 Well, pretty soon, farmers' markets and food co-ops will be full of locally grown produce. But what happens when you take all of that food home? Sarah Winkelman takes us to the Sprout Kitchen for a cooking class put on for community-supported agriculture members. Tonight's class was full of vegetables. With Romanesco fresh herbs, radishes. And of course, lots of chopping. One of the things Chef Thomas talked about in his class tonight was kitchen safety. And when cutting herbs, make sure to tuck back your fingers before chopping. But after safety, tonight's biggest lesson was about the efficient use of local produce. It's a good way to connect the farmers with the community and shopping local is a big thing. And getting local produce, helping those farmers out is a really good asset to the community. Chef Thomas was full of ideas to incorporate plants like bok choy into your dinner. Showing us different flavor profiles so if you don't like it in this variation, you can try it in something new. Helps us further expand our abilities and skills in the kitchen to really use the local product that we can grow here in Minnesota. And not let any of it go to waste. The biggest culprit of food waste is actually us as individuals in our own kitchens. But in tonight's kitchen, it was all about bringing together the community. Really showcases just how special it is to have culinary experts like Chef Thomas, how special it is to have a rich agricultural region and to showcase our farmers in a light where they are the folks that are actually feeding us in this region. A time for all farmers, consumers and chefs to come together. I want to support local farmers and I personally am a vegetarian so I like to see where my food comes from, where it's grown. So no matter how much fresh produce you get, there is always a fresh way to cook it. I don't know everything. I never will. That's one thing I like about this industry is you're always getting new products and new ways to do stuff, new techniques. Reporting in Little Falls, Sarah Winkleman, Lakeland News. The cooking night was sponsored by the Region 5 Development Commission through a grant from Art Place America. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.