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Upcoming Events


June Community Volunteer Day at the Farm

Thursday, June 12, 2025
5:00 pm7:00 pm
Blue Earth County Community Farm
20612 Indian Lake Rd
Mankato, MN 56001
US

You are invited to join us at the Community Farm for an evening of volunteering!
Many hands make light work, we will be weeding, turning compost and doing general farm maintenance tasks with...

***BONUS***
Dinner provided by LEC!

The Community Farm is home to our Produce Donation Program, all food grown is donated to local community partners such as ECHO Food Shelf, MY Place, and the St Peter Food Shelf.

You will be making a difference and helping to feed YOUR community.

Registration is not required but appreciated for meal planning.

Container Gardening Workshop

Saturday, June 14, 2025
1:00 pm2:30 pm
LEC Community Garden
170 Good Counsel Dr
Mankato, MN 56001
US

Want to learn how to garden but don't have the yard space? You can still grow food! Learn how to have a successful garden out of pots and containers, including herbs, vegetables and flowers.

Class taught by Master Gardeners Mary Walker and Lucas Youngerberg

Class Size is limited, so register today!

Class is offered on our tiered pricing scale:

$45 - Benefactor: purchase your ticket and sponsor 2 scholarship tickets
$22 - Sustainer: purchase your ticket and sponsor a reduced/student ticket
$15 - General Admission: base class price
$7 - Reduced/Student Admission: reduced pricing for students and attendees needing a reduced rate

To request a scholarship ticket please email info@livingearthcentermn.org

Summer Solstice Celebration

Friday, June 20, 2025
6:00 pm8:00 pm
LEC Community Garden
170 Good Counsel Dr
Mankato, MN 56001
US

Join LEC for our annual celebration of the longest day of the year!

We will observe the Summer Solstice with our annual reflection, as well as with games, activities, and live performances!
Featuring - Live Music by Violette LeBoutiller
*and*
Puppet Show by local artist Abbey Dickhudt!

All are welcome!

Bring your friends, a picnic, and blanket or chairs and join us at the Big Red Barn for an evening of fun and celebration.

Event is FREE - with free will donations gratefully accepted

Pre-registration is requested but not required

July Community Volunteer Day at the Farm

Thursday, July 24, 2025
5:00 pm7:00 pm
Blue Earth County Community Farm
20612 Indian Lake Rd
Mankato, MN 56001
US

You are invited to join us at the Community Farm for an evening of volunteering!
Many hands make light work, we will be weeding, turning compost and doing general farm maintenance tasks with...

***BONUS***
Dinner provided by LEC!

The Community Farm is home to our Produce Donation Program, all food grown is donated to local community partners such as ECHO Food Shelf, MY Place, and the St Peter Food Shelf.

You will be making a difference and helping to feed YOUR community.

Registration is not required but appreciated for meal planning.

Vegetable Dehydration Workshop

Saturday, July 26, 2025
1:00 pm2:00 pm
LEC Community Garden
170 Good Counsel Dr
Mankato, MN 56001
US

Want to learn how to preserve your garden harvest that doesn't involve canning?
Or what to do with leftover purchased produce, like when your recipe calls for 1 celery stalk but you have to buy an entire bunch?

Dehydration is the answer!

Learn the basics and how to get started from LEC Farm Manager and homesteader SkyAnne Walker, who has been using dehydration at home for many years.

If you don't have access to a food dehydrator, alternative methods, such as dehydrating in your oven, will be covered.

Class Size is limited, so register today!

Class is offered on our tiered pricing scale:

$45 - Benefactor: purchase your ticket and sponsor 2 scholarship tickets
$22 - Sustainer: purchase your ticket and sponsor a reduced/student ticket
$15 - General Admission: base class price
$7 - Reduced/Student Admission: reduced pricing for students and attendees needing a reduced rate

To request a scholarship ticket please email info@livingearthcentermn.org

August Community Volunteer Day at the Farm

Thursday, August 14, 2025
5:00 pm7:00 pm
Blue Earth County Community Farm
20612 Indian Lake Rd
Mankato, MN 56001
US

You are invited to join us at the Community Farm for an evening of volunteering!
Many hands make light work, we will be weeding, turning compost and doing general farm maintenance tasks with...

