CSF Anyone?

Still on my Community Supported Fishery/aquaculture kick.

The Michigan Aquaculture Association is pushing for more fish-to-table production.

See IPR: Group Sees Potential In Fish Farming

I didn't even know there was a Michigan Aquaculture Association.

Michigan's Food-Friendly Wines

I originally posted this at CulinarianCapital and re-posting here as it points how wonderful northern Michigan is. Good to be reminded of it once awhile.

We know northern Michigan wines are good, but wow, some incredible praise at PalatePress: Something is Going on in Michigan

Even better is to read the writer's blog entries in getting ready to write this article. They are collected at Grape Sense - Glass Half Full

First Taste of Michigan Wine Impressive
Two Lads, a Schoolhouse, and One Sharp Young Man
The Beauty of the Traverse Bay Area

Some of my favorite quotes from the blog are:
-I tasted two memorable wines there [Left Foot Charley], a very dry Pinot Blanc that has been honored time and again in numerous competitions. And a reserve Riesling that was simply the best American-made Riesling I’ve ever tasted

-Coe [Black Star Farms] has one of the most impressive destination wineries you’ll ever come across in the U.S.

-This Rose’ [from 2Lads] rivaled, if not surpassed, many I’ve enjoyed from France and Spain made from Grenache

-...they [Chateau Grand Traverse] grow Gamay – the Beaujolais grape. You can’t call it Gamay in this country so they call it Gamay Noir. They have a regular bottle ($12) and a reserve ($19). I liked the reserve a lot. It was not as earthy as the French versions but very nicely made wine with true Gamay flavor with good acidity and tannins on the finish. (Gamay Noir is my personal favorite "go-to" wine)

I guess it can all be summed with "The secret of Michigan wine, and particularly Northern Michigan, isn’t going to last long once people get a taste"

PigStockTC - Where Prosciutto Flies

Via R-E: Rare pig provides tasty prosciutto

Flickr: PigstockTC

Official site at blogger.

Black Star Farms will have their chefs there.

The pig making this possible is the Mangalitsa. Read about it at wikipedia.

PigstockTC shows the value of boutique agriculture, whether hops, chestnuts, or heritage turkeys; the farmer who mixes this low volume/high reward method guarantees themselves a mixed income stream. When Michigan realizes that its future is tied to agriculture I hope to see more events like this where chefs and farmers have fun with these new and unique ingredients.

Tip of my hat to you PigstockTC!

Michigan's Future Is Growing

In other words, agriculture can supplement what is left of the manufacturing workforce because Michigan is second to California in crop diversity. Therefore, commercial agriculture can play a huge role in Michigan's economy.

One example is maple syrup. As climate change destroys maple sugaring in the northeast, Michigan stands to gain.

See NWMI.SecondwaveMedia: How sweet it is: Michigan one day could be world's leading producer of maple syrup [thanks for the link K]

And it is worth mentioning that as sweeteners go, maple syrup is a good source of manganese and zinc.

How Seattle Does Urban Farming

Via Grist: Seattle’s new urban-ag models are sprouting in friendly soil

Why I Shop At Oryana

Oh Oryana, Traverse City is lucky to have a food cooperative like you.

Mark Bittman on his blog recently highlighted the need for supermarkets that strive to be better.
See: About “Better” Supermarkets

We should unquestionably support good supermarkets, but we should also be pushing them to:

- carry sustainable seafood exclusively

- carry ethically raised meat and poultry whenever possible

- carry organic and/or local fruits and vegetables whenever possible

- buy from suppliers who themselves have a conscience whenever possible

- pay their own staff a living wage, with benefits

- think about their energy usage, their waste, their community service

This sounds like what our Oryana has always done. See: Purchasing Policy

And this food co-op is so much a part of the fabric of Traverse City that I couldn't imagine this town without it. Oryana is one of those organizations that makes Traverse City more livable.

Dear Oryana,
Thank you.

One Person's Experience With A CSF

Via Goodeater: Community Supported Fisheries 2.0: A Personal Take

"If Disney World had a Foodland, it might look a little like Traverse City"

Thank you Midwest Living, I think. Is that a compliment?

See: Best Midwest Food Towns: #2 Traverse City: an established food reputation

However, the population of Traverse City is around 14,000 - the region has 142,000 people. And Radish closed because no one wants to buy salad by the pound.

The article mentions that Traverse City is missing culinary diversity, and that is true, there are a preponderance of brew pubs, but with eateries such as Zakey and the Soul Hole opening I have hope that there will be a trend to more diverse cuisine.

The Napa Valley Of Hard Ciders

Northern Michigan is seeing more production of delicious hard ciders. See MyNorth: Four Hard Ciders to Try and Leelanau Cider-Maker Dan Young Creates Artisan Hard Ciders.

Yet although Michigan wine country gets promoted, and the brewers are becoming well known, it appears northern Michigan may have missed the opportunity to brand itself as a hard cider capital. See NPR: In New England, Hard Cider Stages A Comeback

Wood envisions New England becoming the Napa Valley of fine cider production. It wouldn't be unprecedented. It was the drink of choice of American colonists, and John Adams was said to consume a tankard a day. In that sense, Wood is like a modern-day Johnny Appleseed. Who, by the way, also planted cider apple trees.

Urban Farm Magazine

Here's a magazine that may appeal to northern Michiganders: Urban Farm

Urban Farm™ magazine’s mission is to promote the benefits of self sustainability and to provide the tools with which to do it on any size property. Urban Farm™ reaches out to those in the city and suburbs, those who are inspired by the local food movement and who want to start raising chickens and growing food for themselves, supporting local agriculture and living more sustainably.

