Root River Permaculture

05/28/2026

Come on over to Dodge Nature Center on June 25th from 5:30 to 8:30 pm for an evening of music, food, connection and fun to help support the work of Renewing the Countryside. If you have questions, reach out!

Everyone is welcome! Hope to see you there!

We're putting the FUN in fundraiser on June 25th! RTC's summer fundraising event isn't your grandma's gala of uncomfortable formal wear, dry chicken, and even drier speeches. It's a lively get-together filled with games (wine bottle ring toss, anyone?), great conversation and delicious farm-to-table hors d'oeuvres and libations.

We'll share stories, play games, and bid on unique items like beekeeping and on-farm glamping excursions on REAL farms—all in the name of raising funds to support vibrant and sustainable communities.

Mark your calendars for Thursday evening, June 25th and plan to join us at the Dodge Nature Center in West Saint Paul as we celebrate the impact you've helped RTC make in the past 20+ years.

Reserve your seat today! https://www.tickettailor.com/events/renewingthecountryside/2191121

05/07/2026

2 likes, 1 comment. "Why Starting a Farm Feels Out of Reach for a New Generation"

05/01/2026

Today: we pulled garlic mustard (with a permit), learned about one of my favorite creatures- the beaver, and conducted water clarity testing with Secchi tubes and disks! What a day for Minnesota Master Naturalist. Sara is so authentic, knowledgeable, and fun- just great vibes! Thank you for all you do, Sara! We know we are a wild group and you’ll miss us someday!

05/01/2026

Welcome big cats!

University of Minnesota's Voyageurs Wolf Project just made an exciting discovery: a mother cougar with three large kittens living in northeastern Minnesota! 🐾

Cougars, also known as mountain lions or pumas, are known to periodically move into or through Minnesota. Neighboring North Dakota and South Dakota (and Nebraska) have established populations in the western portions of their states. Young males and less commonly, young females, from these populations tend to wander in or through Minnesota in search of new territory and a mate. 👀

Cougars went extinct in the state more than a century ago, and no suspected wild female cougar or kittens had previously been documented here. For Minnesota, this is the first confirmed evidence of cougar reproduction in modern history! 🎉

In order for a wildlife species to be considered a "resident" of Minnesota, there needs to be a self-sustaining breeding population. This would require multiple breeding individuals over a period of years. Monitoring efforts will be essential to determine if Minnesota becomes a home to a population of these big cats once again. 🔍

Learn more about cougars and verified past sightings: mndnr.gov/cougar

03/19/2022

Foraging season is upon us!

09/25/2021

A most excellent creature!

Faithful readers know that I have become a beaver believer. For most of the time that the Chesapeake Bay has existed, beavers by the millions inhabited every nook and cranny

04/07/2021

Happy beaver day!

03/02/2021

🖤favorite🖤

In our ruined global moment, watching something busily transform trash into fleshy, sculptural fruit is a comfort.

02/26/2021

Monoculture grass lawns are out; Butterfly gardens are in. Milkweed dreaming🦋

The latest count for the overwintering eastern Monarch population has been reported for 2020-2021. These butterflies are the ones who traveled this past fall from Canada, Minnesota and the eastern US all the way to central Mexico to overwinter in the mountain forests. The population occupied an estimated 2.1 hectares, down from 2.83 in 2019-2020. A 26% decline from last year.

We can all do our part to help our butterfly populations:
-plant native species when landscaping your yard
-limit use of chemical pesticides and herbicides
-avoid using seeds treated with neo-nicotinoids
-Join a organization working to restore native plant communities (MN Native Plant Society, Prairie Enthusiasts, Xerces Society, MN Master Gardener, etc.)

Don't have a yard? Set out potted wildflowers on your doorstep or windowsill or get a community garden plot and plant wildflowers alongside your vegetables!

02/24/2021

One third of the cropland in the upper Midwest has entirely lost its fertile topsoil, according to a new study. Other scientists doubt that figure, but agree that soil loss is a big problem.