22 minute read
Special Collaboration
ELEVATING OUR REGION
Advertisement
Tell us about the GreenSeam region. How is it becoming the world-class food and agribusiness epicenter?
We have it all here: the business diversity and strength. There are over 1,000 ag-related businesses in our region, and they cover a number of industries, from protein to soybean processing, from small family farms to Fortune 500 companies. It is pretty amazing what we have done and can continue doing here as we build out the full supply chain and drive innovation. Spanning southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, GreenSeam is a region worth investing in.
Mark Greenwood
What would you say is unique about the region?
The diversity of agriculture is GreenSeam’s biggest strength. There is focus on protein processing, renewable energy, as well as technology and science, especially in the swine industry. There are 17 ethanol plants in the GreenSeam, producing 1.4 – 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol a year. Even tractor manufacturing has found its home in the GreenSeam region. You can also have a wonderful life in the GreenSeam, as it is a great place to raise a family and grow a career. The region offers top-notch schools, our communities are safe, and there are endless opportunities for those who enjoy spending their time outdoors.
How does GreenSeam shape the future of agriculture, businesses, and communities in the region?
GreenSeam, the organization, is an irreplaceable connector for existing businesses and potential investors. It is the key to unlocking the people, businesses, and communities that support the innovation and growth of the next generation of agribusiness leaders.
What brings you, as well as Compeer Financial, to the GreenSeam table?
A very important piece for the future of Compeer Financial is a thriving region, and being part of GreenSeam is the best way to ensure it continues to grow and thrive. GreenSeam is driving the long-term resilience of our small towns and rural landscapes.
Mark Greenwood has been engaged with GreenSeam since its inception and currently serves on its Board of Governors. Mark was born and raised on a farm in southern Minnesota and has been involved in agriculture his entire business career. Besides his role as Chief Diversified Markets Officer at Compeer Financial, Mark is a member of National Pork Producers, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Association, and GreenSeam Business Group. He has had multiple opportunities to travel across the world and speak about the success of agriculture and the supply chain in the GreenSeam region.
greenseam.org
Taking Barbecue to the Next Level
Summertime is barbecue time. At Prairie Pride Farm, Paul Hubmer and Brheanna Hubmer have taken the art of barbecue to a whole new level, creating a farm-to-plate experience that is darn close to perfection. The Hubmers’ Mankato business has three components: farm, catering, and farmers market.
First, they grow and grind their grain to produce wholesome, natural feed. Next, they pamper their animals, following heritage farming principles to produce quality chicken and pork products. Finally, they combine time-tested recipes and barbecue techniques to deliver the best-tasting chicken, chops, brats, sausages, and bacon you have ever eaten.
You can purchase their products and gift boxes at local farmers markets or through their website. If you’ve got a hankering for some good barbecue, give their take-andbake dinners a try, visit their food truck, or have them cater your next event. A Long Legacy
The Hubmer family farm goes back, way back. It was established in 1876, just a handful of years after the Civil War ended.
“I’m the sixth generation on my family farm,” Paul Hubmer said. “This is a century farm now.”
The farm sits at the southeast edge of Mankato, just a few miles from St. Clair. You can see the St. Clair water tower from the Hubmers’ mailbox. It began operating under the Prairie Pride Farm name in 1998 when Paul Hubmer’s parents, Dawn Hubmer and Roger Hubmer, were running the show. Paul Hubmer purchased the Prairie Pride catering business from his parents in
This section brought to you in partnership with:
2013. He and Brheanna Hubmer bought Prairie Pride Farm in 2020.
Both Hubmers contribute to their business in different ways. Paul Hubmer brings a wealth of farm experience to the table. Brheanna Hubmer adds a strong business and marketing background. The two share years of restaurant and catering experience and a passion for good food. It’s a great combination.
The Hubmers pride themselves on their environmentally friendly, humane farming processes. Prairie Pride is a Minnesota Water Quality Certified Farm.
“This whole farm is run humanely. Every animal is treated with the utmost respect,” Brheanna Hubmer said.
Their clover pastured, free-range chickens rule the barnyard (although the farm dogs might disagree). The Hubmers’ daughters, 13-year-old Arheanna and seven-year-old Rocky, hand place the newborn chicks in their nursery.
