Join Women Who Really Cook for a special August gathering at Urban Ventures Farm in Lakeville - an inspiring morning centered around sustainable agriculture, fresh food, and community connection.
Experience a hands-on, interactive food demo from Pam Powell, Founder of Salad Girl Organic Dressings, and enjoy an “Easy Pleasy” farm salad made with freshly harvested ingredients from the farm.
Meet Our Host:
Heather Drake
Farm & Nutrition Education Director, Urban Ventures
Heather Drake is the Farm & Nutrition Education Director at Urban Ventures, where she leads a program that connects people to healthy food through sustainable agriculture, nutrition education, youth development, and community access. Along with overseeing the program, she also manages the organization's five-acre production farm in Lakeville, where she mentors interns through hands-on farm education and grows produce for Urban Ventures' neighborhood farmers market. She's especially passionate about soil health and recently launched a five-year effort to restore the farm's soil, believing that healthy communities begin with healthy land.
Heather is also the co-founder of Moshky Farm, where she now focuses on crafting farm-inspired beverages made with fresh and wild-foraged ingredients. From botanical syrups and shrubs to seasonal mixers and zero-proof creations, she loves turning what grows on the farm into "everything but the booze." Moshky also partners with local breweries and beverage makers to develop farm-crafted ingredients for their beverage programs. Whether she's in the field, foraging in the woods, or experimenting with a new recipe, Heather is happiest helping people reconnect with nature, great flavors, and each other.
Meet Our Host: Pam Powell
Founder & Chef, Salad Girl Organic Dressings
Pam Powell is the founder and chef behind Salad Girl Organic Dressings, a Minnesota women-owned, family run organic company dedicated to helping people make healthy eating safe, simple, delicious, and joyful. For nearly 20 years, Salad Girl has been creating fresh, certified organic dressings, vinaigrettes, marinades, and dipping sauces made with safe delicious fresh organic ingredients and enjoyed in grocery stores, natural food co-ops, and Target stores throughout the Midwest.
Pam's culinary journey began as a "Salad Girl" at Madden's Resort in Brainerd, Minnesota, where she discovered her love for fresh prep & whisking up flavorful vinaigrettes & dressings to celebrate fresh, yummy, seasonal produce! What started as a passion for salad making and hospitality eventually grew into a beloved regional brand built on the belief that innovatively combining fresh, organic ingredients and vibrant garden flavors can make healthy meal preparation easy, delicious, inspiring, and full of joy!
Today, Pam loves developing new seasonal recipes, new Salad Girl products, cooking on stage, and inspiring home cooks to embrace seasonal produce, local ingredients, and simple techniques that make every meal memorable. Whether she's sharing a colorful seasonal salad recipe, marinating local produce, meat, poultry or fish, or partnering with local farmers and nonprofits, her goal is always the same—to help people feel confident in the kitchen with fresh ingredients and excited to gather around the table and eat healthy!
A passionate advocate for organic agriculture, family farms, and strong communities, Pam believes good food has the power to nourish both body, mind and soul. Through every bottle of Salad Girl, every recipe, and every cooking demonstration, she hopes to inspire families to eat well, cook often, and celebrate the simple joy of sharing fresh, wholesome food together.
Meet Our Host: Julia Otten
Youth Program Coordinator & Urban Garden Manager, Urban Ventures
Julia is the Youth Program Coordinator and Urban Garden Manager at Urban Ventures Farm, leading volunteers, interns and youth in producing vegetables for donation, and coordinating classes and field trips about gardening and nutrition.
Julia also runs Julia's Neighborly CSA, a hyper-local vegetable business located in the Bryant neighborhood of South Minneapolis. Julia grows a weekly box of veggies for 5 customers annually, using a small space in a neighbor's backyard. She also produces microgreens indoors.
Julia will be bringing microgreens to share as part of our farm-fresh experience.
What to Expect
✨ A behind-the-scenes look at Urban Ventures Farm and its community impact
✨ A conversation with Heather Drake on farming, soil health, and food access
✨ A hands-on farm salad demo with Pam Powell of Salad Girl
✨ Opportunities to help harvest, prep, and build a fresh seasonal dish
✨ Samples, giveaways, and recipes to take home
✨ Time to connect, explore, and enjoy a summer morning on the farm
What to Bring
Feel free to bring a blanket or lawn chair for seating
Dress for the weather and farm environment (closed-toe shoes recommended)
Water and herbal iced tea will be provided
Fresh vegetables will be available for purchase/donation
Location & Parking:
Urban Ventures Farm: 26553 Dodd Blvd, Lakeville, MN 55044. Free street parking available.