Interested in growing your own food? Sign up for Love to Grow

This paid event listing is sponsored by Love to Grow.

If you’ve decided this is the year you begin growing your own food, an event later this month will help you learn and leave inspired.

Love to Grow will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 28 in Luverne, Minnesota, one block from the Project Food Forest demonstration site, Prairie Ally.

“We focus especially on edible perennials like fruit trees and berry bushes and incorporating native plants to create resilient, ecologically minded landscapes,” organizer Rachel Saum said. “The event is also a great opportunity for cross-pollinating with other community members while sharing delicious, locally produced food and drink!”

It’s the second annual event for Love to Grow, which is produced by the nonprofit Project Food Forest.

“Last year, we were blown away by the number of attendees from all around the region who came to learn from each other,” Saum said. “There were many great connections made, and people asked that we do it again.”

This year brings three expert keynote speakers with time for Q&A sessions, new vendors selling local merchandise and two new specialty beers prepared by Take 16 Brewing Co. using ingredients from Prairie Ally Outdoor Center.

The speakers will address topics such as permaculture food forests, urban tree health and engaging kids in the garden.

Love to Grow is a great fit for anyone who is curious and willing to spend time outdoors, is interested in growing their own food or in environmentally friendly and resilient lawn care, Saum said.

“We aim to make the event accessible to home gardeners as well as commercial producers and land stewards of all sorts,” she said. “Project Food Forest is extremely well resourced to answer questions across the spectrum and can provide connections to other organizations and information that we don’t specialize in.”

A ticket to Love to Grow includes a social hour to end the day, a beautiful charcuterie spread featuring locally sourced ingredients, hot coffee and tea, and a canvas tote filled with gardening swag from event sponsors. Take 16 brews will be available for purchase, and the event is family-friendly.

Click here for information and to purchase a ticket. 

A raffle will offer the chance to win a bundle of items and resources to “Grow Your Garden” — a great spring kit for getting any gardener started once the weather warms up.

Raffle tickets can be purchased now through Jan. 28 here, and you do not need to attend Love to Grow or be present to win.

“We hope that people walk away from Love to Grow feeling inspired to order seeds and plants, and start planning for spring,” Saum said. “But we mostly hope that our attendees make connections to whatever people and resources they need to experiment in their gardens come warmer weather.”

Food forests slowly blooming, bringing edible plants with multiple benefits