“We raise them in open-air barns so they can go off and pick alfalfa and grass. They also are fed a little corn, soybeans, and a little bit of base mix. We hand grind everything that we raise here to feed our animals,” Paul Hubmer said. “The chicken breed that we raise is a very blank palate. It takes on its environment. Good quality ingredients – high-quality proteins, alfalfa, and grass – make a difference.”
The kid-glove treatment applies to their pigs, as well.
“We have great animal husbandry,” Paul Hubmer said. “We raise these pigs on our own non-GMO corn. It’s a very simple diet: corn, soybeans as their protein, and a little bit of minerals and vitamins. There are no antibiotics, and they’re growth-hormone free.”
Does all this effort affect the flavor? “Absolutely,” Paul Hubmer said.
A Special Breed
Another thing that affects the flavor is the breed. The Hubmers’ pigs are not your average, run-of-the-mill pigs. Yes, indeed. These pigs are something special.
When you think of a pig, you probably picture a pink pig, like the Yorkshire breed. It’s one of the most common pigs in the United States. They’re quick-growing, disease-resistant, and produce inexpensive meat. That’s great if you want to produce a lot of pork fast, but not so great if you’re looking for world-class flavor.
The pigs at Prairie Pride Farm are Kurobata Berkshire pigs. If you’re wondering what the heck that has to do with the flavor of your pork chop, Paul Hubmer is happy to fill you in.
“This is 100 percent pedigreed, pure-bred Berkshire pork. It’s an old-world breed that dates back to England. It’s a black pig with some white accents, a little bit slower growing. But the meat quality and the flavor and the tenderness are far superior to any production pig that is out there,” Paul Hubmer said. “That’s what our customers really like, and that’s where we stand out in our market.”
Berkshire pigs have been known for their rare quality and flavor for over 300 years, according to the American Berkshire Association. It created the world’s first swine registry in 1875, which coincidentally is about the same time the Hubmer Farm was founded. The first hog ever recorded in the registry set the bar high for the Berkshire breed: It was the boar Ace of Spades and was bred by Queen Victoria.
Berkshire pork’s superior flavor is due in part to its well-marbled mix of lean meat and fat. That makes it more desirable and, yes, more expensive. The Hubmers will tell you it is worth it.
“I’ll put my pork chops up against any single steak there is, your fillet, your Wagyu, and I guarantee it will be just as good, if not better,” Paul Hubmer said. “This Berkshire pork is amazing.”
Now That’s Good BBQ
What makes a good barbecue? The Hubmers will tell you the first critical ingredient is time.
“It takes patience and time. Lots of time, trial and error,” Paul Hubmer said.
Brheanna Hubmer likes to help out in the quality control department: “That’s my job. Paul will say, taste this, does this taste good?”
The second requirement is to start with good, quality meat.
“Simplicity is key. Good quality meat is a must. We cannot stress that enough,” Paul Hubmer said. “We barbecue all of our own pork shoulders. People ask, ‘Why is your stuff so good?’ It’s the quality of the meat. That’s the number one thing.”
Prairie Pride has proven that combining their meats with barbecue is a winning combination.
“That’s why competitive barbecuers come to us for their meat products,” Brheanna Hubmer said. “That alone can help win the competition.”
Jane Laskey
EDITOR
Speaking of Waygu beef, the Kurobata Berkshire is known as the Waygu of the pork world. It takes its name from a line of Berkshire pigs that were raised in Kurobata, Japan.
“Kurobuta is a Japanese term that translates into ‘black hog.’ Japan is a huge buyer in the Berkshire market,” Paul Hubmer said.
Prairie Pride Growth
Prairie Pride Farm has sold its products online and at farmers markets in St. Paul, Burnsville, and Lakeville for years. This June, they joined the Mankato Farmers Market. Look for the Hubmers every Tuesday between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the Best Buy parking lot on Adams Street in Mankato.
Prairie Pride products include fresh meats, uncured bacon and sausages, and their special barbecue sauce and rub. They sell gift boxes year-round. At Thanksgiving time, they add whole turkeys to the mix.
Their award-winning sausage selection includes old-fashioned wieners: jalapeno-cheddar, andouille, bratwurst, Cajun, chorizo, and summer sausage. During grilling season, their brats are a big hit.