***BONUS***
Dinner provided by LEC!

The Community Farm is home to our Produce Donation Program, all food grown is donated to local community partners such as ECHO Food Shelf, MY Place, and the St Peter Food Shelf.

You will be making a difference and helping to feed YOUR community.

Registration is not required but appreciated for meal planning.

Native Pollinator Garden Workshop

Saturday, August 23, 2025
1:00 pm2:30 pm
LEC Community Gardens
170 Good Counsel Dr
Mankato, MN 56001
US

Support pollinators by learning how to grow native Minnesota wildflowers!

Join LEC and Master Gardener Mary Walker to learn about all things pollinator!

From what to plant to attract pollinators to how, and the benefits of native plants, to how to tend your plants throughout the growing season, learn the basics to get started with your own pollinator garden

Class Size is limited, so register today!

Class is offered on our tiered pricing scale:

$45 - Benefactor: purchase your ticket and sponsor 2 scholarship tickets
$22 - Sustainer: purchase your ticket and sponsor a reduced/student ticket
$15 - General Admission: base class price
$7 - Reduced/Student Admission: reduced pricing for students and attendees needing a reduced rate

To request a scholarship ticket please email info@livingearthcentermn.org

Canning 101 workshop

Saturday, August 30, 2025
1:00 pm2:00 pm
LEC Community Gardens
170 Good Counsel Dr
Mankato, MN 56001
US

Too many tomatoes?!? Want to preserve your pickles?!?

Join LEC Farm Manager and owner of Wiimąnį Homestead SkyAnne Walker to learn how to preserve your garden harvest by canning.

Learn the basics, from what equipment you'll need to the importance of food safety.

Want to can but don't have the equipment? LEC has you covered! We have all sorts of canning equipment available for checkout from our lending library for free!

Class Size is limited, so register today!

Class is offered on our tiered pricing scale:

$45 - Benefactor: purchase your ticket and sponsor 2 scholarship tickets
$22 - Sustainer: purchase your ticket and sponsor a reduced/student ticket
$15 - General Admission: base class price
$7 - Reduced/Student Admission: reduced pricing for students and attendees needing a reduced rate

To request a scholarship ticket please email info@livingearthcentermn.org

October Community Volunteer Day at the Farm

Thursday, October 9, 2025
5:00 pm7:00 pm
Blue Earth County Community Farm
20612 Indian Lake Rd
Mankato, MN 56001
US

You are invited to join us at the Community Farm for an evening of volunteering!
Many hands make light work, we will be weeding, turning compost and doing general farm maintenance tasks with...

***BONUS***
Dinner provided by LEC!

The Community Farm is home to our Produce Donation Program, all food grown is donated to local community partners such as ECHO Food Shelf, MY Place, and the St Peter Food Shelf.

You will be making a difference and helping to feed YOUR community.

Registration is not required but appreciated for meal planning.

Fall Farm Fest

Saturday, October 11, 2025
Blue Earth County Community Farm
20612 Indian Lake Rd
Mankato, MN 56001
US

Join us to celebrate the end of the growing season at the farm! There will be fall related games and activities and refreshments. Bring the whole family, its FREE!

Time TBD, more details to come


LEC News and Updates


The 2025 growing season is off to a resoundingly successful start at the LEC Community Gardens! The Garden is full to bursting with every plot spoken for and we have over 20 new gardeners this year!

The gardens are a flurry of daily activity with plants being planted and seeds being sown. The Eng-AGE-ment Garden (which is operated in partnership with MNSU College of Allied Health and Nursing) has been planted and youth gardening classes have been held on location in the gardens!

This time of year is always full of excitement and potential at LEC as we anticipate all that the coming growing season will bring!

LEC co-founder and current Board Member, Sister Kathleen Storms recently shared her recipe for Flax-Nutmeg Pancakes in the April edition of the SSND Connections Newsletter.

She graciously agreed to also share it with the LEC Community.  Flax seeds are rich in fiber and omega 3's and Sister Kathleen says they are delicious topped with syrup or a variety of fresh fruits!

Read on for the recipe...

Friends of the Living Earth,

Living Earth Center was founded on the values of bringing people from all backgrounds and traditions together to share common ground, grow food, and cultivate connection. During these times that feel vulnerable and uncertain, our adherence to those values remains steadfast and unwavering. We have always been and will always be a place where anyone can come, feel welcome, be empowered to grow good things and be united in common awe of the natural world.