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Happy Dancing Blog

Eco Camp at Home

Jun 25, 2020
2 min

Eco Camp at Home

Eco Camp at Home is taking registrations now. You can register right now for July and August sessions. For over ten years, Happy Dancing Turtle has been home to Eco Camp, week-long day camps focused on coaxing out a curiosity for sustainability and nature in young ones. It is, without a doubt, the highlight of our year. We love interacting with the kids, showing them new things, and just being goofy. Just look: However, we made the prudent decision to suspend our in-person ca

The New Farmers Market

May 22, 2020
3 min

The New Farmers Market

Minnesota residents craving fresh produce won’t have to wait long, as farmers markets are beginning to open across the region — with some coronavirus-related restrictions in place. According to Governor Walz’s stay-at-home order, farmers markets are deemed essential, but in more ways than one. They are a direct line to your producer. Short of heading out to the farm itself and buying right out of the barn, farmers markets are the most direct way to talk and learn and create a

Farm to Home During Stay at Home

May 15, 2020
4 min

Farm to Home During Stay at Home

Some bad news has arisen concerning food production. As the coronavirus pandemic has supply chains disrupted, farmers and producers are being forced to destroy their crops, dump milk, and butcher livestock. The reduction in commercial demand is mainly due, among many other reasons, to fewer people eating out, going to restaurants, and fewer school lunches being produced. However, that doesn’t mean that people are interested in eating less often. (Personally, I’ve been eating

Fighting Food Insecurity at the Local Level

May 8, 2020
3 min

Fighting Food Insecurity at the Local Level

Food insecurity is already more widespread in this country than most know. On a daily basis, one in seven households with children are affected by the lack of access to food, or food insecurity. The majority of these children depend on meals that they receive at school from the School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program. There are over 14 million children that benefit from the school breakfast program, and almost 30 million children benefit from the Nation

Finding Wonder in the Small Things: A Social Distancing Blog, Part 2

Apr 17, 2020
5 min

Finding Wonder in the Small Things: A Social Distancing Blog, Part 2

Things are different. It’s okay to feel different. If you need help, the National Alliance on Mental Health is a great resource and can help put you on a path back to feeling more like yourself. Nowadays, it is so easy to just get caught up in the big picture. Practicing safe protocols and doing what you can to “flatten the curve” has probably taken over a large section of your day. To be safe, we need to keep abreast of health protocols and guidelines. It’s just smart to do

We’re All in this Together: A Social Distancing Blog, Part 1

Apr 10, 2020
4 min

We’re All in this Together: A Social Distancing Blog, Part 1

This is an unprecedented time. If you need help with your mental health, here are a list of numbers from the Minnesota Department of Health that are searchable for your county. For more information on mental health preparedness, here’s a good article from PBS. We are individuals. We are separate. We’re being asked to stay away from friends, family members, worshipers, and colleagues. But, humans are social creatures. It’s in our nature to be in close contact with others. We l