Beth Dooley

Beth Dooley (she/her) is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and author of over a dozen books celebrating the bounty of America’s Northern Heartland. She writes for the Star Tribune, NORTH Magazine and her Substack. Beth teaches writing and cooking classes, guides food adventures, and appears regularly on KARE 11 TV and Minnesota Public Radio. 

Beth serves as an Endowed Chair of the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and serves on the board of The Good Acre.

Education: B.A., St. Lawrence University; M.A. from University of New Hampshire

FMR involvement: A former board member of Mississippi Park Connection and communications director for Wilderness Inquiry, Beth has connected with FMR in a variety of capacities. In her work with the Forever Green Initiative, she had a hand in advocating for more regenerative agriculture alongside FMR staff before joining the board.

Interests or hobbies: Cross-country and downhill skiing, swimming, running, pottery, gardening

Community engagement: Beth is involved with the Savanna Institute, participates in the MOSES organic growers conference and volunteers with Forever Green Initiative.

Environmental heroes: Rachel Carson, Wes Jackson, Robin Wall Kimmerer

Why Beth serves on the FMR board: "FMR's work with regenerative farmers is critical to addressing the many issues we face today — food sovereignty, food access, food justice, economic inequality, health disparities and the climate crisis."

Favorite quote: “The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution." – Paul Cezanne; "Eating is an agricultural act." – Wendell Berry

Favorite metro Mississippi River location: Harriet Island for the many events, running path and good times on Will Steger’s Houseboat.