May 2, 2017

Illuminate Your Inner Fudgie at Grow Benzie

Two winters ago I spent an entire hour updating my star ratings on Netflix to dial in my preferences. It was worth my time.  Like driving to the…

April 28, 2017

Oodles of Strudels: A Whirlwind of Old World Pastries Sweeten Allen Park

Rare things happen in the most unremarkable of places. Outside a narrow Downriver building, where gaps in vertical blinds reveal little more than a few windowsill houseplants, only…

April 24, 2017

A Farmers Market Must-Have

Let the Outdoor Farmers Market Season begin! At Taste the Local Difference (TLD) we’re continually looking for ways to better serve the local food community in Michigan. So,…

April 5, 2017

Wake Up from your Winter Slumber: Festival of the Angry Bear

Welcome spring to the U.P. dressed as your favorite woodland creature drinking local beer, with local ingredients, while listening to local music at the Festival of the Angry…

April 5, 2017

Stewards of the Land : Stone Coop Farm is a Quiet Tribute to Sustainability and Reinvention

When Joannée DeBruhl’s 21-year insurance industry job fell victim to cuts, she saw a window of opportunity in the form of establishing a church garden. DeBruhl did more than produce…

March 13, 2017

Part Three: Making A Choice for Our Community

This is Part Three of a three-part series from farmer Brian Bates of Bear Creek Organic Farm in Petoskey, Michigan. This essay was delivered as part of his…

October 3, 2016

A Healthy Community is Growing at the Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace

Growing Hope’s Tuesday afternoon farmers market — held at their still-under-development Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace at 16 S. Washington Street in Downtown Ypsi — is moving indoors for the…

September 6, 2016

Stormcloud Brewing Company Grows Community

Local foods infuse Stormcloud Brewing Company, from the food to the brewery and even the hands-on customer experience.

July 20, 2016

Exploring Food: Garlic Scapes and Onions

In the fourth week of my CSA share, I found some more things that were completely new to me. There were snap peas, greens, garlic scapes and something…

July 1, 2016

Exploring Food: Escarole and Kohlrabi

Picking up my second CSA share was fun. Instead of picking it up at the farm, I went to the Famers Market in downtown Traverse City to collect…