New York Mills, MN

– Submitted by Emily Blomberg, Adam Creek & Asante Creek.

12 NYM Youth Council members worked a combined 770 minutes on Fridays in June and July picking up trash in our community.

“Our city is pretty clean but the amount of cigarette butts was disturbing. We also found an overdue library book – which we returned, four shoes, and a lighter,” Emily Blomberg.

We did our litter pickup on 3 days instead of four for 40-45 minutes a day because we were rained out two of the four Fridays in June. We raised $220 dollars for the Youth Council Fund. We will use these and other funds that we raise for youth activities in NYM. 

We want to thank the following individuals and businesses for providing their support for our Pick Up for Pledges campaign: Al and Jana Berube, Ed Buerkle, Victoria Creek, Jean Lillis, Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Cenex Co-Op, Dean’s Country Market, New York Mills Horizons Volunteer & Leadership Squad and Otter Tail-Wadena Community Action Council. 

Thank you for your support!  The New York Mills Youth Council

May 7, 2008Dear community group members,

I am writing to ask if you would like to be part of our Farmers’ market as a fundraiser for your group.  One Group will be selected for each week of the market.  During that week they will be able to rent a canopy for 8 dollars, where they will be able to sell their products.

What products could your group sell? Some ideas we have are:

Cold lemonade, cider, caramel apples

Ice cream cones (maybe homemade)

BBQ turkey or chicken sandwiches

Fresh baked breads

Grilled brats and beans

Pancake breakfast

home baked pies, fresh donuts, cookies

Pumpkins that you have grown as a group

Other veggies or fruits you have grown as a group

Anything unusual, special, and homemade foods that the customers would enjoy munching on while strolling through the market.

If you haven’t already heard the latest buzz about the New York Mills Farmers’ Market, let me catch you up to speed.  The New York Mills Farmers’ Market started on Saturday May 31.  It will run on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9AM to 1PM.  We have many interested farmers who will be setting up 10X10′ stalls to sell their fresh fruits, veggies, meats and homemade foodstuffs.  There is a great deal of excitement about the Market from the people of the New York Mills area! Since the Market is located at the New York Mills Sculpture Park, we have excellent access to Highway 10 traffic, so we anticipate a large volume of customers.

Take these ideas and discuss them with your group.  Then call us to let us know what date your group can be our fundraising guest.  The dates will fill up very fast, so call Pat Fredley soon.   Her number is 385-2187.

Heather Cassidy

Farmers’ Market Committee

385-2229

Horthelper@lakesplus.com

Farmers Market News submitted by Heather Cassidy.

Farmers’ Market first day open will be May 31, Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM

Grand opening celebration will be June 14th, Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM

We hope to have face painting and wagon rides.  We are looking for people to provide entertainment for the grand opening.  Are you a musician, petting zoo operator, art and craft teacher, artist, magician, pancake and sausage vendor or clown?  (or any combination of these things?)  We need you to make our Grand Opening fabulous! Call Pat Fredley to sign up as entertainers 385-2187.

 The 14th of June is the weekend of the Think-off and the Parade, so everyone will be in Mills, isn’t this exciting?!

At our last meeting Stephanie Goins brought in some excellent banner designs by Windy Lake sign company, and we finalized the design plans.  She also said Windy Lake Sign Company is donating free billboard space on Highway 10 near the VFW for our farmers market.

Our group is still working on Vendor Member Packets, which will contain all of the info and forms our members need to become vendors.  We hope to finish these at our next meeting, and send them out to our local vendors. 

If you want to sell your fresh veggies or fruits at our market, call Pat Fredley 385-2229.  The cost is 25 bucks per membership for a 10 X 10′ Stall space!  What a deal!  A few final plans need to be made, like insurance and layout of the booths at the park, and opening a bank account, voting on a board of directors, but the end is in sight. 

Everyone needs Friends!  “Friends of the New York Mills Farmers Market” are people just like you, that are excited to see our community becoming more sustainable by supporting local food producers.  To become a member, make a tax deductible donation to NYMFM in any amount that you can.  The money will go to help pay for things like: postage and copies, a changeable sign at the market about the special events for that day, trash service, porta potty rental, traffic cones, and advertising in local papers. 

We appreciate how the community is getting behind us, thank you so much.

Next Meeting is 10AM, Monday May 5th, at the Creamery Meeting Room call 385-JAVA for directions to the Creamery in Mills

Heather Cassidy
Horticulture by Heather LLC.
385-2229
horthelper@lakesplus.com

The community is invited to take part in the annual park cleanup night May 5 at 4 p.m. in Smith Park. Bring tools and work gloves for raking and general cleanup. Adults, children, and organizations are all encouraged to take part in this community pride activity.

Article submitted by Lynn Kasma

Recent news reports have shown a dozen countries worldwide in the midst of food riots protesting the cost and availability of food.  This global issue will inevitably trickle down to us in some form though hopefully not as severe.  Regardless those who are struggling to make ends meet are feeling the pinch of increased prices at the grocery store and gas pumps and any relief available will be welcome.  So the question is:  Is it time to become involved in a community garden to ease your own budget or give to help someone else’s?

