CLC Ag and Energy Center

08/18/2026

🌻 Join us tomorrow for the final Children’s Garden session of the season!

Even if your child has not attended a session yet this summer, they are welcome to join the fun. Children will create floral arrangements and celebrate the season with a harvest potluck.

📅 Wednesday, August 19
⏰ 9:30–11:30 a.m.
📍 Living Legacy Gardens at the CLC Ag & Energy Center
👧 Open to children in grades K–5
💲 $10 per child

Come help us wrap up a wonderful summer in the garden! 🌸🥕

08/13/2026

A new meat processing facility is opening right here in Staples!

Farmers Union Processing + Meats will celebrate the grand opening of its new USDA federally inspected facility on Tuesday, August 18. The event will include a ribbon-cutting program, lunch and opportunities to tour the facility.

The opening is especially meaningful for Central Lakes College. Minnesota Farmers Union supported the development of the Meat Cutting and Butchery programs at CLC and Ridgewater College, and this new facility will create additional training and internship opportunities for students preparing to enter the meat processing industry.

The facility will help address Minnesota’s need for additional processing capacity while supporting livestock producers, developing the agricultural workforce and preparing students to become skilled meat processors and future locker plant owners.

📅 Tuesday, August 18, 2026
⏰ 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
📍 Farmers Union Processing + Meats
901 Prairie Avenue NW, Staples

Learn more at farmersunionmeats.com.
Minnesota Farmers Union I Central Lakes College I Ridgewater College I CLC Meat Cutting & Butchery

08/11/2026

Spend Friday, August 28, exploring the latest in agricultural research, equipment, technology, and hands-on learning at the Central Lakes College Ag & Energy Center.

The day will feature:

🚜 Tractor and Combine Ride-N-Drive
🌱 Field research sessions and demonstrations
🚁 Agricultural drone applications
💧 Precision irrigation technology
🌻 Living Legacy Garden tours
🎀 Legacy Ag Trail ribbon cutting
🍽️ Free lunch and program featuring MN FSA Executive Director Kurt Blomgren
🍦 Free ice cream social with live music by Skal Klubben
🌼 Children’s Garden activities

📅 Friday, August 28, 2026
⏰ 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
📍 26505 County Road 2, Staples, MN

The event is free and open to farmers, students, families, educators, industry professionals, and community members. No pre-registration is required!

View the complete schedule and session descriptions:
https://clcagandenergy.org/events/

Central Lakes College I USDA Farm Service Agency I I North Dakota State University I I Living Legacy Gardens I I

08/06/2026

🌽 Fresh sweet corn is ready!

U-pick sweet corn is now available at the Central Lakes College Ag and Energy Center for just $5 per dozen.

Follow the signs when you arrive. Payments can be placed in the metal box outside the farm office.

Questions? Call Tammy at (218) 296-2795.

Come pick up some fresh, locally grown sweet corn while it lasts! 🌽

08/02/2026

Happy Birthday to one of the best, Bruce! 🎉

We had the chance to celebrate him as a team last Friday, and it was a great opportunity to recognize everything he does.

Thank you, Bruce, for your hard work, dedication, and the many ways you support all of us. We hope you have an amazing birthday and a fantastic year ahead! 🎂

07/31/2026

🚜 TRACTOR RIDES are coming to the Children’s Garden!

The next Children’s Garden program is Wednesday, August 5, and it is one young tractor fans will not want to miss! Children will enjoy tractor rides and get creative with the Leafy Tractors activity.

🌿 Leafy Tractors
📅 Wednesday, August 5
🚜 Featuring tractor rides!

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfh2jfVElm12MhlqPUB8JLsZATUsyhokVn-xVPAo9ZHsPdtww/viewform

Questions? Contact Heidi Zimmerman at [email protected].

07/29/2026

🌱 Tiny gardens, BIG imaginations!

Last week’s Children’s Garden program combined creativity with plenty of hands-on learning. Participants explored different types of flower and produce gardens, crop farms and livestock farms while discovering the foods and household products that come from each.

Then it was time to get creative! Each child built a take-home fairy garden using live plants and plenty of fun decorations.

The group also harvested rhubarb, radishes, peas and herbs while learning when and how different garden produce should be picked. They even tackled a few weeds and made sure the garden beds had plenty of water during the hot weather!

There are still two opportunities to get in on the summer fun:

🚜 August 5: Leafy Tractors (TRACTOR RIDES!!!)
🥕 August 19: Children’s Garden Harvest Picnic

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfh2jfVElm12MhlqPUB8JLsZATUsyhokVn-xVPAo9ZHsPdtww/viewform

Questions? Contact Heidi Zimmerman at [email protected].

07/16/2026

Sprayer in action during On Farm Communications yesterday.

07/16/2026

07/15/2026

🚜 From the classroom to the field.

The CLC Ag & Energy Center was proud to host the summer session of On Farm Communications training today, welcoming USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and SWCD professionals from across Minnesota for a day of hands-on learning.

Through experiences with precision agriculture technology, irrigation, soils, drones, and equipment demonstrations, participants gained a firsthand look at the innovations and management practices shaping today's agricultural industry.

Thank you to our Ag & Energy Center staff, Jason from CRK Aerial, and everyone who helped make today's training a success. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with AgCentric to provide meaningful learning experiences that strengthen agriculture and conservation across Minnesota.

Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources