Leland School to hold Famers Market

Stop by the Leland High School gym next Thursday to support local farmers and schools. Joining forces with MSU Extension, Leland Public Schools will hold its second annual Farmers Market on Sept. 11, from noon to 4 p.m. Showcasing fruits, veggies and other products from local farmers, the event is a great way to get to know what's growing on the peninsula, and introduce local farming to the kids. The event is open to the public, and all products are for sale. Call 231-256-9888 for more info.

Workplace Farm Market at Hagerty

Hagerty Insurance recently hosted a farm market run by area high school students as a part of a pilot youth entrepreneur program. In so doing, Hagerty not only supports the youth program, it also provides a health benefit to employees by making it easy to buy fresh veggies. Read more in Diane Conners post over at the Michigan Land Use Instititute.

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Local program offers students farm experience

In Programs Grow Local Food, New Farmers, Diane Conners writes about area programs that gets students involved in farming. Students in one such project are growing food at the community garden at the Grand Traverse Commons property. They then sell their produce at the farmers market and a restaurant on the same property, and will soon sell to low-income families who will receive discount coupons. Talk about a win win situation!

Pond Hill Farm offers classes for kids

Glenn Puit reports on Pond Hill Farm's new Farming for Our Future program, which will offer five three-day "camps" for kids age 6 to 12 in July and August, as well as farm tours for kids and families. The farm is located just north of Harbor Springs on M-119.

Farm to School Pre Bid Meeting July 18

Manistee Area Public Schools, Bear Lake School District, and Kaleva Norman Dickson School District will hold a pre-bid meeting for fresh fruits and vegetables on July 18, 2008, at 3:30 p.m. in the Conference Room of Manistee High School at 525 12th St. in Manistee, Michigan.

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Bingham agritourism gets county support

The Leelanau County Planning Commission recently recommended approval of an amendment to Bingham Township's zoning ordinance to make it easier for agricultural property owners to practice agritourism to attract visitors. The language expands the definition of agriculture to encourage activities previously not covered. The commission suggested the language was too narrowly focused on wineries and fruit growing operations, and suggested expanding it to include other agricultural businesses such as those that brew beer, make hard cider and grow flowers. Next up? The Bingham Township Board will consider adoption of the amendment at its next meeting on July 21.

Glen Lake school lunch menu an inspiration

Glen Lake Community Schools hired a trained chef last fall to create healthy, tasty meals from scratch, using as many locally grown products as possible. The number of kids eating lunch each day went from about 250 to 425. That's impressive and such a win-win situation for everyone involved. Suttons Bay is looking to do the same thing for its students, building on the fruit and vegetable snack program it started this year. Read more about the two schools' efforts in Keeping Up with the Jones, Tastefully by Diane Conners.

Public Hearing in Bingham Township on Ag Ordinance

The Bingham Township Planning Commission is holding a public hearing tonight to present a new Agricultural Ordinance. The ordinance expands the definition of agriculture to include production practices and activities that until late have not been considered agriculture at all or have been allowed with restrictions. These items include such things as farm markets, roadside stands, nature trails, tree production, processing of produce on the farm, wineries and farm-based food service. The hearing is tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Bingham Schoolhouse, 7171 S. Center Highway, Traverse City, in Leelanau County. All are welcome to attend and voice their opinion on the proposed ordinance.

Farm Bill Benefits Area Specialty Farmers

Nikki Rothwell, Michigan State University District Extension Horticulturist and the Coordinator of the Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Station, writes in today's Record-Eagle about the new Farm Bill and its affect on area specialty crop growers. For the first time, the Farm Bill mentions specialty crops, which are any agricultural crop that is not corn, wheat, soybeans, or cotton. That applies to the majority of farmers in this region, and this group of crops has not received direct subsidies.

Taste the Local Difference 2008 Guide

Keep an eye out for the 2008 Taste the Local Difference food guide available for free at stores, visitor centers, libraries, farmers markets and other spots throughout eight northern Michigan counties. The guide lists nearly 250 farms and lots of local food and farm products available in northwest Michigan. Perfect to keep in your glovebox! Also check out the project website, which offers a PDF version of the guide to download, as well as a handy search feature where you can find specifically what you're looking for.

Ready to Pick Asparagus

Ah, it must be spring even though the chilly temperatures make you wonder! Michigan Land Use Institute kicks off another season of Ready to Pick with new asparagus recipes. In season here from early May to late June, local asparagus started appearing in area stores and roadside stands this past week. Check out the site for details on their 2nd Annual Recipe Contest, with five monthly categories from June through October.

A Beautiful Day for Blossoms

What a great day for the Leelanau Cherry Blossom Tour! Blue skies and white blossoms against the backdrop of Leelanau's rolling hills and the deep blues of Lake Michigan made for scenic vistas all along the tour.

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TC Downtown Farmers Market Begins Season Tomorrow

The Sara Hardy Downtown Farmers Market kicks off its Saturday market in Traverse City, Michigan, starting tomorrow. You'll find it in the parking lot across from Clinch Park. The City Market, located at the Railway Station at 8th and Woodmere near the library, is already underway, and other markets in the region will be opening soon. Taste the Local Difference has a list of northern Michigan farm markets online. Check it out and visit your local farm markets!