It’s our pleasure to introduce you to Stacey Wilcox and Casey Cafego, two of our newest staff members based in Howell and Pinckney, respectively. Stacey’s role as Southeast Local Food Coordinator allows her the opportunity to connect people and businesses through food. Our new Digital Marketing Specialist, Casey, collaborates with farms and food businesses to build a strong online presence to promote their business and products. To get to know them better here’s a peek into their experience as food-loving Michiganders!
Describe your region of Michigan in 3 words.
SW: Cozy, Festive, Welcoming
CC: Easygoing, Rustic, Inviting
Okay, your friend is in town. You haven’t seen them for months and they’ve never been to your area. Where do you take them?
SW: I would take them to hit all of the amazing independently-owned shops and restaurants in downtown Howell. There is something for everyone there and you can make a whole day of it. In the fall, I would take them on a tour of our many apple orchards, cider mills, and pumpkin patches. In the summer, I would head over to one of our many parks for a good hike or maybe even a trip around a lake on a stand-up paddleboard. There are so many outdoor adventures to be had. If it’s winter, we could find a cross-country ski trail in the area.
CC: In the summer, I would grab my kayaks and begin our journey on the Chain of Lakes here in Pinckney. We would visit the river that connects Portage lake and Baseline lake, first stopping at my favorite local pizza parlor for lunch, Riverside Pizza. Here we would be able to receive service right from the river and eat our pizza (and amazing cheesy bread) on the dock outside of the restaurant. For dessert, we would kayak a little further down the river to my favorite local ice cream shop, NautiMi. Here, we would pick out our favorite ice cream and peruse the store filled with local Michigan goods. For dinner, we would go to Zukey Lake Tavern and sit on top of their patio that looks out over Zukey Lake. In the winter where kayaks might not be the best option for travel, I would opt for cross country skiing in Hudson Mills MetroPark.
Imagine it’s summertime. You’re supposed to bring your famous pie to the annual block party but you’re fresh out of blueberries. What farmers market are you headed to? Tell me a little bit about it.
SW: I love the Howell Farmers Market, which is a solid two blocks of amazing vegetables, fresh-cut flowers, and in-season berries. Many Sundays it also has live music! It’s also a great place to pet lots of doggies!
CC: I would be going to the Dexter Farmers Market in historic downtown Dexter. Here I could pick up blueberries to make my pie, and also walk the border trail that is situated along the running waters of Mill Creek. Depending on how adventurous I felt that day I could walk part of the 35 miles of existing trail throughout Washtenaw County!
Fantastic! However, we’re in the middle of a Michigan winter when farmers markets typically take a break. How do you stay excited about local food when it’s not as readily available?
SW: I am a regular at a local grocery store called Simply Fresh. It sells mostly Michigan-made products and has an incredible soup bar that is perfect for a Michigan winter day. I also love trying new squash recipes from Pinterest in the winter.
CC: I love to visit Fresh Forage, a local restaurant situated just outside of downtown Ann Arbor. They change their menu seasonally, and supply their restaurant with locally grown food from local farms and suppliers!
What do you want folks to know about the local food scene in your region?
SW: Livingston County has no shortage of farmers markets, craft breweries, independently-owned restaurants, and we are even starting to get a few more food trucks to the area. Each town has its own quaint downtown area that is very walkable. It’s the perfect environment to stop in after a bit of shopping for a glass of local wine, a craft cocktail, or a unique appetizer. I truly love living in this part of the state. And it’s located right in the middle of Detroit, Lansing, and Ann Arbor so in less than an hour you could find yourself in any one of those cities for even more culinary delights!
CC: There is no shortage of local food in my region from restaurants that serve local food to the farmers who grow it. I love living in this area because I have about an hour’s drive between big cities and farmland. No matter what mood I am in – from picking raspberries by hand from the local farm, or eating prepared food at a local restaurant in one of the surrounding cities, this area has a little bit of everything to offer.
Interested in connecting with our new staff members further?
- Stacey Wilcox, [email protected]
- Casey Cafego, [email protected]
Emily Row is the Content Creator at Taste the Local Difference.
Find more great stories at www.localdifference.org/blog/
Meet more of our new staff members: