $35/ Person

On-Farm Community Fika

A Traditional Nordic Gathering Around Pastries, Coffee, and Tea

Our Sunday Fika is a simple, steady gathering—something to look forward to at the close of each week. Settle in with a warm cup of seasonal tea or a well-brewed, ethically sourced coffee, and enjoy a table of handmade pastries crafted with locally milled flour, honoring the grains and growers close to home.

It’s an unhurried hour to visit, catch up, and savor the comforts of good food and familiar company—rooted in tradition, shaped by the seasons, and shared around the table.

August 9th, 2026

Menu:

• Cinnamon Buns w/ Icing

• Open-Faced Sandwiches

  • Roasted Veggie and Ricotta 

  • Hummus, Feta, and Herbs

• Chocolate Balls

• Shortbread

  • Brown Butter, Sage, and Walnut

  • Fresh Ginger Cookie w/ Heritage Apple Jam

Free Event to Bring People Together

Discover how Mediterranean cooking shines in the warmer months with light, vibrant soups and stews built around Mediterranean cooking techniques, fresh and bright flavors, and the differences between stews and soups. In this hands-on class, you’ll learn techniques for creating brothy, flavorful dishes that feel nourishing without being heavy—perfect for summer dinners, meal prep, and easy entertaining. We’ll focus on adaptable methods so you can make the most of farmers market finds all season long.

The menu will include:

Italian Meatball Soup

Chicken Provincial

Trulu Vegetable Soup

We look forward to seeing you there!

Cost: $65/ Person

Anti-Inflammatory Eating Habits

Join us at the Aitkin Farmers Market for the kick off of a collaborative Food as Medicine seminar series where we link aspects of our physical and mental health to the food we put in our bodies!

This is the fourth out of six monthly seminars that will be engaging, one-hour experiences designed to deepen your connection to foods that nourish your body and amplify your health.

Continue the journey with the next installment of our Food as Medicine series, where we take a deeper look at inflammation—how it shows up in the body, and how it’s shaped by both what we eat and how we live. In this free, one-hour session, we’ll explore the many ways inflammation shows up, from digestive discomfort and fatigue to joint pain and skin flare-ups, and how stress and daily food choices can either fuel or calm these responses.

To bring it all into practice, we’ll finish with a culinary demo featuring homemade anti-inflammatory spice blends you can use in everything from simple red pepper sauce to crisp cucumber salad (both of which we’ll go through how to make). You’ll leave with a more intuitive understanding of your body’s signals, along with easy, adaptable tools to support balance, reduce inflammation, and make your everyday meals more functional and flavorful.

Our Generous Sponsors & Collaborators

Prepare for the colder months with a preserving and freezing lab held right on the farm, where the season’s harvest is at its peak. This practical workshop is designed to help you carry fresh, locally grown produce into winter with confidence, using simple, reliable methods rooted in tradition.

Together, we’ll walk through the essentials of freezing and canning—covering how to transform local vegetables into ready-to-eat frozen meals, how to properly freeze raw greens and fruits, and how to can simple things like pesto and apple sauce! We will also go over how to pack and store everything for best quality, and what holds up best over time.

Focusing on real-life kitchen skills is essential right now. This lab is about making the most of what you have while reducing waste and stretching the harvest well beyond the growing season. You’ll leave with hands-on experience, practical knowledge, and a sense of ease around stocking your freezer and pantry for the months ahead.

Cost: $35/ Person

On-Farm Community Fika

A Traditional Nordic Gathering Around Pastries, Coffee, and Tea

Our Sunday Fika is a simple, steady gathering—something to look forward to at the close of each week. Settle in with a warm cup of seasonal tea or a well-brewed, ethically sourced coffee, and enjoy a table of handmade pastries crafted with locally milled flour, honoring the grains and growers close to home.

It’s an unhurried hour to visit, catch up, and savor the comforts of good food and familiar company—rooted in tradition, shaped by the seasons, and shared around the table.

September 20th, 2026

Menu:

• Apple Bundt Cake w/ Maple Cream Cheese and Pumpkin Seeds

• Open-Faced Sandwiches

  • Delicata Squash and Sauteed Leeks

  • Black Bean Salad with Pickled Corn and White Cheddar

• Chocolate Balls

• Shortbread

  • Maple and Toasted Walnut

  • Apple Spiced

Why Choosing High Quality, Local Animal Protein Impacts Your Health

Join us at the Aitkin Farmers Market for the kick off of a collaborative Food as Medicine seminar series where we link aspects of our physical and mental health to the food we put in our bodies!

This is the fourth out of six monthly seminars that will be engaging, one-hour experiences designed to deepen your connection to foods that nourish your body and amplify your health.

Continue the Food as Medicine series with a grounded, honest look at animal protein—where it comes from, how it’s raised, and why that matters for your health. In this free, one-hour session, we’ll explore the nutritional differences between meat sourced from small, local farms and conventionally processed options, and how factors like feed, environment, and handling can impact everything from fat quality to micronutrient density.

We’ll also break down the unique nutritional profiles of pork, chicken, lamb, and beef—helping you better understand how to choose and use each in a way that supports your body. The session includes a live chicken butchery demonstration to build confidence and connection with whole-animal cooking, along with a sampling of deeply nourishing bone broth. You’ll leave with practical knowledge, a closer connection to your food, and a clearer sense of how to source and prepare meat with intention.

Our Generous Sponsors & Collaborators:

Eat Local All Year Round!

Join us at the Aitkin Farmers Market for the kick off of a collaborative Food as Medicine seminar series where we link aspects of our physical and mental health to the food we put in our bodies!

This is the fourth out of six monthly seminars that will be engaging, one-hour experiences designed to deepen your connection to foods that nourish your body and amplify your health

Close out our Food as Medicine series with a practical, empowering look at food preservation and how it allows you to stay connected to local, seasonal foods all year long. In this free, one-hour session, we’ll explore the foundations of freezing and canning, and how these simple, time-tested methods help you reduce waste, save money, and extend the life of the harvest well beyond the growing season.

Through a live demonstration, you’ll learn how to properly freeze winter squash purée for easy, nourishing meals, and how to can vibrant red onions to add brightness and depth to dishes year-round. Whether you’re new to preservation or looking to build confidence, you’ll leave with approachable skills and inspiration to stock your kitchen with local food—no matter the season.

Our Generous Sponsors & Collaborators