Council funds county special project

The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion presented opportunities its 44 organizations to get creative and submit for special project funding and that’s just what the Nicollet-Sibley County Corn & Soybean Growers did.

With a blank canvas and full of ideas, the board took on this opportunity with a bit of color, well literally.

Minnesota ranks third in the nation’s soybean production. Growing 7 million acres across the state helps improve Minnesota’s economy, and the thousands of value-added soybean products remind consumers that soy is…everywhere.

With this in mind, the Nicollet-Sibley County Corn & Soybean Growers wanted to put on their creative caps and celebrate a Soy Sunday fun day with a sip and paint.

“We wanted everyone to get the big picture,” said Nicollet-Sibley County Corn & Soybean Growers Secretary Kelsey Henke. “Soybeans are everywhere and in products you may not expect.”

Before the attendees got their creative juices flowing, University of Minnesota Extension Educator Emma Severns gave a brief presentation of Minnesota soybeans and all the products they can be found in.

“Soybeans are split into two parts,” she said. “Eighty percent of the bean is split into soybean meal and the other twenty percent into soybean oil. They then are used for feed for animals, food for humans, fuel for vehicles and other industrial uses.”

Connecting it back to the event, she named other common items that contain soybeans such as baked goods, infant formula, candles and of course – paint.

“The learning of different products was cool, new and exciting,” said Lauran Johnson, who attended the event. “And I really enjoyed the painting part.”

Aside from the presentation and painting, attendees ate some flavorful snacks including tofu, beef bulgogi skewers marinated in a soy glaze, baked goods and meat products in which in some shape or form directly had soybeans in them or on them.

With more than 30 people in attendance, the board was happy with the turnout. As an appreciation of thanks, each attendee received a goodie bag of soy products including a candle, hair elixir, chapstick and a frost your own cookie to take home.

“We definitely would consider doing something similar again,” Henke said. “The event was educational and fun which drew people in.”

These special projects were funded by Minnesota’s soybean checkoff.