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!

Cherry Blossom Tour returns to Leelanau County May 10

For years, Leelanau County celebrated the Cherry Blossom Tour, but had long been discontinued the practice. Until this year, that is. Next Saturday, May 10, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. you can get on board a BATA bus to tour one of the most beautiful spots on Earth. It's easy to get jaded when you live in the midst of it, but take the time to stop and savor the blossoms this spring. You won't regret it. And those are the memories that help get us through February!

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Farmers face skyrocketing costs

Rising costs put the squeeze on local farmers as they face a growing season unlike any other. Check out Input costs skyrocket, hurt farmers in today's Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Smoothing the way for local foods in schools

Kudos to the Michigan Land Use Institute for spurring action in Lansing to address Michigan's restrictive food rules. Diane Conners reports that a state legislator and the state agricultural commission are each trying to change state bidding requirements that hamper a school's ability to buy significant amounts of foods from local farms. MLUI's Farm to School: Healthy Kids, Thriving Farms conference shone a light on this situation last month, and MLUI further hammered it home in a follow-up essay by Beth Collins.

Michigan Law hampers Farm-to-School Efforts

Michigan limits the amount of money schools can spend on local farm foods, according to an article by Beth Collins, chef and school food service consultant. This obstacle was a hot topic at last week's Farm to School: Healthy Kids, Thriving Farms conference in Traverse City.

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Connecting Farms to Schools

In Prosperous Farms, Well-Fed Kids, Diane Conners of the Michigan Land Use Institute shares several local success stories to connect northern Michigan farms and schools. These stories and more will be featured at a conference on March 12 at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City. Seventeen organizations, including public school districts and private schools, will share their expertise in bringing fresh local food into cafeterias, classroom curriculum and school fundraising efforts.

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MLUI offers Get Farming! Program

New to farming or interesting in starting? Check out the Get Farming! program offered this winter by the Michigan Land Use Institute. Classes run January 7 through February 18 and will be held 7 - 9 p.m. at Michigan Works, 1209 Garfield Road in Traverse City. Cost for the series is $85 and includes seven classroom sessions, field trips to area farm and food businesses and individual counseling. Classes cover market research, financial planning, management skills and more. Contact Julie Hay at 941-6584, ext. 19 or julie@mlui.org for more information.