Michigan Cherries by jdurchen

Did you know that Michigan is the largest producer of Montmorency tart cherries, growing 70-75% of the crop? February is National Cherry Month, and the Cherry Marketing Institute (link below) has bushels of info about the history and present state of the cherry industry including growing research showing that antioxidants in tart cherries may relieve the pain of arthritis and gout & help fight cancer and heart disease.

Cherry Facts

• Tart cherries are loaded with antioxidants that are believed to relieve the pain of arthritis and gout and help fight cancer and heart disease. They're also especially high in the antioxidant melatonin, which may help prevent or reduce brain deterioration associated with aging. And to top it off, they're high in vitamin A and beta-carotene.
• Cherries were brought to America by early settlers in the 1600s. Cherry trees, in fact, were part of the gardens of French settlers when they established Detroit.
• Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary on Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City, started modern-day cherry production in Michigan in 1852. Now, Michigan grows about 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries and Traverse City calls itself the cherry capital of the world.
• It takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie; enough cherries grow on the average cherry tree to make 28 pies, industry officials say.
• Tart cherries ripen two or three weeks after sweet cherries. Look for them in mid to late July.
• Cherries are a truly ancient delicacy - explorers have found cherry pits from the Stone Age in European caves.
• Tart cherries have fewer calories and more beta-carotene than sweet cherries.
• Michigan grows 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries.

For more tasty cherry info, be sure to check these out!

Cherry Marketing Institute is the best place to go for information about this delicious and healthy fruit!

Absolute Michigan's Cherry Links has all kinds of info about the cherry!

Michigan Cherries from Taste the Local Difference is PACKED with all kinds of information and delicious cherry recipes.

Michigan Cherries from the Department of Agriculture

MSU's Michigan Cherry Information features more cherry information than you can shake a whole tree at!

For all things edible, drinkable and wearable, check out Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor. They are one of the featured supporters of The Daily Michigan and are giving away 5# of cherries today!

The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City is a celebration of cherries and the cherry industry held every year at the beginning of July.

Video & Photos

Definitely check out the Cherry slideshow from the Absolute Michigan photo group on Flickr. On the video front, we hope you will enjoy 'Cherry Cherry' (circa 1967) by Neil Diamond and also this video of the harvest at an organic cherry farm in Northern Michigan!

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A Man and His Mountain from Justin Vander Velde on Vimeo.

Mt Mancelona Postcard, Cardcow.com

Last winter Jason Dodge of miskireport.com and his crew spent time at Mount Mancelona and, with intern Justin Vander Velde and the  assistance of the documentary class at Grand Valley State, produced this very cool video about long-shuttered Mt. Mancelona.  Jason writes:

This project is the pinnacle of things that I have been involved with up until this point. A Man and His Mountain not only tells the story of Mt. Mancelona, but it uncovers the true passion that owner Joe has been hanging onto for the past 22 years.

After having the privilege of meeting Joe, listening to the stories, and working alongside the crew to capture the history, I ask myself why would I not want to come to Mt. Mancelona? Why would I not want my family to experience this place? After all, isn’t this true ski culture? Perhaps I’m a touch traditional and don’t get that knocked out about the fancy high-speed lifts, gondolas and magic carpets. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy riding in a Cadillac as much as the next guy, but there is a lot to appreciate about rusty t-bars, the smell of raw fuel in a 1960’s Tucker, and an old weathered lodge. This is the natural patina of skiing and snowboarding, captured at Mt. Mancelona.

Looking down Mt Mancelona, miskireport.com

Read on for more about the project and some production stills. A cool site we found is Michigan Lost Ski Areas Project (MILSAP). Their entry for Mt. Mancelonanotes that:

In 1958, Sports Illustrated reported a 1200′ t-bar with a 300′ rise, and 5 ropes. New for 1958 were 3 rope tows, the lodge with locker room and bar, a new trail, lights for Friday night skiing and hi-fi skiing music.