“A lot of our brats are precooked, so you can just toss them on your grill and warm them up,” Brheanna Hubmer said. “It’s nice for busy families or big families.”
The Hubmers hope to continue to grow their business over the next few years, especially in the Mankato and St. Clair communities. They see it as the natural next step in their farm-to-table adventure.
“We plan on expanding, possibly opening a brick-and-mortar meat shop,” Brheanna Hubmer said. “We’d both also love to open our own restaurant.”
THE ESSENTIALS Prairie Pride Farm of Minnesota
59597 185th St. Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: (507) 245-3117 Web: www.prairiepridefarm.com Facebook: @prairiepridefarmmn
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT GENERAL CONTRACTING DESIGN-BUILD
(507) 387-1667
300 ST ANDREWS DR. SUITE 200 MANKATO, MN WEBCONMANKATO.COM
Convenient, Quality Insurance for Your Business Insurance Needs
Imagine how much easier it would be to handle your business insurance with just one insurer. Federated coverages range from property to liability to IRAs to business life and disability income. That means your Federated marketing representative can help design an insurance plan that takes care of almost every aspect of your business. Just pick up the phone and call. What could be more convenient than that?
Nick Smith Mankato, MN 320.761.9208
Jay Horner
Owatonna, MN 507.455.5200
Stacey Johnson
Owatonna, MN 507.455.5299
Jessica Grayson
Owatonna, MN 507.455.5358
By Lisa Cownie
Photos by Jonathan Smith
In Spanish, fiesta means a celebration. When Krystal Hernandez purchased the Plaza Morena restaurant in 2012, she added the word fiesta to its name. She knew in her heart there would be much to celebrate. She could never have imagined, though, the obstacles that she would have to overcome to earn those celebrations. The last nearly 10 years have been full of challenges, from a devastating fire to a global pandemic. Today, La Plaza Fiesta is thriving, and these days the restaurant in Madelia has plenty to celebrate. “Honestly, things are going well,” Krystal Hernandez said. “Everything we have gone through, we have learned from, and truly it’s only made us stronger.” Strength is one thing Hernandez started building at a very young age. She began working at her parents’ Owatonna roller rink when she was 11 years old. She did anything that needed doing: concessions, admissions, ordering supplies and stocking shelves, even cleaning the bathrooms. Hernandez knew how to work hard, a work ethic that her family came to rely upon.
Continues
D D II G G II T T A A L L P P R R O O D D U U C C T T S S
G G E E O O F F E E N N C C II N N G G T T A A R R G G E E T T E E D D D D II S S P P L L A A Y Y C C O O N N N N E E C C T T E E D D T T V V
W W H H A A T T M M A A K K E E S S U U S S D D II F F F F E E R R E E N N T T
LOCALLYLOCALLY OWNEDOWNED
HTMLHTML 5 5 CREATIVECREATIVE DASHBOARDDASHBOARD COMSCORECOMSCORE MOSTMOST VISTIEDVISTIED WEBSITESWEBSITES TRANSPARENCYTRANSPARENCY
THE VOICE OF MANKATO Entertaining,Entertaining, informing,informing, andand connectingconnecting thethe communitycommunity everyevery day.day.
“When I was around 14, my family sold the roller rink. We sort of had some bad luck, and my brother and I had to work to contribute to the family household, sometimes working three jobs at the same time,” Hernandez said. “All of those jobs, it turned out, had something to do with the restaurant industry. So I ended up filling every role you can imagine in various restaurants, and I developed a dream to have my own restaurant someday.”
That someday came in 2012, with a few triumphs and tragedies along the way.
First came triumph: Hernandez graduated from high school and went on to earn her two-year degree from Minneapolis Business College in just 14 months.
Then came tragedy.
Her best friend and co-worker, Fabian Martinez, lost his life in a tragic car accident on Christmas Day in 2008. Around the same time, Hernandez lost two of her jobs when Vikings’ lineman Matt Birk closed his two restaurants after signing with Baltimore. Over time, Hernandez became close to Martinez’s parents, who owned several Mexican restaurants named Plaza Morena.
“Jose became like a second dad to me after his son, my best friend, passed away. I started working for him. I believe it was all God’s work how it worked out,” Hernandez said. “When one door closed and I lost my job in the cities, Jose opened another door for me when I started working at his Owatonna restaurant. That’s where I met Daniel, who is now my husband and partner in all things.
