On Friday, October 10th, LEC welcomed School Sisters of Notre Dame General Councilors to Mankato. Sisters Carolyn Anyega and Christine Garcia came all the way from Rome, Italy on a tour of SSND's Sponsored Ministries. They visited LEC's Community Garden on Good Counsel Hill and learned more about LEC's impact in the Mankato community. SSND founded the Community Garden...

With tomato season just around the corner we thought we would re-share this recipe for Fresh Tomato Bruschetta shared originally by our Executive Director Laura Marsala Peterson back in September of 2020:

I recently made this simple recipe for a small outdoor gathering and multiple people asked how to make it. I was almost embarrassed to tell them because it was so easy didn't want to blow my gourmet chef cover!  Nonetheless, if you have tomatoes, this easy summer recipe is definitely one you want in your wheelhouse!

Through a Grow-a-Farmer Grant from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Fund and Region 9 Development Commission, LEC was able to purchase a new irrigation system for the Blue Earth County Community Farm. The old system had been installed in 2021, when LEC took over management of the Community Farm and was showing its age.

"The old system was dated and comprised of a lot of rigid tubing that was starting to wear out and tear," said Community Farm Manager SkyAnne Walker. "Those tears were leaking and we were both losing water pressure in other areas of the system and having water spurting out and creating little ponds at the tears. In addition, it was cumbersome to match up the tubing to the correct rows and there wasn't a lot of room for customization."

The new system is comprised of multiple valves and flexible tubing, allowing more control over which areas are being watered...