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South news briefs: Organics tours take in south metro farms

June 25, 2013 at 6:28PM

This year’s Memorial Day service at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis paid honor to the 150th anniversary of the Civil War with Abraham Lincoln reenactor Kevin Koester reading the Gettysburg Address and the First and Second Minnesota Volunteer Infantries executing a rifle salute. A Civil War documentary is being screened at the Jordan Library at 6:30 p.m. on July 17. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

South metro

Organics tours take in south metro farms

A pair of well-known organic operations in Scott and Dakota counties are taking part in the third annual Eat Local Farm Tour next month.

The tour is Saturday, July 20, and is aimed at connecting the general public with sustainable farmers.

Eleven metro area food co-ops, including Burnsville's Valley Natural Foods, are sponsoring the tour, which offers a handful of suggested loops all around the Twin Cities.

One loop includes Cedar Summit Farm, near New Prague, and Gardens of Eagan. Others on the so-called Northfield West loop include Shepherd's Way and Simple Harvest, near Nerstrand.

In all, 18 food producers are included, among them vegetable, poultry, beef, dairy, a winery, and bee farming: one urban operation is known as Beez Kneez Bicycle Delivered Honey. Hours will differ from farm to farm.

Free guidebooks with maps, hours and tour activities will be available at co-ops July 1. The information is also online. The guidebook is also available online at www.valleynatu ralfoods.com/docs/FarmTourGuide2013.pdf. Updates can be found on the Eat Local Farm Tour Facebook page: www.facebook.com/EatLocalFarm Tour.coop?fref=ts.

Shakopee

Get those cameras and smartphones out

The city of Shakopee is urging anyone hoping to win this year's Show Off Shakopee photo contest to start early.

Details on the contest will be released later in the summer, but the guidance for now is to focus on "people, attractions and natural landscape" as the likely categories for your artistry.

Savage

Keep on drinking that Savage water

The purity of Savage's water supply has been given another endorsement, the city says.

A number of citizens have raised questions over the years, but the state's Department of Health has again declared that the water "meets all state health guidelines," city officials report.

More details can be found in a 2013 Water Quality Report, available online at www.cityofsav age.com/2013-water-quality-report.

The report covers test results and substance levels for samples from the water treatment plant throughout 2012.

Printed copies of the report are available at City Hall, 6000 McColl Drive, and at public works, 13770 Dakota Av. The city will mail one out on request if you call 952-882-2660.

Hastings

Seeking garden help

The LeDuc Historic Estate is looking for volunteer gardeners to be a part of its community garden project. When produce is ready, volunteers will be able to take some home, and fresh vegetables will also be distributed to the food shelf at Hastings Family Service.

Gardeners can simply show up at the community garden from 3-5 p.m. Tuesdays or at 9 a.m. Saturdays.

The LeDuc Historic Estate, 1629 Vermillion St., is owned by the city of Hastings and managed by the Dakota County Historical Society. For more information, see www.dakotahistory.org.

Scott County

Documentary on Civil War is coming

Scott County's Historical Society and library system are teaming up to offer a screening of a documentary on Minnesotans in the Civil War.

The event takes place at 6:30 p.m. July 17 at the Jordan library, 230 S. Broadway.

"From Wasioja to Washington" follows young men from the town of Wasioja and Dodge County, west of Rochester, recruited from Northwestern College Seminary to form the Second Minnesota Company C.

They find themselves in the Battle of Mill Springs, the Battle of Chickamauga, the march to Atlanta and the march to the sea with Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, among other events.

The film was a partnership between Hennepin Technical College and a group called Friends of Wasioja. DVD's are available at www.civilwarmn.com, and there's a stirring trailer for the project at http://vimeo.com/36167003.