ABOVE: Marj Fogelman (R) District 21B and Senator Rich Draheim (R) District 22, share a conversation with a couple during the 7th annual From the Ground Up, Bigger Than the Farm event Thursday afternoon at the Scholl Farm on 30th Ave. west of Trimont. There was plenty of good food and talks with local farmers and businesses on economic impacts locally and working to build a better ag footprint in our area and across the state. Photo by Larry Weig.

TRIMONT– On Thursday evening, community stakeholders gathered at the Scholl Farm in rural Trimont for the 7th annual From the Ground Up Event. The committee is under Project 1590 and has a goal of educating the greater community on agriculture in Martin County.

The committee is made up of a mix of community members including farmers, business leaders and educators. They are Wanda Patsche, Dianne Bettin, Char Kohler, Steve Hawkins, Nancy Johnson, Brice Munsterman, Melissa Tumbleson, Leah Hurting, Cathy Celander, Hayley Luther, Stephanie Wohlhuter, Tiffany Gamache, Nick Pease and McKenzie Wagelie.

Committee member Steve Hawkins said, “We want to showcase the importance of agriculture in Martin County and we do that by inviting influencers around the area and region to show all of the things that happen on the farm and/or in the industry. Everything from innovation to crops and livestock,” Hawkins said.

He believes that goal is especially important considering that Martin County is one of the leading agricultural counties in the state and toward the top in the nation.

Each year the event is held on a different farm in Martin County. It’s been held in the southeast portion of the county, at the Hugoson Farm, and this year it was in the northwest portion of the county, at the Scholl Farm in Trimont.

“Last year we were in the Ceylon area. We’ve been to Northrop and in the Sherburn area. We try to move it around the county and showcase different people. We like to do it on family farms to show all the hard work that’s been happening for decades,” Hawkins said.

The event is themed each year and this year’s– Bigger than the Farm– was related more to the economic impact, employment impact and how many jobs have been created in the area as a result of agriculture.

“You can go to the University of Minnesota and get a degree in engineering and work in agriculture in Martin County,” Hawkins said as an example.

In keeping with the theme, this year From the Group Up teamed up with Martin County EDA and GreenSeam, a regional agriculture organization, to come up with some educational information, which were provided to attendees.

The group also strives to partner with local businesses for catering. This year the Cup Truck and Las Potrancas were on site serving food and O Scoops offered dessert. Snacks were provided boy Sunshine Suzy’s and Whole Grain Milling and the drinks were courtesy of Fairmont Brewing Co.