In either case the New York Mills community garden needs your help.  As a result of the Horizons program, a comprehensive approach to fight poverty in rural America, a group of dedicated volunteers are working diligently to offer local residents a chance to participate by:  reserving a 10′ by 10′ plot for personal or group use, donating tools and other items or through volunteer time.  In addition to individual plots a shared vegetable, herb and children’s space will be available.  All plots are free of charge with only a nominal commitment of time required.  

To reserve a garden plot contact Lynn Kasma at 385-4060 or through e-mail at lrkasma@hotmail.com.  If you visited the March Trade Show and filled out a form at the Horizons booth then you’re already on the list.  Current plans are for 12 plots unless demands require more.  They will be offered on a first come basis and we welcome civic groups, church groups or service groups who want to challenge their green thumb skills and provide for the needy.

To donate, a list of items needed include: garden tools, hoses, plant support systems, fertilizer, black dirt and a shed.  The drop off location for tools is the NYM Regional Cultural Center.  For any other items contact Lynn or Kevin Cederstrom at 385-4136.

To volunteer time to help prepare the soil, build the shed, paint signage or share your gardening knowledge please contact Lynn or Kevin for times and dates.

In conjunction with the community garden there will be a series of classes covering organic gardening techniques, food canning, freezing and storing methods, green issues supporting local food production and consumption, alternative energy innovations and art classes utilizing the inedible portions of garden plants.  These classes will be offered through the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, 4-H, U of M Extension, I.S.D. #553 and other local organizations.  This collaborative effort is further supported by the City Council with approved use of public land, for the garden, next to the City Shop.

Additional benefits for involvement in the community garden include:

• Support of green issues by eating food locally grown
• Improved health through exercise and consumption of organic produce
• Positive family activity- teaching your children respect for the earth and skills to provide for themselves
• Helping the less fortunate by sharing excess produce
• Reducing the cost of your personal food budget

Your help is needed to help alleviate poverty in our community.  The Horizons program is offered through the U of M Extension Service with a $10,000 grant from the Northwest Area Foundation.

I intended to put this link up last week–yikes does time fly!

Anyway, here is some information about the Community Garden as written about int he New York Mills Herald:

City Council approves NYM Community Garden

Thanks to Heather Cassidy for submitting this information.

Our next Farmer’s Market meeting will be on Thursday April 17th.

We will meet at the Sculpture park to sketch out a layout for the best traffic flow and customer comfort at 9:45 AM, if the snow is mostly gone.

Then we will head over to the Creamery at 10 AM to blaze through an exciting agenda that will get us closer to our opening date of Memorial day weekend!

If you know a youth group, church group, or farmer that should get in on the action, please tell them!

If you can’t make the meetings, email Heather Cassidy at horthelper@lakesplus.com. I can keep you “in the know”.

There is a great deal of interest in our Farmers Market. It is exciting to know the community is behind this project 100%!

Thanks to Kevin Cederstrom for submitting this information.

The Community Garden project continues to move forward. The City Council approved the land-use request on Tuesday, giving the go-ahead to proceed with the project. With the approval the group now needs to produce a waiver form get a rider on the city’s insurance.

If and when the snow clears and digging begins, we will find out exactly what kind of soil we are dealing with. The plan is to till up a 100-foot by 50-foot area. Depending on what we find when we break ground black dirt will be hauled in to establish a good working soil.

A water delivery system will need to be established and possibly install a fence to keep the critters out.

In addition, the plan calls for a shared tomato and squash plot, children’s garden, herb garden and small storage shed. There will be no cost to individuals for the plot, seed or starter plants, as long as they are within a pre-determined seed list.

We’ll get word out soon to find interested growers and get them signed up for 10-foot by 10-foot individual plots. Signed agreements will be required committing to shared maintenance, involvement in classes, rules and regulations and initial garden preparation.

Please join us for a Round Table Discussion focusing on these topics:

Leadership ~ Volunteerism ~ Youth Involvement

Thursday, April 3 – 6:30 to 8:30 pm @ the NYM City Hall Ballroom

Everyone is invited!   Please RSVP horizonsteam@gmail.com.

Sponsored by the Horizons Team Volunteerism & Leadership Future Squads

If you have questions, please call 385-2436 or email jadams@newyorkmills.lib.mn.us.

We want YOU to join us for a Round Table Discussion focusing on these topics: 

Volunteers–how do we get them and keep them? 

Leaders—how does a leader become a leader? 

Youth—how do we get them involved? 

We want to hear from you on what works and what doesn’t.  We want you to share with others your ideas on how we continue to make our community strong. 

When: Thursday, April 3 – 6:30 to 8:30 pm 

Where: NYM City Hall Ballroom 

Snacks & refreshments will be provided

Free childcare available provided by certified babysitters 

Spread the word–everyone is invited!