F. Josephine Arrowood has a nice article in the Glen Arbor Sun on the growth of Community Supported Agriculture farms in Northern Michigan. Leelanau County has (at least) six.
A central tenet of CSAs is the shared risk of farmers and customers in bringing good food from field to table, and Judy (Reinhardt of Sweeter Song Farm) notes that it’s not right for everyone. Early in the season, new members may feel surprise at the relatively light offerings, such as lettuce, spinach, scallions, radishes and carrots. Soon, summer ushers in a wider abundance of field-fresh offerings, such as strawberries, peas, cukes, squash, tomatoes, peppers, grapes and more — but unlike a farmers market, it’s not pick-and-choose, or as predictable in its scope.
“We encourage people to learn how to put up food easily, like freezing, and we have recipes on our website so they can try out new foods, like kale, turnips or chard,†Judy says. Another advantage of CSA farms is that customers are more personally invested in the outcome. “The best part is coming to Sweeter Song and seeing what’s here,†when customers pick up their harvest, freshly picked on Monday or Thursday for same-day collection.
Read CSAs: Northern Michigan’s Growing Crop of Farms in the Sun and also check out CSAfarms.org for a listing of farms in the region.
Photo credit: ZeCarlos & Beets from Meadowlark Farm.
The Leelanau Enterprise has a pair of nice features on St. Mary (with its graduating class of 15) coming from behind to nip the state's #8 ranked team Holton 8-7 and coming from behind again to beat Mesick 8-5 for the school's first-ever Regional trophy.
The Eagles took momentum and a lot of fans to the quarterfinal game in Gaylord:
“I’m not sure there was a lot of traffic in Leelanau County,†said Eagles’ coach Steve Plamondon while reflecting on his squad’s 7-2 loss to Rudyard Tuesday. “We had a huge fan base there.â€
St. Mary, which finished the season with a 28-7 record, could not put together another final inning rally in the loss, instead leaving the bases loaded in the seventh on a grounder for the final out in a storybook season.
Read Regional title is one for the St. Mary record book and in the Enterprise.
Van's by John Levanen
News from the Week
The top story was the arrival of the dredging crew to clear Leland's harbor. There was also a nice feature on asparagus from Taste the Local Difference's Ready to Pick and information about a 4-H Junior Master Gardener program to be held this summer.
The Week's Weather
We had a week of 70s and 80s and the only complaint you could really make was about the continuing lack of rain. All this warm weather is really warming up the waters. Lake Michigan is getting near 70 degrees and inland lakes are even warmer!
June 7, 2007: Mostly cloudy, upper 80s and an evening thunderstorm (90Ëš/63Ëš)
June 8, 2007: early clouds, then sunny & 80 (82Ëš/51Ëš)
June 9, 2007: Sunny & 70s - a spectacular day!! (77Ëš/46Ëš)
June 10, 2007: See above, raise temps by 5 degrees (84Ëš/54Ëš)
June 11, 2007: Mostly sunny & upper 70s (82Ëš/51Ëš)
June 12, 2007: Sunny & upper 70s (81Ëš/66Ëš)
June 13, 2007: Sunny & low 80s (84Ëš/51Ëš)
The Leelanau Enterprise reports that MSU Extension and 4-H will host a children's summer gardening program for students in grades 3-6 in July and August at the Old Art Building in Leland. Participants in the Junior Master Gardener program will learn about soil and plant science, compost and ecology, wildlife and insects, vegetables and herbs, trees and shrubs, flowers and houseplants, and design and color. Students will also help with garden projects at the Old Art Building.
The cost per child is just $25 for current Michigan 4-H members or $35 for non-members - a bargain indeed (especially if you can get your kids to apply their knowledge in your garden!).
Photo credit: Josephs coat Empire by Cher
Around sunset last night I saw the dredging convey chugging towards Leland. At 6 AM this morning, they were already hard at work clearing the Leland Harbor mouth for the 2007 boating season.
This Saturday (Jun 16) at 8 PM, Sweet Willie and his Gentlemen of Jazz take the stage at the Northport Community Arts Center (located at Northport School)
Sweet Willie Singleton has played with the Count Basie Band, the Al Hirt Band, the Clark Terry Big Band and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra under Wynton Marsalis. He has also performed with several Symphony Orchestras. In fact, there isn't a whole lot in the field of trumpet playing that Willie hasn't done.
Our friends over at Taste the Local Difference tell you everything you need to know about asparagus: where to get it and what to do when you do get it! The feature includes a great recipe for the Grey Hare Inn’s Crepes Du Nord.
They are also having Pick It, Cook It, Win It 2007 Recipe Contest with five categories: Strawberries, apricots, eggplant, blueberries and pumpkin.
June: Strawberries Deadline: June 21, 2007 Prize: 16 oz. box of truffles from Grocer's Daughter Chocolates
July: Apricots Deadline: July 19, 2007
Aug: Tomatoes Deadline: August 23, 2007
Sept: Apples Deadline: Sept. 20, 2007
Oct: Pumpkins Deadline: Oct. 18, 2007
Photo credit: Staggered by Andy McFarlane
News from the Week
The top story was news that Leland Harbor will be dredged this year. That sound you hear is a collective sigh of relief from folks who make all or part of their living on or from the water. A hearty thanks to those who have worked so hard to pick up the pieces after the Army Corps of Engineers (the Federal entity charged with maintaining the harbor mouth) dropped the ball. Other stories included possible cherry & wine industry museums at the former Clinch Park Zoo and the St. Marys Eagles winning baseball districts. There was also a pretty nifty picture of the Iris Farm on M-72 that you can blow up large enough to make a poster out of if you're so inclined.
The Week's Weather
Despite having more dips and rises than a roller coaster, the weather was pretty darn nice this week.
May 31, 2007: Sunny & 80s (88Ëš/64Ëš)
June 1, 2007: Partly sunny & 70s (78Ëš/59Ëš)
June 2, 2007: Partly sunny & 80s (86Ëš/57Ëš)
June 3, 2007: Cloudy, rain & 70s (72Ëš/56Ëš)
June 4, 2007: Cloudy, windy, rain & 50s (68Ëš/52Ëš)
June 5, 2007: Mostly sunny & upper 50s (59Ëš/39Ëš)
June 6, 2007: Sunny & 70s (73Ëš/37Ëš)
The Enterprise reports that the Leland Township Board agreed on a plan that will combine funds generated at the harbor, donations from private interests and a $7,000 contribution from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to clean out the entrance to the the Leland Harbor.
The Township Board agreed Friday to front the $62,000 needed for the project — $50,000 for the work itself, and $12,000 to cover fees being charged by the Army Corps of Engineers to oversee and issue permits for the work.
The cost was thought to be higher just a week ago, when township officials learned the Corps planned to charge a $24,000 "administration" fee. But Leland Township combined efforts with Arcadia Township, which also owns a harbor needing to be dredged, to cut each of their costs in half.
Work will begin within a couple weeks. Harbor committee chair Cris Telgard says that a goal of $18,000 in contributions from businesses and residents to raise $18,000 is well underway. Contact the Fishtown Preservation Society at 256-8878 to learn how to make tax deductible donations.
Read Leland harbor dredging a go from the Leelanau Enterprise.
Took this photo on Saturday at the centennial Iris Farm along M-72 about 5 miles west of Traverse City (5385 E. Traverse Highway). It's really a beautiful place.
See it on the Leelanau.com map (the blue flag on M-72)
