Are you thinking of Spring today? The @MNMOmag guest are the owners of @sweetlandorchrd in Webster MN, Mike & Gretchen. Lets go!

Gretchen:    Thanks for thinking of us today, @JoelECarlson. For once, we’re in the position of waiting for spring to catch up to us!

How do things look at the orchard this year? Is the late Spring causing any ill effects?

Gretchen:    We’d take this spring over last spring anytime. A nice & slow warm-up doesn’t put apple blossoms at risk like last year.

. . .not that the trees are close to blossoming at all! They’re definitely biding their time, but they’re going to love this weekend

All of the cold this winter was great too for (hopefully) reducing the insect pest population. Orchardists are happy this year!

When did the orchard get started, and what did you first start with as a crop?

Gretchen:    This is our 4th spring at the orchard, but we bought it as an orchard (fka Bob’s Bluebird Orchard)

Ave. age of apple trees is 15 yrs, but one is 35 years old and others are, well, one day old now. We also have pears and plums.

 How old do the trees have to be in order to provide usable fruit?

Gretchen:    That gets kind of technical, but it depends on the rootstock. Apple trees can be standard, semi-dwarf, and dwarf.

The bigger the tree, the longer to production. Standard = 10 yrs, semidwarf = 5-6 yrs, dwarf = 3-4 yrs.

We plant semidwarfs because they seem to do best in our soil. Many orchards plant dwarfs; they’re also great for home orchards.

Pears and plums take longer to bear, thus the saying “pears for heirs.”

On a good year, what kind of volume of fruit can you get from your trees? How many acres do you have?

Gretchen:    Volume is another case where rootstock matters. For example, a standard tree could produce 20 bu/yr while a dwarf, more like 2 bu.

We’ve got 5 acres of trees (15 acres of wetlands and woods) & a variety of rootstock, so a good year for us would be 2500 bu.

But we also go to @fultonmarketmn & @kingfieldmarket & Bloomington in Sept & Oct.

How do you sell your fruit: farmers market(s), online or can people come to pick on-site?

Gretchen:    We love to have people down to the orchard to pick. We’ve got a pretty quiet operation with dogs and chickens for entertainment.

We’ve also started selling hard cider at the orchard, so that’s fun too. Folks pack a picnic and spend a little time in nature

When are you typically open for customers to come and pick?

Gretchen:    We’re open for picking on Sat & Sun in Sept & Oct. We’re a small operation — it’s us & our folks & a few friends.

For people thinking about coming to pick this Fall, what varieties of apples, pears and plums do you have?

Gretchen:    Oh my, so many varieties. We’ve got the standard MN favorites (Honeycrisp, Haralson, SweeTango, Sweet 16, Keepsake, Honeygold) . . .

But some fun ones too: Scarlet Surprise for novelty, Bonnie Best for pie, and Wolf River for size. Any plum or pear is amazing

@slklug took a great pic of Scarlet Surprise last year: http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4106/5069637708_1216b10d01_z.jpg …

What made you (Gretchen & Mike) decide to buy an orchard? Would you change anything after gaining 4yrs of exp?

Gretchen:    We wanted to live in the country — and not have to commute to the city. We love living our here, growing apples, raising chickens.

But market farming is tough and our families have done a ton for us.

That’s one reason we’re getting into hard cider — to make our operation more sustainable.

And we’re doing this too because we love to eat good food and we love growing good food.

Any plans for the future of other things you could add to your business?

Gretchen:    Future directions? Well, cider-making’s like winemaking in terms of gaining experience over a lifetime.

So we anticipate we’ll spend a lot of time refining our cider-making craft.

Honestly, it will be a joy to concentrate on growing trees and fermenting cider, and doing both the best we can.

Joel:   Sounds like you have good plans! Thanks to both of you for sharing your story today on #MNMOtv. Enjoy Spring! :)

Gretchen:    We’re lucky to be doing what we love! Thanks for inviting us to chat today. We think we’ll all finally get to enjoy spring soon!

Interview conducted on April 24,2013.

@LindseySeavert is a native Minnesotan and started reporting locally for @WCCO and now reports for @KARE11. She also is a busy mom! :)

Lindsey:    I am all of those things. And I am beginning this Twitterview with a toddler insisting to be on my lap!

Juggling and Tweeting then. :) What made you want to become a storyteller?

