Environment
Food Environment
Local Foods and CSA Farms
Although our grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Promotion Program is over, the project continues to support, when possible, the initiatives to expand the availability of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables in New Ulm!
The grant helped us conduct a marketing campaign to advertise and increase awareness of the New Ulm Farmers Market, expand community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, train local farmers to meet increased demand, and provide opportunities to expand the growing season.
Special thanks to our program partners:Guldan Family Farm, KNUJ radio, New Ulm Medical Center, Growing Green at Putting Green, Inc., University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Extension.
Read our tips for using local foods or contact local farms.
CSA Farms
Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a partnership between a farm and community members. In New Ulm and the surrounding area, we’re fortunate to have many farms that offer the opportunity to buy a CSA membership.
When you become a CSA member, you’ll receive a box of produce or other farm products each week or every other week during the growing season, depending on the level of membership you choose. Just pick up your box at the farm or their drop-off location at scheduled times. It’s a great way to get super-fresh produce, enjoy exceptional taste and explore new vegetables and herbs, all while supporting local farmers.
Learn more about how a CSA membership works.
Restaurant Program
We're making it easier for you to eat well while eating out.
Hearts Beat Back: The Heart of New Ulm Project has partnered with local restaurants committed to serving you the same great-tasting food with fewer calories and more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthier fats.
The level of participation (Bronze, Silver or Gold) is set by the number of healthy practices offered at the restaurant. Stop in soon and experience just how tasty foods can be when prepared with better health in mind!
Grocery Store Program
Grocery shopping is not only time consuming, but the number of products available can make the experience very overwhelming. We understand the challenge of locating and identifying the healthiest choices for you and your family. Currently we’re working to bring simple shopping solutions to your favorite grocery store so choosing healthy foods is easier.
Convenience Store Program
We’re on a mission to make healthy eating easy. Finding healthier food and beverage choices in convenience stores can often be a challenge. Therefore, for the last five years we’ve been partnering with local convenience stores to increase the promotion and selection of healthier food and beverages choices.
SWAP IT to DROP IT
Built Environment
Complete Streets
In 2010, Minnesota signed into state law a Complete Streets policy for the state highway system and any state-aid funds provided to local communities. The law was designed to also help local governments implement their own Complete Streets policies. Complete Streets are designed and operated to be safe and accessible for users of all ages and abilities: pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers. New Ulm is currently working on Complete Streets initiatives.
Why is this important to the Heart of New Ulm's work and a heart-healthy lifestyle?
Among their many benefits, Complete Streets help support opportunities for people to be more physically active. Making our streets accessible and safe to all users supports active transportation, which means walking or bicycling for daily activities such as running errands, commuting to work or school, or recreation.
Complete Streets help create vibrant neighborhoods by calming traffic on residential streets, creating walkable neighborhoods, increasing community interaction, promoting economic development and tourism, and much more.
Designated Bike Routes connect to Bike Circle Route
The City of New Ulm has approved designating low volume traffic streets as bike routes in town to help children choose safer routes to school, commuters’ safer routes to work and to run errands. Recreational bicyclists can easily identify safer routes for their recreational riding around New Ulm. The designated bike routes include access to several worksites, the grocery stores, the medical center, the recreation center, Brown County Public Services, all of the schools, and gets you near downtown. Eventually these routes will either have signage or sharrows painted along the routes to alert motorists to the expect bicyclists along the route and to slow down.
The designated bike routes connect with the Bike Circle Route at numerous locations throughout the city. The Bike Circle route is nearly 12 miles, but people on their bikes can access the route from many different points in the city using the map below. The grade for the bicycle route is easier if you ride it counter-clockwise. The Bike Circle Route surrounds the City of New Ulm using a paved trail and a series of street connections to complete the route.
The Circle Route Provides Quick Access to Local Attractions Along the Route With Some Only a Few Blocks Away:
- Schell’s Brewery – approximately three blocks off the route Hermann Monument – one block off the route.
- Hermann Monument will be open weekends in May and daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Admission is $2.50 per person.
- Flandrau State Park – three blocks off the route
- Community Garden - located at Putting Green, one block off of the route
- Putting Green Miniature Golf - open Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend - one block off of the route
- Miniature golf – opens Memorial Day weekend – one block off the route
- Downtown with the Glockenspiel – two blocks off the route
The Bike Circle Route was established a few years ago and circles most of New Ulm. Although the route has been publicized in the New Ulm Chamber of Commerce’s Visitors Guide, the street section of the route had previously never included signage. Now, thanks to grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with the New Ulm Area Foundation, the City of New Ulm has signs along the entire route.
Designated Bike Routes
