The Forest Friendly Brewery Project, or Forest to Tap, is a nonprofit-based project planned and support by a diverse group of partners that include natural resources professionals and breweries across Northern Minnesota.
The idea is that good forest management, including planting, harvesting and stewardship results in clean and healthy water for wildlife, communities and businesses, including local craft beer.
From 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 25, 10 local breweries will give out free red and burr oak saplings.
Breweries include:
- Jackpine Brewery in Baxter
- Roundhouse Brewery in Nisswa
- Portage Brewing Co. in Walker
- Klockow Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids
- Big Axe Brewing Co. in Nisswa
- Block North Brew Pub in Aitkin
- Cuyuna Brewing Co. in Crosby
- Rapids Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids
- Bemidji Brewing in Bemidji
- Rendezvous Brewing in Hackensack
Forest to Tap is supported by Dovetail Partners, the Minnesota Forest Resources Partnership and the Sustainable Forest Initiative Minnesota Implementation Committee. Seedlings donated by the Nature Conservancy.
Listen to our conversation with Mark Jacobs about Forest to Tap above!
What do the forests mean to you? Let us know!
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Contributed/Erin HaefeleWhen the garden or farmers market gives you everything at once, the best way to handle it is to return to the fundamentals: roast, grill, bake, pickle, can, dry, freeze and sauté. These aren’t just methods, they’re survival tools during harvest season. Especially grilling. Because it’s summer. And everything tastes better with a little char and a lot of butter.This week, Amy and Heidi talked to Erin Haefele of Green Scene in Walker, Minnesota, "a charming food haven nestled in the heart of rural northern Minnesota where small-town warmth meets big-city sophistication." Erin inspires us with simple preparations to deliciously fresh garden ingredients. And we hear from Amy's friend Beth Friedrichson from Wisconsin, who gushes about dilly beans and life on the farm with chickens and alpacas.Lots of folks phoned in to talk about their harvests, whether it was peonies in Stillwater, garlic near Detroit Lakes, urban front yard CSAs in Minneapolis, potato varieties in Deer River or stuffed grape leaves in Chicago, you had a story to tell. Share yours! This week's community recipe to cook along with us is Onion Pie: kaxe.org/community-recipe-onion-pie-ham-radio-amy-thielen. Give it a try and send us your reactions and photos at comments@kaxe.org!Ham Radio Features original licensed music — "You Know How I Like It" by Jeremy Messersmith.Made possible by the Minnesota Arts & Culture Heritage Fund. Support KAXE by becoming a member today: https://donate.nprstations.org/kaxe/donate -
Events this week include a kids fishing tourney and Loop the Lake Festival in Bemidji, a Bells and More concert in Cohasset, Spring Bike Fling in Walker and Itasca Pride Fest in Grand Rapids. -
Pam Perry, retired DNR biologist, stopped by on June 10, 2025, to chat with our staff phenologist, John Latimer, about the colorful and charismatic critters of June. -
Jennifer Barr/KAXEThis week, we've been asking for your road trip stories. Where did you go? What interesting things happened? -
During the Phenology Report for the week of June 10, 2025, Staff Phenologist John Latimer discusses wildflowers, fruit trees and life in the bog. -
Jen Kellen/KAXEBeltrami County Master Gardeners Becky Livermore and John Reff joined the "KAXE Morning Show" to discuss watering and plant supports. -
Contributed/iNaturalist user chriskmDuring the week of June 10, 2025, we received 4 reports covering Pileated Woodpeckers, wild strawberries, and more. Staff phenologist John Latimer responds. -
Sarah Bignall/KAXEBearWise is an education program aimed at helping people live responsibly with bears. Andy Tri, bear project leader with the DNR, joined the "KAXE Morning Show" with more information. -
Contributed/Bill Dinger via Amy ThielenThis week's show is about having people over — sometimes, a LOT of people over — and how to feed them all, generously, without losing your mind, hiring help, or breaking the bank.We'll call it an audible potluck, with tales of Pennsylvania Dutch country family reunions from Chef David Kinch and his Park Rapids area cousin Bill Dinger, and our favorite theme song-writing Minnesota musician Jeremy Messersmith talking about hosting communal food parties built to pair with his performances.We heard from Megan in Meadowlands who kept the pig roast and Czech family traditions of kolache going in a community celebration. We heard from a listener from the U.P. of Michigan who makes porketta before hockey practice and Tammy told us about trying last week's Bran Crispbread recipe.This week's community recipe to cook along with us is Rum-and-Coke Shaved Ice: https://www.kaxe.org/community-recipe-rum-and-coke-shaved-ice-ham-radio-amy-thielen. Give it a try and send us your reactions and photos at comments@kaxe.org!Ham Radio Features original licensed music — "You Know How I Like It" by Jeremy Messersmith.Made possible by the Minnesota Arts & Culture Heritage Fund. Support KAXE by becoming a member today: https://donate.nprstations.org/kaxe/donate -
Events this week include theater auditions in Pequot Lakes, a game afternoon in Hibbing and a story slam at Lake Bemidji State Park.