Michigan Is Missing Out

Industrial hemp could be a great boon to Michigan's agriculture based economy. But other states are taking the lead. See TH: Victory For Hemp! Oregon Legalizes Industrial Production

This Would Finish Off Michigan

Update 9 April, 2009: What's Up With the Organic E-Mail Scare?

Sounds like this may be based on fear-mongering.

The automobile industry is already dead. If Michigan's small farmers are killed by this bill then Michigan will have no future.

Cryptogon: Change We Can Believe In: How About the End of Farmers Markets? Say Hello to H.R. 875: Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009

What this will do is force anyone who produces food of any kind, and then transports it to a different location for sale, to register with a new federal agency called the “Food Safety Administration.” Even growers who only sell only fruit and/or vegetables at farmers markets would not only have to register, but they would be subject inspections by federal agents of their property and all records related to food production. The frequency of these inspections will be determined by the whim of the Food Safety Administration. Mandatory “safety” records would have to be kept. Anyone who fails to register and comply with all of this nonsense could be facing a fine of up to $1,000,000 per violation.

Michigan's Future

Here are some links to recent news stories that by themselves do not seem like a big deal. But when viewed from the proper perspective it is clear that Michigan's resurgence will be based on agriculture and renewable energy.

See:
R-E: 'Potential is high' for offshore wind power

MLive: Despite poor economy, small family farms are taking root

Reuters: U.S. farmland fetches top dollar despite recession

Hoop Houses In Northern Michigan

American Public Media's Marketplace show featured Traverse City's Black Star Farm and Meadowlark Farm and their hoop houses on February 4th.

See: Farmers go low-tech to grow in winter

Michigan Christmas Tree Association

The MCTA has a new web site: MCTA.org

It includes a guide on 'Choose and Cut' farms like those found in northern Michigan.

Industrial Hemp Is Saving Farmers In The U.K.

So why can't it be grown in Michigan?

UK's answer to olive oil? Crop catches eye of Jamie Oliver - and the police

The production of hemp in Britain has a long and glorious history. Until the industrial revolution it was widely grown to make cloth, rope, paper and lamp oil. Cotton and synthetic materials caused it to fall out of fashion but it has a habit of coming back when times are hard: in the second world war farmers in the US were told to grow hemp to ease shortages of textiles and rope. But cotton, synthetic fabrics and the association with cannabis prompted many farmers to stop growing the crop and its production was prohibited in the US.

...

But the report emphasises the environmental benefits: hemp grows quickly and easily, so it does not need to be heavily sprayed with pesticides, and it provides habitats for wildlife. The tough fibre is used in a variety of products, from car door panels, concrete, insulation blocks and resin to teabags and banknotes. The report suggests hemp is an "attractive crop from an environmental viewpoint" and adds that there is "some justification" for encouraging its wider production.

Thinking About The Traverse City Farmer's Market

As the number of farmers at a market grows the more need there is for a dedicated manager.

See: PhysOrg - As Farmers' Markets Grow, So Should Management

Traverse City is obviously outgrowing the downtown farmer's market as there are cars looking for parking and people packed in the aisle. It is a good place to see people and be seen but for many folks it is too crowded. Setting up alternative, competing markets is not a fair solution to anyone. Where can Traverse City move the farmer's market? You need a place downtown to support the core businesses. Ithaca, NY has their farmer's market right on Cayuga Lake. It is a large covered structure and has its own dock. Could Traverse City use the old zoo space next to the marina as a sprawling farmer's market?

Other cities (e.g., Baton Rouge, Chapel Hill) have their farmer's markets in parking decks. Traverse City has a parking deck downtown too. The farmer's market could potentially be moved to the top level on nice days and an interior level on rainy/snowy days. Offer free parking until 5 PM and all of a sudden Traverse City has a farmer's market larger than the current one, with plenty of parking, and still within walking distance to downtown.

Food Festivals

MSNBC - America's best food and wine festivals

IHT - Food-themed festivals thrive as growing declines

There's a lesson here for the Cherry Festival. Be careful about focusing more on the idea of the festival than what it is supposed to promote. Just look at Gilroy for an example. It was once the garlic capital, now there are only 500 acres left of garlic farms. If cherry orchards keep getting turned into subdivisions all that'll be left in northern Michigan will be street names such as "Cherry View Orchard Lane" - but there won't be any view there.

Finding Balance

The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy is drawing criticism for this - Tv 7&4 - Controversy over Arcadia Dunes land.

The Conservancy is in a difficult position. How to preserve large tracts of land and preserve the agrarian tradition of the area? In the long view, woods and farms can be exchanged but streets and parking lots are (usually) forever so what they've done seems like a decent compromise. Yet perhaps more can be done with future conservation easements so that natural features of historical importance get special mention?

Recent news articles also show this dilema - do you make money with farms or preserving forests?

USAToday - Savvy farmers open the gate to agritourism

NYT - Leafonomics

Below is a map of Arcadia Dunes.


View Larger Map

U of M Studies Northern Michigan Tart Cherries

PhysOrg - Tart cherries may reduce factors associated with heart disease and diabetes

Rats that received whole tart cherry powder mixed into a high-fat diet didn’t gain as much weight or build up as much body fat as rats that didn’t receive cherries. And their blood showed much lower levels of molecules that indicate the kind of inflammation that has been linked to heart disease and diabetes. In addition, they had significantly lower blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides than the other rats.