SuperShelf transforms food shelves statewide
Pipestone County Area Food Shelf has a faithful flock of volunteers, including a board made up of 17 local church leaders.
“In a lot of towns, food shelves are neglected, down a dark alley — even rats wouldn’t want to go in there,” said Roger Raschke, chairman of the board (pictured right). “People should have dignity, not feel lower than the bottom of the ocean.”
With help from Extension health and nutrition staff, the food shelf in Pipestone has met all criteria to become a certified SuperShelf. When they moved into a new building, Extension staff helped design the space to guide clients to make healthy food choices for the people from more than 500 households who shop there each month.
“Now,” said Raschke, “when people come in, they are amazed.”
Extension has helped more than 90 food shelves reduce stigma and promote shopper choice by improving the layout of their physical spaces. While
SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) was eliminated by a federal funding cut in 2025, Extension continues to support SuperShelf efforts statewide.
Highlights
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: The Kruisselbrink farm family raises beef cattle on their farm north of Woodstock. They grow alfalfa and small grains in addition to corn and soybeans and have integrated no-till and cover cropping to improve soil health.
- From Projects to Pajamas — 4-H Shines All Night was the theme for a recognition celebration, honoring youth, parents and volunteers for their hard work and dedication. 4-H volunteers Nicole and Olyvia Weber, Julie Manzey, Amy and Maesa Folkerts, and Kyle Caskey made up the awards/ event committee.
- 4-H filmmaking, an online course, will teach 4-H’ers in Pipestone County how to get the best angles while focusing on storyboarding, mobile filmmaking with a cell phone and basics of editing. It will also introduce them to other youth filmmakers across the state.
- Extension provides financial capability education for participants in the judicial district’s treatment courts, including adult and juvenile drug courts, and courts for mental health, veterans, family dependency and DWI/DUI.
- A new 2.5-day Extension training on cattle artificial insemination combined classroom learning and hands-on experience at Zeinstra Dairy.
- Master Naturalist volunteers participated in National Public Lands Day at the Pipestone National Monument. This annual event of the National Environmental Education Foundation promotes enjoyment and volunteer conservation of public lands.
Pipestone County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Pipestone County partners with Extension to deliver practical education and research you can use at home, at work and in your community. More about Extension in our county.
About the Minnesota 87 project
Spend time in any Minnesota county, and you will almost certainly encounter University of Minnesota Extension. Our faculty and staff, volunteers, participants, alumni and partners are woven into the fabric of rural, urban and suburban Minnesota life. This project showcases Extension in action through photos, stories and a sampling of the many ways Extension has touched the lives of people in every county.