Watch the Story: Farm to Fashion
The story of how fiber makes the journey from the farm to the fashions designed by TIM+THOM.
Grow Your Future in Agriculture
FLOWERS
Photo courtesy of
Pluck Flower Farms
Pluck Flower Farms
Rachel Sannerud
Owner of Pluck Flower Farms
Milaca, MN
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Rachel owns Pluck Flower Farms in Milaca MN, where she grows flowers for florists, Farmer’s Markets and individuals. Rachel grows about 50 different varieties of flowers. One of the most popular varieties she grows are sunflowers.
Rachel went to college at the University of MN and studied Horticulture. She always knew she wanted to farm for herself eventually and own her own farm, but she didn't have a lot of land. She asked herself, “What can I grow and manage by myself and what does that look like?” From those questions she determined that she could buy $100 of flower seed, plant them in the ground she had and see what would happen. Today, Rachel grows flowers on about an acre of land and each year is able to invest in more equipment to help her make her job easier. Rachel has made her passion for flowers her career, and encourages you to explore your interests. All passions start from a small place. Perhaps your passion project can be your job someday!
FIBER
Tim & Thom Navarro
Owners & Creators of Tim+Thom
Minneapolis, MN
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Brothers Tim and Thom Navarro are fashion designers, tailors, event producers and community organizers living in Minneapolis, MN. Their label, Tim+Thom, is a community forward fashion brand focused on growth and diversity.
Growing up as the youngest of 5, Tim and Thom learned how to alter the clothing that they were handed down to wear from their older siblings. In high school they designed costumes for the musical productions. They altered their friend’s clothing and created their own looks by painting on their clothes! Tim and Thom are passionate about creating styles that are sustainable and that can be re-purposed. Their favorite fibers to create clothing with are wool, cotton and linen, but they’ve even created styles with Yak and Alpaca fiber! Tim and Thom believe you should feel comfortable and confident in the clothing you wear. Look through your closet and ask yourself, “What makes you feel confident and happy when you wear it?” Whether it’s an old sweatshirt or a fancy outfit, if it enhances your mood, it’s what you should wear!
FORESTRY
Photo courtesy of
Kevin Thomas Logging
Kevin Thomas Logging
Kevin & Jody Thomas
Owners of Kevin Thomas Logging
Hines, MN
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Logging for the Thomas family has been a way of life for many years. The material from logs is made into your paper, pencils, cardboard boxes, boards and even gum to chew! Native Americans taught colonists to chew spruce sap, which is still used to make chewing gum today!
Logging is a lot of work and a big responsibility. It is important not to log too many trees because some trees need to be left to conserve natural habitat. However, if enough trees aren’t cut down, new trees won’t be able to grow. Trees are a renewable resource. For every tree Kevin and Jody log, 5 to 7 new trees will grow in its place! Kevin and Jody work hard to be sure there will be enough trees to both enjoy and use to create products. What would your life be like without trees?
FOOD
Audra Carson
Senior Director of Marketing & Integrated Communications at Post Consumer Brands
Lakeville, MN
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When Audra was in high school, she was the editor of her school newspaper and attended journalism camp at the University of Minnesota. Audra has always had a love for telling stories and creating new things, so she decided to pursue a career in marketing.
Audra now works at Post Consumer Brands based in Lakeville, MN where they make breakfast cereals like Fruity Pebbles, Honeycomb and Oreo O’s! Audra’s job is to help invent new foods and share the great things about those new foods with 5th graders like you! Audra leads a team that decides what new food will be made, what they will name the food, how they will tell people about the food, and what words and pictures will be used to describe the new food! The next time you visit the grocery store, look at all of the cereal and think about all of the steps it takes to make the breakfast you love to eat. Whenever you see food, you’re seeing the results of agriculture!
FUEL
Photo courtesy of
Service Oil Enterprises
Service Oil Enterprises
Mitch Swart
President & Driver for Service Oil Enterprises
Prinsburg, MN
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Most days you can find Mitch in a semi-truck hauling different types of fuel all over Minnesota. Mitch first drives to a fuel pipeline where he fills his truck with whatever fuel his customer has ordered. These fuels are either ethanol that is made with corn, or biodiesel, which is made with soybeans.
Once his truck tank is full, Mitch hauls the fuel to farmers who then pump it into their tractors and trucks, or to gas stations where people like your parents or friends can pump the fuel right into their car! Mitch has a special driver’s license called a Commercial Driver’s License, and must pass a test every 4 years to make sure he knows how to safely drive a semi-truck and haul fuel. From the corn or soybean field to your car or truck’s fuel tank, Mitch makes sure everything safely gets where it is supposed to!