Lindsey:    I love to offer people a voice, words come easily and you have the ability to educate, inspire, evoke emotion.

Creation and development are important. Did you have some on-the-job mentors along the way?

Lindsey:    Yes, owe so much to peers who made tv storytelling a craft. @boydhuppert has been an incredible mentor

Being a good storyteller is important, and you also have to know your audience. What do Minnesotans like?

Lindsey:    MNs are a sharp bunch. They don’t tolerate sensationalism, demand quality. We have engaged, educated news consumers

Our viewers see through a weak report and aren’t afaid to tell you. They hold us accountable. We work for the public.

With large cities as well as a large rural area, is balance also important in the types of stories covered?

Lindsey:    Balance is paramount. Have to remember this vast state, avoid being “Cities” centric, and showcase diverse groups.

As a working mom, what kinds of things do you juggle with to get “everything done” each day?

Lindsey:    Voice in my head! Honestly, feel like I come up short often. Story ideas, deadlines, housework, boy and hub to love

Try to remember I’m doing my best. Try to forgive myself. I take longer to return emails, floors aren’t as clean.

Are there any Apps, organizing tools or strategies that you use to help to keep things scheduled?

Lindsey:    No, anyone have suggestions? I use Outlook calendar. My mind used to be enough, but I can’t keep it straight anymore!

Joel:    Thank you very much for your time and comments today for #MNMOtv. When can people see you on @kare11 again?

Lindsey:    Just started my weekend w Fri/Sat off, but I’ll be back Sunday at 10pm. M-Th for 5/6pm. Thank you so much.

Thank you for your thoughtful questions and devotion to the Twitterverse. #MNMOtv Have a beautiful weekend!

Interview took place on April 3,2013.

Lets work to stay warm on this cool day in MN and talk with @AmbitiousKitch about food! Enjoy the conversation!

Good morning Monique! When it comes to food and cooking, what is one of your earliest memories of doing that?

Monique:    Hi Joel! My first memories would have to be watching both of my parents cook with passion. Dad baked and Mom cooked!

Do you remember the first time you made something? What was it and how did it turn out?

Monique:    When I was younger I found it easier to bake; I loved that it was both science and an art.

That being said, I baked a lot of brownies. I’m sure they turned out pretty well, because I always ate them.

Brownies are ALWAYS a good choice! :) When did you decide to start cooking/blogging?

Monique:    During college, I found that it was my passion but I didn’t know how to turn it into a career.

I followed food blogs & thought it would be a great way to share my recipes w/ others. I started AK in late 2011.

Having a passion for what you do is important. Who are some of the people & their blogs that inspire(d) you?

Monique:    I absolutely love the blogging community. I have a passion for brand building & content creation so it’s perfect.

My favorite blogs are @sugarplumtweets & @HowSweetBlog. They’re both incredibly creative and funny!

Other than that my readers inspire me every single day with their comments and emails; they’re amazing!

Cooking is one skill, blogging and photography are other skills. Which one is the hardest to develop?

Monique:    Probably photography. It involves props, proper lighting, and telling a visual story.

But you know, there’s workshops & you can read books. I kind of just wing the whole photography thing & it works out.

When it comes to your own taste, are you more of a sweet or savory person?

Monique:    SWEET, but I focus my blog on sweet delights & healthy bites. I love making recipes healthy, creative, and flavorful!

I see. What are some cooking/baking trends that you are most excited about?

Monique:    I think making vegetables the star in our meals — cauliflower will be huge this year. Popcorn too!

I’m also excited to see flavor-packed chicken make a comeback in restaurants. I think we’ll see a lot of creativity.

Another ever-growing trend is pizza, as brought out in @MNMOmag – http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/March-2013/The-Twin-Cities-Best-Pizza/ … Do you have a favorite?

Monique:    Hmmmm I like to make my own but Pizzeria Lola and Punch are pretty divine.

When you make your own pizza, what are some of your favorite toppings?

Monique:    Homemade mini Hawaiian turkey meatballs, pineapple, black olives, fresh mozzarella, and a good red sauce.

Nice! :) In your blogging/cooking process, does your own appetite guide you, or do your readers more so?

Monique:    Mostly me. I need to put out content and recipes that I’m proud of and I like challenging myself in that way.

What can we expect from you in the near future with your food work?

