Love Minnesota food? Carry the card with cachet

"What's in your wallet?" That credit-card slogan came to mind after a stop at the Simple, Good and Tasty stand at the Mill City Farmers Market and a chat with co-owner Lee Zukor, who handed me a copy of his Local Food Lover Card. Zukor turned his local-foods-focused blog into a full-time business last year, and the idea for the discount card, "came from trying to figure out how to coalesce a community around good local food," he said.

So far, several dozen local/organic/sustainable-minded restaurants and retailers have signed on, as well as about 600 consumers. The program includes both one-time specials ($5 off a $25 purchase at Clancey's Meats & Fish, or $10 off any two entrees at Spoonriver) and continuing offers (10 percent off crop shares at Cooks of Crocus Hill, complimentary coffee with breakfast or lunch at Cafe Barbette). There's a monthly coupon component, too; for example, cardholders receive e-mail certificates for buy-one-get-one-free ice cream cones at Pumphouse Creamery. At that rate, it wouldn't take too many scoops of butter pecan to recoup the card's $29 cost.

Another benefit: It looks hipper than a Blockbuster membership card, and each time it's used it pumps dollars into the local foods economy. "We thought it should have a little bit of a cachet associated with it," said Zukor. "You know, carrying a card that says, 'Yes, I care about local food.'"

RICK NELSON