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Living Earth Center Cultivating a Home for Food, Learning & Community |
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Mission - LEC brings people of all traditions together to cultivate common ground & seek justice through education, encounter, & community agriculture.
Vision - LEC envisions a healthy ecosystem where everyone brings value to the local & greater Earth community, creating a more sustainable future. Values - Sustainability | Education | Advocacy | Collaboration | Inclusion | Spirituality | Stewardship |
Mankato, Minnesota | Regenerative Planning + Adaptive Reuse
In development - capital campaign launching October 2026
Project Status - Planning, due diligence, phased concept development, and capital campaign
In development - capital campaign launching October 2026
Project Status - Planning, due diligence, phased concept development, and capital campaign
Project Summary
After decades of connecting people to the land, healthy food, ecological learning, and one another, Living Earth Center is preparing to establish a permanent home where its growing community and programs can take deeper root. The proposed campus is conceived as a living lab for growing, gathering, teaching, restoring, and sharing. Located on approximately 11+ acres in Mankato, Minnesota the property includes agricultural land, old growth forest, prairie, a historic barn, a farmhouse, and supporting elements that will be thoughtfully adapted, preserved and cultivated over time.
Tikun Collective is helping Living Earth Center translate its long-term vision into a practical, phased plan—one that aligns the organization’s mission, programs, land, buildings, infrastructure, funding, and operational capacity. The project approaches the entire site as an interconnected system. Agriculture, water, energy, habitat, education, food access, community gathering, and organizational resilience all inform how the campus can grow.
After decades of connecting people to the land, healthy food, ecological learning, and one another, Living Earth Center is preparing to establish a permanent home where its growing community and programs can take deeper root. The proposed campus is conceived as a living lab for growing, gathering, teaching, restoring, and sharing. Located on approximately 11+ acres in Mankato, Minnesota the property includes agricultural land, old growth forest, prairie, a historic barn, a farmhouse, and supporting elements that will be thoughtfully adapted, preserved and cultivated over time.
Tikun Collective is helping Living Earth Center translate its long-term vision into a practical, phased plan—one that aligns the organization’s mission, programs, land, buildings, infrastructure, funding, and operational capacity. The project approaches the entire site as an interconnected system. Agriculture, water, energy, habitat, education, food access, community gathering, and organizational resilience all inform how the campus can grow.
Conceptual Design
Project Vision Statement
We envision a center, holistic in form and function, supportive of all, regenerating lives, community and the land.
The Living Earth Center is creating a regenerative ecosystem uniting diverse communities through collaboration, education, and advocacy. Addressing food security, land justice, and environmental sustainability. Rooted in the values of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the site will foster inclusion, healing, and stewardship to build a resilient and thriving future for all.
We envision a center, holistic in form and function, supportive of all, regenerating lives, community and the land.
The Living Earth Center is creating a regenerative ecosystem uniting diverse communities through collaboration, education, and advocacy. Addressing food security, land justice, and environmental sustainability. Rooted in the values of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the site will foster inclusion, healing, and stewardship to build a resilient and thriving future for all.
Project Parti Diagram
Project Intentions - This project seeks to:
A Phased Path Forward
The Living Earth Center vision is designed to grow over time. Each phase will help the organization build capacity while creating immediate value for its programs and community.
Establishing the Foundation
Early work focuses on understanding the property, completing necessary due diligence, stabilizing existing structures, and preparing the site for safe and productive use.
Initial priorities include preserving the historic barn, evaluating infrastructure, improving site access and then adapting the farmhouse to support staff, administration, small gatherings, wellness, and other near-term organizational needs.
Expanding Programs and Access
Future improvements may add accessible circulation, restrooms, food preparation and teaching spaces, greenhouse capacity, trails, agricultural infrastructure and storage, and flexible areas onsite for workshops and community programs.
These investments will allow Living Earth Center’s programs to operate more cohesively while supporting more participants throughout the year.
