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Dassel-Cokato
The mission of Dassel-Cokato Sustainable Living is to empower people with the knowledge and skills to be able to live more sustainably, and foster learning, connection, and stewardship with regards to our natural world.


Making Potato Sausage
This last weekend, 17 participants gathered at the ELC church in Cokato to learn from Heidi and her helpers, husband Bruce and brother Cory, how to make potato sausage. It was a group effort, which is a great way to make it. Heidi provided the ingredients - ground pork, ground beef, potatoes, onion, salt and pepper, and beef casings. Participants and helpers provided the labor - slicing and grinding onions and potatoes, mixing all the ingredients in a large bin, and running t
5 days ago1 min read


Mushroom Foraging Hike & Cooking Class
Olena with a Jack o' Lantern mushroom that can glow in the dark Giant Puffball, Hen of the Woods, Chanterelle, Purple Licaria, Artist's Conk, Oyster, and a Jack o' Lantern mushroom that glows in the dark are some of the specimens we found on our short walk through Stanley Eddy Memorial Park on the afternoon of September 28. We were very fortunate both in our discoveries and the gorgeous weather. To be completely honest, I have to admit I had not caught the mushroom foraging b
Oct 23, 20253 min read


Area Farmers Markets
Support your local farmers by shopping at a local Farmers Market! Be sure to check the link provided with each market to see if the market will be open for any given week. Dassel Farmers Market Fridays 2:30 - 5:30p May thru October Bandstand Park Watch for updates on the Real Life in Dassel/Cokato/Darwin & Kingston Facebook page Friday on the Farm (Dassel) Fridays 10a-4p May thru October https://www.fridayonthefarm.com/ Howard Lake Farmers Market Thursdays 3:00 - 6:00p Start
May 21, 20251 min read


Root Cellars: Design, Build, & Operation
On the evening of Earth Day, April 22, 2025, 20 of us gathered at Riverbend Farm in Delano. We were eager to learn more about root cellars, and, thankfully, Greg Reynolds, long-time owner and operator of the farm, was a willing teacher. It was a beautiful day to learn about efficiently storing food with the help of the earth.
Apr 27, 20256 min read


Making Kombucha
Shelley Huggett shares about tools, steps, and tips for success in making this probiotic-rich and nutritious fermented tea that has been...
Apr 22, 20251 min read


Herbal Medicine Basics
Connie Karstens, Co-owner of The Lamb Shoppe and Wellness Center, teaches this introductory class on herbalism, the practice of using...
Apr 22, 20251 min read
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