Supporting Minnesota cottage food producers in person and online
With more than 10,000 registered cottage food producers in the state, Minnesota’s micro-producer industry is thriving. Extension helps keep food production safe and within the bounds of Minnesota Cottage Food Law by offering online and in-person training in Carlton County.
In 2025, more than 350 people participated, and many shared positive experiences. One participant said: “This course really helped me understand cottage food better, especially the parts I’m struggling with.” Another said, “I should have done this before I was a Tier 2 baker. It would have been useful knowledge to have as my business expanded.”
Following science-based handling and food preservation protocols protects consumers from foodborne illnesses. It also inspires confidence in the industry that provides Minnesotans with locally made jams and jellies, pickled veggies, baked goods, dried fruits and vegetables, bottled sauces and fermented goods. Extension also offers continued support to producers with a monthly webinar, where participants can ask questions in advance or live.
Highlights
- Maintaining Onsite Septic Systems workshops in Cloquet provided an overview of system management and the federal regulations for land application of septage, and prepared attendees for the MPCA Maintainer exam.
- RSDP impact: Students from Cloquet and Wrenshall are gaining valuable, hands-on experience working alongside industry experts, thanks to a partnership with RSDP/CERTs and Just Housing.
- People don’t have to be mental health professionals to support friends, neighbors and colleagues in times of need. But they may not know how. Extension helped bridge this gap by providing in-person Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET) training in Cloquet.
- Joni G.-T., a Carlton County 4-H’er, is a Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador. She shows Miko robots and chickens, and is involved in the 4-H youth equity team.
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: Shipley Farms (2026)
- Working with Extension educators, Gary and Barb Peterson opened their Barnum property to the public for a Planting for Honey Bees field day. With a variety of fruit trees and dedicated pollinator plantings, the event highlighted how thoughtful land management can support both pollinators and people.
- Extension and NOAA are working with partners across the Arrowhead region to establish a resilience collaborative and create a regional climate resilience plan through the Climate Adaptation Partnership.
Carlton County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Carlton 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.