Seeds of Sommer: Cultivating Community and Wellness in Brainerd Lakes

Long before most Brainerd Lakes neighbors stir, Deb Sommers is up at 4 a.m. in her own home, brewing coffee and carving out moments of tranquility. This isn’t a public scene—it’s a private ritual where she reads, stretches, and sometimes steps outside into her wildflower-filled garden oasis.

These quiet hours—shielded from the bustle—are what prepare Deb to open Seeds of Sommer for another day of connecting, listening, and helping the community. While rural Minnesota is shaped by everyday routines just like these, it's the personal rhythms and values of people like Deb that ripple out, steadily building the heart of local life.

Community Roots: Why Home Grows Deeper Each Year

For many in the Brainerd Lakes area, “home” is more than a birthplace—it’s built on the connections of family, friends, and everyday routine. Deb Sommers moved up north in 1991, joining fellow Minnesotans who’ve found purpose in small towns after years in the cities. Over time, Seeds of Sommer has become much more than a shop; it’s a true local hub where relationships and mutual support take root.

As one neighbor, Andy Fischer, recently shared on Facebook, “Deb has a WEALTH of knowledge from decades of experience! She KNOWS HER STUFF and is passionate about helping people get what they need to be their happiest and healthiest.” The trust she’s built reflects a community spirit that grows deeper with every conversation, question, and kind gesture exchanged within her store’s walls.

From Gardens to Gathering Spaces: The Power of Simple Acts

“I tried planting vegetables, but the deer and rabbits didn’t exactly cooperate,” Deb laughs, recalling her first Brainerd Lakes garden, thwarted by hungry wildlife. That experience led her to flower gardening, turning her yard into a haven. “Now, the deer can share,” she says. 

Simple kindness is woven into everyday life at Seeds of Sommer. Deb notes that the regular exchange of thoughtful gestures, whether it’s a customer sharing a compliment or stopping in for conversation, lifts the spirit and keeps the shop feeling like part of the community. These small interactions—sometimes just a friendly word or a helping hand—are a quiet but essential part of what makes living and working in a small Minnesota town feel neighborly.

Practical Insights: The Morning Rhythm and Living Local

A typical morning at Seeds of Sommer is all about simplicity and routine. “Up at four, coffee, reading, then exercise. If it’s light, I walk outside in the garden.” Deb admits daylight stirs her more than alarms. By nine, the shop opens—her quiet hours traded for customer bustle and community catch-ups.

Other local business owners share similar routines, balancing personal well-being with shop responsibilities. “If a delivery truck arrives early, I’m sometimes still outside, lost in the garden,” Deb grins.

Tips for Readers:

• Start mornings with quiet routines—reading, walking, simple stretches.

• Embrace your outdoor space as a mental reset, especially before busy days.

• Small acts—compliments, sharing produce, offering help—change local lives.

Seeds of Change: Community, Loss, and New Beginnings

Seeds of Sommer was founded through a combination of industry experience, practical decision-making, and encouragement from local leaders. After managing a health food store for more than a decade, Deb decided to start her own business closer to home. With a prompt from mayor Nancy Adams to consider a vacant storefront, Deb found an opportunity that fit her needs and made for an accessible fresh start—ushering in a new chapter for herself and the community she serves.

“I just came up and actually it fell into place for me,” Deb remembers. From working in a cleanroom at Medtronic, commuting “up every weekend to a cabin on Pelican Lake,” to taking over Little Farm Market in Brainerd, Deb’s journey shows the unpredictable paths that shape local businesses.

“I went from a clean room environment into a little farm market… Don and Elaine just stayed and taught us. That’s how I got into retail and Brainerd’s little town market.” – Deb Sommers, Seeds of Sommer

Healing and Meaning: The Therapeutic Power of Gardening

Gardening, for Deb, isn’t just a hobby—it’s a restorative practice. She describes it as her “peaceful place,” necessary after long days of “talking and educating” in the shop. “Going home, being in the garden, that just gives me peace… It’s restorative from the day of just giving, giving, giving,” she shares.

Local nurse practitioners and educators echo the value of connecting with the earth—as therapy, as reflection, as teaching. Gardening in central Minnesota isn’t just about what grows, but about healing and connecting, both to the land and to each other.

“I figure, if you take this and it helps you, you’ll come back and feel better. That's what it’s all about.” – Deb Sommers, Seeds of Sommer

Health from the Ground Up: Seeds of Sommer Mission

At Seeds of Sommer, the belief is simple: health begins with what you put in your body. Since opening its doors in 2010, Deb and her team have been dedicated to serving the Brainerd Lakes Area—and beyond—with organic, non-GMO, and allergy-friendly foods and supplements.

The shop’s mission is all about empowering neighbors to take health into their own hands, offering not just products but guidance and support rooted in local experience.

Whether you’re seeking trusted vitamins, specialty ingredients, or advice on nutrition, Seeds of Sommer is designed to be a resource for anyone focused on wellness. The commitment to providing safe, transparent options is what sets Deb’s shop apart—and it’s the reason many families continue to rely on her expertise.

Education, Outreach, and the Seeds of Sommer Ethos

Seeds of Sommer is known for its spirit of outreach. Teaching was “never planned—it’s just what happened,” says Deb. Today, local nurse practitioners and even pharmacists send clients her way for community-based holistic health advice. “I tell people to do their homework, check things for themselves,” Deb insists. Her model is simple: inform, support, and give—sometimes even without payment.

Inventory decisions aren’t top-down—they respond to what customers really want. “Over the years, word just got around—come in and talk. If I don’t have the answer, we look it up together.”

Tanya, Deb’s daughter, now brings social media savvy and new energy to the business. As more family members step in, Seeds of Sommer weaves those values into everyday operations, making generational transition not just possible, but meaningful.

Why These Stories Matter for Middle Minnesota

• Resilience in Transition: Deb’s move from city to small-town mirrors broader rural shifts—adapting to change, finding community, and growing stronger through adversity.

• Expertise can transfer in surprising ways: Deb’s journey demonstrates that the skills—and even the challenges—of big-company life can be reshaped to fit the needs of a small-town community. Adjusting from a sterile corporate environment to the hands-on realities of local retail meant learning on the fly, but those experiences have contributed to the practical, people-first approach at Seeds of Summer.

• Education and Outreach: Community-focused health advice is essential, especially as regional healthcare faces staffing challenges and evolving needs.

Growing Together, Season After Season

Seeds of Sommer isn’t just a health food store—it’s an emblem of how small-town Minnesota grows through kindness, everyday routine, and adapting to change. Deb’s journey from the city to Pequot Lakes, and her drive to help others reflect a greater truth: The heart of middle Minnesota beats in stories of local pride, shared work, and acts of generosity.

How will new policies, environmental changes, and community shifts shape our future? What seeds of hope and cooperation will you plant in your own backyard?

We’d love to hear your thoughts—email us at joshua@lakesareanewsletter.com.