“My dream was always to own a restaurant, and it was Daniel’s dream, too, so it worked out perfectly. The story of how we got to own our own place is interesting. Jose opened a Plaza Morena in Madelia. After a year, he had Daniel and I go down and check on it once in a while as Jose needed to focus on a new restaurant he was constructing elsewhere. Daniel and I fell in love with Madelia and ended up taking over Plaza Morena and running it for Jose, along with Daniel’s siblings. So it has truly been a family affair since the beginning. We eventually ended up buying it from him and making it our own, which included changing the name.” Hernandez and her husband had owned the restaurant for four years when fire ravaged Madelia’s downtown, including La
Plaza Fiesta. In February 2016, La Plaza, along with seven other businesses on Madelia’s historic Main Street, was engulfed in flames and reduced to rubble. It was a devastating blow to the city of Madelia. With the help of charitable donations, community outreach and involvement, Hernandez and her team at La Plaza Fiesta found a way to keep going from a temporary site while they rebuilt on Main Street.
La Plaza Fiesta’s dining area is two stories tall.
“At the time of the fire, we were finally just getting into the groove of things with the restaurant. We had just remodeled with a new floor and a new cooler. We were growing really fast and doing really well,” Hernandez said. “Personally it was hard as I was eight months pregnant with my first baby. So I had all those emotions.
“It was obviously life-changing. I will say, though, that we learned a lot that I wouldn’t have learned had we not had the fire. Of course, I would rather it had not happened. But for the longevity of the business, we learned how to pivot and how to overcome things. We became closer as a family, and by that, I mean all of us, my entire staff. We just became really close, and we kind of just depended on each other during that time. We had to live with what we had and
CELEBRATING 45 YEARS OF SERVING OUR AREA COMMUNITIES Mankato | Amboy | Vernon Center
cimankato.com (507) 385-4485
We believe all people should live in a safe, sustainable, and BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.
Fallenstein Playground, North Mankato, MN
Krystal Hernandez with her La Plaza Fiesta staff.
work really hard to figure out what the heck we were going to do.
“This wonderful community also just came out in full force and helped us and all the businesses involved. The community helped us all rebuild.”
As La Plaza Fiesta recovered from the fire, Hernandez took the opportunity to rebuild the restaurant to match her personal vision.
“My husband and his whole family are from Mexico. So since we had to redo everything after the fire, it gave us the option to do whatever we wanted. I wanted it to feel like you were walking into a place right off the street in Mexico,” Hernandez said. “In the region of Mexico Daniel’s family comes from, the houses are stacked on top of each other, and many places have a patio feel. So our first plan was just to paint it to look like it had two floors. But once we got to building and designing it, we found out we had enough room to actually have two floors. So I had a vision in my head, then our design team literally took what I was thinking and put it on paper. It was amazing how they did that. Still, I had specific things I wanted, like the booths and tables to look a certain way, and I had very intentional ideas about the artwork. It was just so much, and it seemed impossible. But they captured my vision perfectly, and I love it here.
“With the two stories, the restaurant is on the first floor, and storage and offices are on the second floor.”
Then, uncanny as it may seem, four years after the fire, just when Hernandez was getting into the groove of the restaurant once again, another challenge hit: COVID-19. The worldwide pandemic didn’t reduce the restaurant to rubble physically, but it was crippling financially and emotionally. Hernandez said, once again, it was the strength she gained through the fire that helped her and her team this time around.
“Honestly, I think I don’t know what I would have done during COVID had we not had the fire,” she said. “I just thought, ‘Here we go again, another roller coaster.’ I knew we just had to roll with it, stay together, stay stronger, and just stick together. That’s what the fire taught us.”
She believes the community as a whole was able to take on COVID-19 because of what they collectively went through with the fire.
“Madelia as a whole overcame COVID and remained strong through it because of everything we had gone through,” Hernandez said. “Although the pandemic was different. With the fire, it happened, (then) it was over. We knew what was left and could begin to start over. With COVID, it was a little scarier at times. There was so much unknown. We didn’t know when it would end or how things would look on the other side of it.”
Another of Hernandez’s dreams survived the fire and the pandemic: the Fiesta Market.
