Hey! There's also the annual Cedar Plant Sale on Saturday, May 23 from 9 am-4 pm next to the river in Cedar. This is a major fundraiser for the Cedar Area Community Foundation and their 256 dates of free activities throughout the year. Healthy perennials and wildflowers, inspected, are ready for planting in your garden. Prices start at $2!
The Annual Plant Sale on the Village Green in Leland is coming! Last fall and this spring the Leelanau Conservancy Wildflower Rescue Committee dug up, potted and whisked native wildflowers out of the path of impending development. Now is your chance to purchase unusual natives like ferns, trout lilies and trillium, along with a huge selection of nursery perennials.
Sale begins Friday, May 22 and runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. All proceeds help maintain the Village Green.
In addition to being sold in this sale, many rescued plants have been donated to public gardens such as The Old Settlers Park in Glen Arbor, The Leland Children’s Center, The Old Art Building in Leland, Munson Hospice House in Traverse City, and The Leland Village Green. If you know of a site where wildflowers might be saved, or are planning to excavate your own property, call Rescue chairs Patty Shea: 256-9249 or Joanie Woods: 256-7154.
We were down 3/4 of an inch from the normal rainfall for April (2.12" as compared to 2.72" normally), something that's easy to see as you wander through the woods searching for morels.
April 30, 2009: Mostly cloudy, heavy rain & 50s (60/48)
May 1, 2009: Light rain & 50s (58/44)
May 2, 2009: Mostly sunny & upper 50s (60/39)
May 3, 2009: Sunny & 60 (62/36)
May 4, 2009: Sunny & 70 - a gorgeous day! (70/33)
May 5, 2009: Mostly sunny & low 70s (72/40)
May 6, 2009: Mostly cloudy with light rain & 70s (75/45)
A hoop house is little more than big sheets of plastic stretched covered-wagon-style over a series of metal arches. As the program relates, these no-tech greenhouses can trap enough heat from the sun and soil to keep things like spinach, kale, and even salad greens growing well into the winter.
Michigan State University Extension (click through for flyer) will offer a Sustainable Hops Production Workshop on December 17th, 2008 from 10-5:30 p.m. at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City (venue change!). The workshop is sponsored by The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR SARE).
There is extremely high market demand by brewers and consumers for hops, most likely due to an unforeseen national hop shortage. In 1997 there were nearly 45,000 acres of hops grown in the US, but by 2007 that number had declined to 31,000 acres. Growers are currently receiving record prices for hops. Hops may provide Northern Michigan growers with a profitable value?added commodity that can be marketed to local breweries and consumers.
Dr. Ron Godin, a hops expert from Colorado State University, will discuss Growing Sustainable Hops: from Rhizomes to Sales and Hopyard Construction, Budgeting and Economics. Rick Pedersen a long-time hops farmer from New York State will provide detailed information from a commercial grower’s perspective. Steve Marquie from Michigan State University will give a lecture on Michigan Production and Best Management Practices. Dr. Rob Sirrine, MSUE Leelanau County Extension Director will present the results of a brewer survey, and Rex Halfpenny of the Michigan Beer Guide will lead attendees through a beer-tasting clinic entitled: “Using Hops for Taste: Beer Variety Tasting”.
The workshop is for extension educators, growers, brewers and anyone interested in hops, from production to beer consumption. The cost is $20 and includes lunch. Space is limited so please register early by calling MSU Extension in Leelanau County at 231-256-9888.
From Absolute Michigan (where you can also get recipes for Strawberry Shortcake and Strawberry Sorbet):
Strawberries are grown in every county of Michigan and your fun fact of the day is that 53% of seven to nine year olds say strawberries are their favorite fruit. Strawberries are high in iron and Vitamin C - Eight strawberries will provide 14% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C for kids - and have less than 60 calories per cup.
The MDA's Michigan Strawberries page has a ton of strawberry purchasing, growing and preparation info and some great strawberry lore, such as the fact that strawberries were a symbol of perfection and righteousness that medieval stone masons carved on altars and around the tops of pillars in churches and cathedrals and that:
In parts of Bavaria, country folk still practice the annual rite each spring of tying small baskets of wild strawberries to the horns of their cattle as an offering to elves. They believe that the elves, who are passionately fond of strawberries, will help to produce healthy calves and abundance of milk in return.
If you're looking for a fun place to eat strawberries, check out the Empire United Methodist Church Strawberry Social featuring strawberry sundaes, strawberry shortcake and lunch this Saturday (Jun 28) from 11 AM - 3 PM.
The Leelanau MSU Extension will host an organic vegetable farming and gardening event on Friday, April 18 at the NW Michigan Horticultural Research Station.
This session will be of use to organic producers, backyard vegetable growers, those considering organic certification, and anyone else interested in growing vegetables. The program will cover soil management, how organic soils work, cover crops for vegetable production, composting, organic pest management, emerging crops for organic production, the pros and cons of organic certification, the use of hoophouses for season extension. There will also be an experienced farmer panel representing four farms across Michigan to explain their operations and answer first-hand any questions participants may have. A catered lunch will be provided. The cost to attend is $25 per person.
If you're interested, you meed to RSVP to the Leelanau MSU Extension office by Monday, April 10th! Call 231-256-9888.
The Enterprise reports that the Leelanau Conservation District's annual seedling and plant sale is now underway. The sale is a fundraiser where:
Selections are available in quantities ranging from five conifers or deciduous transplants, to thousands of seedlings. Also available are wildlife shrubs, groundcovers, native grasses, ferns and wildflowers.
"With the variety of species available, there are plants to suit every site condition imaginable," said Buzz Long, new executive director of the district. "Whether you desire to plant trees for future timber production or for a windbreak to reduce wind erosion or to provide a snow screen, we offer species that will fit the bill."
Northern Michigan farmers Nic Welty (
