As many of you know, I am an advocate for healthy living. Not only as a massage therapist for the past 35 years, but also as a past health food store owner in 2 different states. A large part of my philosophy is "you are what you eat."
In an attempt to grow more food consistently for the people of our world, many farming practices have now shown to be contradictory to the health of our soil. The use of products to control maladies such as pests, weeds and other deterrents to the harvest have shown that they carry their own pitfalls. This in turn affects the quality and nutrition available in our food. But that's another story. Today I want to focus on a positive approach to our health.
I was in Zumbrota last week picking up my freshly baked artisan bread, when I saw a "new" storefront. It has been there for about a year, but I had never noticed it. I had heard of The Greensted, and it was on my list of places to check out, but I hadn't gotten there yet. I popped in to see what was waiting for me inside, and met one of the owners, Jayne Bredlau. I as usual asked a lot of questions, and was pleased to find a kindred spirit in the nutritional world. Located at 224 S. Main Street, Zumbrota, it is a bright and airy store, well stocked with healthy options for your palate.
Jayne, one of the owners, shares a bit about the enterprise: The Greensted Fresh-n-Local - Greensted means “green place” and Fresh-n-Local is the mission. Dean and Jayne Bredlau started business in 2018 growing and selling Microgreens. Business grew to producing over 200 pounds weekly sold wholesale to many grocery stores. We needed more growing space so moved to a custom-built facility on E. 9th Street in 2021. We added garden produce and opened the retail “farm store”
Starting in 2023, the economic times have been challenging for everyone. We had to make hard choices for our business. In October of 2024 we paused growing microgreens (after 8 years straight) and garden produce to step into a new opportunity. We moved the grocery store to Main Street in downtown Zumbrota. We flung wide the doors to our community on Nov. 1 that year. In a new location, we upgraded the name, but have the same earnest vision for bringing the best in local and regional food, home goods and personal care products to our local communities.
The Mission is sourcing all things as close to home as possible. The fresh foods come from local farms (eggs, milk, produce and meats). The best butter and cheeses (both cow and goat) come from Nordic Creamery, Westby, Wisc. Real maple syrup and honey are, of course, sourced from local farms. Regional (Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin) small businesses provide clean ingredient pantry items like coffee, tea, cereal, crackers, pickles, infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars, salsa, chips and organic grains and flours and much more. Yes, we have a variety of gluten free things too!
One of the most popular items are tallow based soaps, lip balms, hair care products and laundry detergent from Dandelion Naturals located in Hayfield.
Michelle, the founder, handmakes all her products – there are hundreds – with a base of rendered tallow, clean oils and lightly scented with essential oils. Your skin, hair, lips and laundry will thank you. No waxes, stabilizers, dyes or preservatives in the home makes a serious impact, especially for children whose little bodies are not able to detox those substances.
I read an interesting article recently – Where does one start the process of detoxing the home? What’s most impactful? The answer as voiced by many moms: Begin with switching everything that touches your family’s skin. Laundry, care products, clothing and especially all plastics. Cookware was the second most vital change. Buying organic carrots or farm raised eggs is great; cooking them in toxin coated cookware or storing in plastic containers reduces the
benefits.
Pro tip: Watch for used mason jars sold on FB Marketplace, garage sales or thrift shops. Make sure the tops are not chipped. Store nearly everything in them! It extends shelf life and keeps the food fresher. Cute lids can be purchased and makes them fun. Use them for drinking glasses too. Amp your game by getting a jar sealer to store dry goods (not appropriate for regular canning). Buy oats, beans, flours, dried herbs, etc. in bulk, seal ‘em up in the jars and you’re set for cooking and baking for months.
Start slow and make small changes in your home. It is worth the effort.
Bottom line, The Greensted GROCERY is a GROCERY store. We are not a specialty or gift store, although we offer some gift items. We provide everyday food items to promote wellness and build community support. A dollar spent at home, stays at home. Healthy eating isn’t expensive, it’s priceless. Our nation is seeing epidemic levels of chronic illness. You are what you eat. We are not broken; the body speaks when it’s struggling. Listen – don’t rush to medicate.
Food is health care. Take care of your health.
My favorite item in the store was the low heat pasteurization of their milk. I have had a milk allergy all my life, so I had avoided consuming it until I found a farmer that allowed me to buy his milk right out of the cooling tank. This was acceptable to my body, so I did a deep dive into why I could tolerate the raw milk when store bought milk caused me a lot of problems while growing up. Jayne answered my questions in detail, which was much appreciated.
I was able to drink raw milk with no issues for several years until my "go to" farmer was told he couldn't sell it to his customers any more. The laws had changed and he wasn't willing to take the risk, which is understandable. So, no more raw milk for me. Again, that's another story!
I found out from Jayne that she carries milk that uses low heat instead of a high heat ultra pasteurization process. The benefit here is the naturally occurring enzymes that are present in the milk and are so important to our health remain intact. This means the enzymes our bodies require are not damaged, and can fully enter our digestive tract
where they can now do their job.
The Greensted began as a way to get back to the roots of healthy living. Dean and Jayne Bredlau are on the healthy living journey right alongside their customers.
Stop in, take a look, ask questions about products and the companies behind them (Jayne loves these conversations!). Do your own research, begin to build your vision for your home and family on healthy, clean, delicious living. Let’s do
this together!
The Greensted is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 5pm, Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Phone number is 507-359-2680.