“Actually, on the day of the fire, we were 30 days out of opening the market,” Hernandez said. “We were going to open it two doors down from where we were, so it would have been separate. We were working hard, getting everything up, and we had a projected opening
day in April of 2016. Because of the fire, those plans didn’t happen, obviously. But because of the fire, we were able to swap sides with a salon since we were both rebuilding. So we were able to put the market right next door to the restaurant. So in the end, it actually worked out better than the original plan.”
Today the Fiesta Market is growing and doing well. Their initial goal was to bring authentic Mexican and Central American foods to the region; the concept has grown as Hernandez finds ways to fill little needs in her community, offering services such as phone recharges, copy and fax services, and international money transfers. In addition to cultural foods, the shop offers cultural items and décor. Homemade pinatas have been popular, and it features a variety of artisan items, Mexican candies, breads, fresh produce, fresh-cut meats, spices and whatever else Hernandez can find to introduce to her community.
The combination of the authentic restaurant and market has
A Mentor Makes a Difference
Jose Herrera was not only like a second father to Krystal Hernandez, he was also her main mentor in the industry.
“He was one of the first people I called the night of the fire,” Hernandez said. “I remember saying to him, ‘Now what are we going to do? Can we come work for you again?’ But he encouraged me not to give up. He calmed me down, and he even joked, ‘Krystal, I would be excited to get you back, but I can see how much the people of Madelia love you, and I’m scared of what they might do to me!’
“Seriously, though, he is around all the time, and we always talk. Maybe we will partner someday in the future. He is super proud of us. He is a genius and is always sharing ideas and other things that can help us.” Herrera has made such an impression on Hernandez that she also wants to mentor others.
“I’m always learning; if I don’t know something, I find someone who does or someone in that field that does know more than me,” she says. “I get inspired by other people. Some restaurants think they can’t share ideas because we are competing with each other. But I don’t think that way. I love talking to other restaurant owners. After all I have been through, my advice to them is to just stay positive and have an open mind. Stay creative and never give up.”
helped make the town of 2,500 people a destination.
“As word spreads, we really are becoming a destination,” Hernandez said. “We have people come from all over the state and neighboring states. It makes me cry to think about it. We meet people from South Dakota, Iowa, Minneapolis, Mankato. They just come through by word of mouth, and that is very cool. Our local Madelia folks will be in and point out that they don’t know many of the people eating at the time. And that is really neat, introducing people to our food and our community.”
Many of her employees are family, and those employees that technically aren’t related are still considered family in her eyes.
“We are up to 30 employees,” Hernandez said. “The challenge is finding people. We have a strong family group that works here, and some part-time and full-time people who are not in the family. Right now, it’s been hard finding more help now that we are open fully. I am thankful for the main family group that helps out, so lucky to have them all here.
“They are the key to our success. They are amazing and dedicated, as if it was their own restaurant. Everyone is committed to ensuring all visitors enjoy their experience and, more importantly, their meal at La Plaza Fiesta. The repeat customers are a testament to the high quality of service that La Plaza executes on every day.”
While Hernandez and her team are delighting guests in the front of the house, her husband and his team hold down the kitchen and put what Hernandez calls “their love” into every dish that is served.
While the staff is terrific, Hernandez says it is the food that keeps people coming back again and again.
“La Plaza Fiesta’s food is simply amazing,” Hernandez said. “My husband puts all of his passion into his food. He is the main chef and runs the kitchen. I am more in charge of service. I try to get to know our guests and keep our menu current by getting to understand what they want.”
La Plaza Fiesta prides itself on providing a welcoming, authentic atmosphere accompanied by hand-crafted meals on an extensive menu for even the most discerning tastes.
Hernandez couldn’t be happier to watch her dreams come true in an unlikely spot: Madelia.
“Though I didn’t grow up here, I love Madelia,” Hernandez said. “This community, well, I can’t explain it. I have just never felt so loved and appreciated like we do here. The town works together, and we have so many cool things in town that a normal small town doesn’t have. Despite its size, Madelia is a destination town with us, the bakery, the flower shop, the theater, and all the other small businesses that make this a special place that I am proud to be a part of.”
THE ESSENTIALS
La Plaza Fiesta Mexican Restaurant
15 West Main St. Madelia, MN 56062 Phone: (507) 642-8624 Web: laplazafiesta.com Facebook: laplazamadelia