Monique:    A brand new site, partnerships, and maybe a cookbook. Oh and more recipes of course!

Joel:    Thank you very much for your time and comments today. Keep up the good work in making things look delicious!

Monique:    No problem, thanks for having me! :)

Interview conducted on March 15,2013

Cory Kampschroer and Jessica Miles are a married couple that live in the Twin Cities. They also work for the same company, Hubbard Broadcasting in St. Paul, which owns the local ABC television affiliate, KSTP. Besides working for KSTP television, they’re jobs also require them to appear on television. So imagine what that means for them. Living and working together, all of the time.  Do you think that you could do that?

In Part 1 of a 3-part interview with the couple, you’ll learn about where they grew up, what they wanted to be when they grew up and what their views of social media and the news are today.

In Part 2 of this series, Cory and Jessica share how a murder brought them together, how they explore the Twin Cities with their busy schedules, and how they go about finding the right babysitter for their children.

In Part 3 of their interview, Cory and Jessica talk about Minnesota vs Mississippi and how long they’ve worked for KSTP-TV. Jessica shares her thoughts on BREAKING NEWS and Cory shares his thoughts on the use of Social Media in the news business.

Natalie Kane has become a fixture in the Twin Cities when it comes to sports and entertainment. So much so that at the beginning of 2011, she started as the traffic and entertainment reporter for WCCO television. How did her first year go for her at WCCO? What kinds of challenges did she face having to do early morning television? How has the transition to her new responsibilities gone for her? As someone that has done a number of things on TV and radio,  does she think that doing a variety of things has benefited her in her career, and should others do the same? Find out her answers with PART 1 of her video interview.

In PART 2 of Natalie’s interview, she will share how she was able to move forward in being a Minnesota Timberwolves dancer, to doing radio and TV work. She’ll then talk about how she feels about doing radio, as opposed to doing TV work, and then she’ll end with talking about growing up and if she played sports at all.

In PART 3  of the interview with Natalie Kane, she shares her fashion sense, where she’d like to travel to, and finally, how she navigates around the Twin Cities.

Hello everyone! Welcome to a “sweet” Twitterview with the owner of @MojoDonuts, Lisa Clark. Lets get to tweeting!

So Lisa, lets get to know a little bit about you. Where did you grow up and go to school? @MojoDonuts

Lisa:    I grew up in both New Orleans and Minneapolis. I lived in N’awlins for 11 years….

That’s why Beignets are in my blood! I went to high school in New Orleans. Some college but I kept changing majors.

I see. So when you were a child and in your teen years, what did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?

Lisa:    When I was really young I wanted to be a lawyer. I believe donuts were a much better decision.

A battle of loopholes vs donut holes? :) So when did your interest in baking start for you?

Lisa:    I can remember as young as kindergarten having an interest….

The first thing I learned was how to fry an egg when I was 6 years old. From there it was onward and upwards.

Lets then move forward to today. When and how did the idea of a donut shop come to you Lisa?

Lisa:    Well, it is a culmination of things. First, my oldest daughter doesn’t like cake…

Every year on her birthday we would have donuts to celebrate instead of cake…

I never found great donuts in the Twin Cities and always thought great donuts need to be more accessible…

On my trips to Seattle I really felt inspired by their great donut culture….

That inspiration combined with my experience at Breadsmith made me think I could make this happen here in the cities.

Interesting. So how did you come to be at the location that you’re at in St.Paul? First choice?

Lisa:    I’ve always loved St. Paul. I actually had been looking for about a year and was very excited when this spot opened up…

I have a wonderful ad agency that actually did the research on the space for me…

I had a list of things that were important to me and they gave the thumbs up that this space met the criteria.

Wonderful!  What the story behind the name of your donut shop?  How did you come up with it?

Lisa:    My two youngest children actually named the shop..

It comes from their love of monkeys and a villain named Mojo JoJo from the cartoon series the Powerpuff Girls.

Great story! :) You offer a number of unique flavors of donuts. What made you go beyond the norm of choc/glazed?

Lisa:    That’s how we like to eat at home and I hoped that customers would like it too. So far, so good! :)

What are your 3 most popular donuts, and what kind of flour do you use in baking?

Lisa:    Raised ring with chocolate ganache, mango glaze and coconut ring and any of the fritters (apple or banana pecan)…

Bakers Patent, Pastry and Whole Wheat Flour…

And we have plans to start using locally sourced flour and dairy in the near future.

Awesome! Do you do curlers, eclairs, jelly filled or cream filled donuts? Do you think you’ll ever do breads?

Lisa:    Yes and yes! We do all the above except éclairs. We do have a cream filled Bismarck similar to an éclair though…

Customers can special requests. We have filled quite a few already…

We don’t ever want to say never, but breads aren’t on our current horizon

Lots of people like coffee with their donut. What brands and flavors do you offer?

Lisa:    We offer an entire organic fair trade coffee bar with all sorts of upgrades and sweet additions…

The beans are roasted locally by B&W coffee roasters.

Lots of donut talk gets me hungry! :) What are your hours of operation for when people can come for your tasty treats?

Lisa:    Tuesday-Friday 5:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Thank you for your time today Lisa! Read more about her and other MN donut shops on @MNMOmag here – Article

Lisa:    My pleasure Joel! Stop by sometime and give us a try!

Welcome everyone to the @MNMOmag Twitterview with guest @Sonjaeileen from the @BeautyRoomMPLS. Lets have some fun today!

Sonja:    Hello!

So tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up, go to school, and what did you want to be as an adult?

Sonja:    I grew up in Excelsior, MN and went to Minnetonka HS. I went to Aveda to become an esthetician

I actually wanted to be a pilot. I wanted to go to UND in Grand Forks, but then I found the world of spas!

That’s a GREAT world! :) How did you know it was a good fit for you? Where did you start using your skills?

Sonja:    In high school I worked in a small spa as a receptionist & fell in love with the environment & work it was so peaceful

My first real job as an esthetician was in Santa Barbara, Ca. We used organic products & I fell in love with that too!

Santa Barbara CA is a good place to start! Did you get good tips? Did you get to work with any celebrities?

Sonja:    Worked in Santa Barbara for 3 years, then moved to LA. That’s when I started working on some celebrities

I worked on Montana in Santa Monica & at The Beverly Hills Hotel, which was the greatest experience ever.

have worked on Jennifer Garner, Pamela Anderson, Melania Trump and Kelly Osborne to name a few. It was fun!

The Beverly Hills Hotel was a crazy place for celebrity sightings! It was an unbelievable experience.

Wow! How were you treated by them? Did they want to talk about themselves or did they ask questions about you?

Sonja:    Actually, most of them were very nice. Not too much conversation in general (because they were relaxing!)

Every once in a while a celebrity would be stand offish, but for the most part they were cool.

Was the spa then kind of an oasis for them from the public, or would they get “swarmed” there too?

Sonja:    The BHH was know for being very private & protective of celebrities. They always felt comfortable there because they..

knew paparazzi were not allowed near the hotel. We couldn’t ask for autographs & could only address them by last name.

EX. Good afternoon Mr. Buffet. He was one of my favorites!

Do you mean investor @W_Buffett? Can you tell us what he had done?

Sonja:    No, I meant the singer, Jimmy Buffett! Sorry, different spelling.

And he didn’t do anything in particular. I was just excited to meet him :)

Neat. Lets move on to today. Where do you work now, and what kinds of services do you offer to clients?

Sonja:    Today I work @BeautyRoomMPLS on 43rd & Chicago. It’s a beautiful salon/spa where I specialize in facials, skin care,

and waxing. I use an all natural skin care line called @ARCONA_LA which has given my clients wonderful results.

Super! So what days of the week can people make appointments with you?

Sonja:    I work T 9-5 (every other) , W 12-8, Th 11-7, F 10-6 & S 10-4 (every other)

The Beauty Room is at 4300 Chicago Ave, Mpls 55407 612-724-4111. I would love for everyone to come check us out!

Good to know. What’s one skin tip that you’re giving to people with the weather we’re having right now?

Sonja:    Drink lots of water!!

Our climate is so dry, leaving us with dehydrated skin. Also, exfoliate a few times a week & use moisturizer daily.

Lastly. Got any big goals that you’re targeting for next year?

Sonja:    I eventually want to open a small boutique spa of my own. Not sure when it will happen, but stay tuned

Joel:    Great idea! Well thank you Sonja for sharing some of your life on Twitter today with the #MNMOtv audience. Take care!

Sonja:    Thanks so much Joel, I had a wonderful time.