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Spring ?

Posted at 8:15 PM on March 12, 2008 by Donna McClurkan (5 Comments)

Even people who love winter are ready for this one to be over. It's been brutal. We've had more than our fair share of snow, sub-zero cold, and icy roads. Oh, and snow days when school is closed, though somehow the kids managed to make it to the hills for sledding and snowboarding.

Kalamazoo Gazette columnist Jeff Barr observed a while back that Michigan's not shaped like a mitten for nothing....

Last week, after listening to
me whine about winter and the lack of something fresh and green to eat, Anne Mehring invited me to her home. She said I'd be inspired by the hints of life in her snow-covered gardens. Desperate for some sign of spring, I jumped at the chance.

We traipsed over crunchy snow to her raised veggie and herb beds in search of something live and soon-to-be edible.
Anne was right! We did find some green - onions poking through the ice, lavender, parsley (left) and strawberry vines (below).
Our brief garden tour was just a few cold days ago. Today, the sun is shining and it's starting to warm up. Our listserv members are getting together this weekend for a seed starting workshop. At long last, spring may truly be on its way.

Comments (5)

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Donna, I've been meaning to thank you for suggesting the film The Real Dirt On Farmer John. What a hoot! Definitely not what I expected, and infinitely more entertaining. I think John would be a heckuva fun guy to hang out with. Such a character. Thanks for the tip!
Autumn

Posted by Autumn Long | March 14, 2008 12:39 PM

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Hi Autumn - glad you like the movie! Did you catch the part about the consumers being the catalyst for John's farm coming back as a CSA? The group I was with when we showed the movie at a local church talked about this point quite a bit. Like John's CSA owners, consumers are driving the movement to eat more locally.

Posted by Donna McClurkan | March 14, 2008 2:22 PM

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HI Donna.
Thank you for the encouragement! It is good to know spring is on the way though th e10 forecast looks like winter is trying to hang on.

I have found a couple of local food types in Muskegon not that it is my new home but am not sure what to expect. The Kalamazoo Farmer's Market is such a great treasure. The folks in Muskegon are talking about moving theirs right downtown and creating a real festive atmosphere. It sounds exciting but there seem to be some politics involved. Whether it moves or remains in it present location I am looking forward to seeing what it has in store for Kim and I.

If you know any other Muskegonites that would be good resources for someone coming back to that area you are welcome to share my name.

Posted by Doug | March 16, 2008 12:21 PM

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Donna,

Diana Jancek and I founded the non-profit Sweetwater Local Foods Market in 2005 (in Muskegon, MI) because we wanted to take a full step in the direction of food and ecosystem sustainability, human health and nutrition.

Sweetwater operates under the slogan, "healthy. humane. homegrown." To date, we are the only farmers market in Michigan that exclusively sells locally grown (100 miles) food, fruits and vegetables raised to National Organic Program standards, AND eggs, meat, and cheese from humanely raised animals without the use of antibiotics or hormones.

We have developed a Pledge to Our Customers which states the above and is signed by all our farmers.

We believe our insistence on standards based on ecological intelligence have made our market a success. In the summer we have 20+ farmers and over a thousand regular customers. Our customers are deeply devoted to our market for personal health reasons and because they long to belong to a community actually doing something to prepare for a sustainable future. Talk is cheap. Action is necessary.

Today, Sweetwater operates year-round at Hackley Health at-the-Lakes just off of Route 31 (Take the Fruitport/Pontaluna Road Exit just north of Spring Lake).

In April and May (2008) we operate every OTHER weekend.
March 29, April 12 & 26th, May 10th & 24th. We begin weekly operation on May 31st and will continue throughout the year until Christmas on a every Saturday schedule.

Visit our website - www.sweetwaterlocalfoodsmarket.org -- or contact Diana Jancek (Market Manager) at dijaan@charter.net.
Telephone 231-893-0323.

Posted by Chris Bedford | March 17, 2008 6:06 AM

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Doug - it's so great to hear from you! Remember we talked about the Omnivore's Dilemma before you left? It's being discussed at the Portage District Library April 15-16. Join us if you can. And do check out Sweetwater's per Chris' message above (I'll be there 4/12 for the first time) - seems like a good way to kick off Spring. I will fw your contact info so you can get on their email distribution list. In the meantime, stay warm ... Donna

Posted by Donna McClurkan | March 17, 2008 7:53 AM