Growing a Regional Community Resource
The long-term vision explores the transformation of the barn and surrounding site into a four-season destination for education, food, gathering, ecological learning, reflection, and celebration.
Over time, the campus could become a regional example of how an organization can bring agriculture, community resilience, environmental stewardship, and human connection together in one place.
- Establish a stable, long-term home for Living Earth Center.
- Expand access to land, tools, education, and culturally meaningful food.
- Support community gardeners, emerging growers, volunteers, educators, and partner organizations.
- Preserve and adapt the historic character of the barn and farmhouse.
- Create welcoming, accessible, year-round spaces for learning and gathering.
- Strengthen relationships between agriculture, ecological stewardship, food justice, and community wellbeing.
- Model responsible approaches to water, energy, soil, habitat, materials, and waste.
- Develop the property in realistic phases aligned with funding and organizational capacity.
- Create a place that gives back more than it takes.
A Phased Path Forward
The Living Earth Center vision is designed to grow over time. Each phase will help the organization build capacity while creating immediate value for its programs and community.
Establishing the Foundation
Early work focuses on understanding the property, completing necessary due diligence, stabilizing existing structures, and preparing the site for safe and productive use.
Initial priorities include preserving the historic barn, evaluating infrastructure, improving site access and then adapting the farmhouse to support staff, administration, small gatherings, wellness, and other near-term organizational needs.
Expanding Programs and Access
Future improvements may add accessible circulation, restrooms, food preparation and teaching spaces, greenhouse capacity, trails, agricultural infrastructure and storage, and flexible areas onsite for workshops and community programs.
These investments will allow Living Earth Center’s programs to operate more cohesively while supporting more participants throughout the year.
Growing a Regional Community Resource
The long-term vision explores the transformation of the barn and surrounding site into a four-season destination for education, food, gathering, ecological learning, reflection, and celebration.
Over time, the campus could become a regional example of how an organization can bring agriculture, community resilience, environmental stewardship, and human connection together in one place.
Regenerative Design Approach
For Living Earth Center, sustainability is not a feature added to the project. It is embedded in the organization’s mission and in the relationships the campus is intended to support. This campus intends to function as a regenerative growing & ecology center.
The regenerative design process asks how the property can:
For Living Earth Center, sustainability is not a feature added to the project. It is embedded in the organization’s mission and in the relationships the campus is intended to support. This campus intends to function as a regenerative growing & ecology center.
The regenerative design process asks how the property can:
- Restore soil health and ecological habitat.
- Responsibly manage and reuse water.
- Reduce energy demand and dependence on fossil fuels.
- Support local food systems and food sovereignty.
- Reuse existing buildings and materials wherever practical.
- Create reciprocal relationships with neighbors and community partners.
- Remain financially and operationally resilient over generations.
Permaculture Principles
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Permaculture Ecosystem
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Permaculture Patterns
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Barn Massing Studies
Tikun’s Role
Tikun Collective is supporting Living Earth Center through:
Tikun Collective is supporting Living Earth Center through:
- Project visioning.
- Community and stakeholder engagement.
- Site and program assessment.
- Building programming and operational alignment.
- Property due diligence and consultant coordination.
- Regenerative design strategy.
- Adaptive reuse and master planning.
- Concept development and visualization.
- Phasing, prioritization, and implementation planning.
- Capital-campaign design support and project storytelling.
Learn More and Support the Project
Living Earth Center is preparing to launch a capital campaign to secure and develop its permanent home.
Visit Living Earth Center for more information
Together, this place can become fertile ground for growing food, knowledge, relationships, and a more resilient future.
Living Earth Center is preparing to launch a capital campaign to secure and develop its permanent home.
Visit Living Earth Center for more information
Together, this place can become fertile ground for growing food, knowledge, relationships, and a more resilient future.
Ideation
Partners
Client: Living Earth Center
Regenerative Planning and Design: Tikun Collective
Engineering: Widseth
Additional project partners:
Regenerative Planning and Design: Tikun Collective
Engineering: Widseth
Additional project partners: