Twitterview with Marie Flanagan, @reetsyburger

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Good morning all! Welcome to today’s @MNMOmag Twitterview with #DaraCo blogger/contributor, @reetsyburger. Lets roll!
 

To start with @reetsyburger, tell us a little bit about your background. Where did you grow up?

Marie: I grew up in a small(ish) town near Milwaukee, West Bend.
 

What kinds of things interested you as a child and what did you want to be when you grew up?

Marie: As a kid, I just HAD to be a chef. As a young adult, I wanted to be a writer. Later, I got the civil service bug.

I loved cooking in my mom’s kitchen (when she wasn’t looking) and making up Pogoball routines to top 40 jams.
 

So what were some of your first jobs, and what formed your interest in food, especially sustainable food?

Marie: I worked at a pizza/sandwich shop in high school and college. I learned that I was too short for commercial kitchens.

As a kid, I watched cooking shows more than cartoons – mostly on PBS. My mom was -and still is- an urban homesteader.

Mom’s urban garden fed a family of 8 with plenty to spare. We feasted all summer while we canned and packed soup jars.

It wasn’t until I was hired by the @SAREProgram that my interests in food, writing, and civil service converged.
 

Interesting. So your childhood really influenced who you are today. 🙂 How did you get connected with #DaraCo?

Marie: I started blogging in 2005. I moved to Minneapolis in 2006, and was charmed by the food scene, so I blogged about it.

At some point, @DearDara must’ve started reading my blog because in 2010, she emailed me. I was pumped.
 

I can imagine. So what would you say are the main topics that you cover for #DaraCo with @MNMOmag?

Marie: Every day, farmers, ranchers, and chefs in MN develop innovative strategies to produce and distribute food .
 

Great! To close, what do you hope your blog moves people to do?

Marie: I hope it will help bring more attention to all the great producers and chefs in MN who care about sustainability.
 

Thank you very much for your time today with #MNMOtv today. Have a great week and keep up the good work!

Marie: Thanks for having me. That was my first twitterview!