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Our latest giveaway is from Northern Pier, a brand-new T-shirt company who is celebrating their Grand Opening this week!

Owner Chris Mock explains "Northern Pier has an immense appreciation for the Great Lake State. In fact, it's the inspiration for all of our products. We sell premium vintage style t-shirts inspired by Northern Michigan and made in America. Each of our shirts features a Michigan town, lake or destination point."

"Our goal at Northern Pier is to make our customers favorite places into their favorite shirts. When you visit our online shop, we've tried to build a rustic feel coupled with nostalgic imagery that illustrates why we love the state of Michigan. We really want the purchase to be something of an experience for the customer."

Right now they have 4 designs, and for the giveaway you can select three. Sign up for our email list if you're not already on it in the blue box above!

They add that you can let them know about your favorite town/lake/resort/area as a possible future shirt.

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at Mackinac :: a composite from -3 and -43 by Emery Co Photo

Sea Monster of the Straits

The authorities tried hard to convince the public what they saw were only giant catfish, but even the oldest, orneriest cats would be hard-pressed to attain a length of forty-five feet! The owner of a resort along the Cheboygan lakefront reported seeing something of just that size, and two of them, frolicking in the Mackinac Straits on Lake Huron in front of his property, about 600 feet from shore, according to an article in the June 25, 1976 Grand Rapids Press. The day after the resort owner called authorities about it, Cheboygan County Sheriff Stanley McKervey stopped by to have a look for himself. To his surprise, he also was able to observe one of the creatures. "I went down to the beach, and sure enough, I'm looking at something 20, maybe 30 feet long, swimming just below the surface," he said in the article. "I was amazed. I didn't know what it was, but it sure wasn't a publicity stunt."

The sheriff continued watching the creature through binoculars. It only rose about an inch above water level, he said, but any disturbance on shore would cause it to dive deeper again. And that's exactly what happened when the sheriff ordered a couple of deputies to surveil the thing in a canoe. It was gone long before the pair got there. Unfortunately, rough water conditions set in the next few days and no one could go out for another look. It wasn't observed again, and other experts theorized that perhaps it was a giant eel or carp. But neither of those sound like what the sheriff and the resort owner saw!

Lake Leelanau Monster

The story of an early 20th Century sea monster sighting was sent to The Shadowlands Web site by a reader whose great-grandfather was the witness. The boy was fishing for perch one day in 1910 in the shallows of Lake Leelanau in Leelanau County. The lake had been dammed in the late 1800's to provide water power for the local mill and to enable logging. The dam also flooded much surrounding area, turning it into swamps and bogs punctuated by dead, standing trees.

On that particular day, the young great-grandfather, William Gauthier, rowed out to a new fishing spot near the town of Lake Leelanau. Looking for good perch habitat, he paddled up close to a tree that he estimated to stand about five feet tall above the water, with a six-inch trunk. He was in about seven feet of water, and after deciding this would be a good place to stop and cast a line, began tying the boat to the tree.

That's when young William discovered the tree had eyes. They were staring him dead in the face at about four feet above water level. The boy and serpent exchanged a long gaze, then the creature went, "Bloop" into the water. Gauthier said later that the creature's head passed one end of the boat while the tail was still at the other end, though it was undulating very quickly through the water. The writer noted that Gauthier always admitted to having been thoroughly frightened by his encounter, and that the event caused him to stay off that lake for many years.

The writer added that his great-grandfather came from a prominent area family and was very well-educated, and that he knew others who would admit privately but not publicly that they, too, had seen the creature. No sightings have been reported in recent times, but who knows how many people have believed they were passing by a rotting old cedar when in fact they had just grazed the Leelanau lake monster?

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This summer Absolute Michigan interviewed Ragbirds front woman Erin Zindel about Electric Forest. She told us, "The heart of Hoxeyville is a community of musicians who are there every year. Many are from Michigan, and it's wonderful to have so many talented people in one place. I love the bands they choose and the size of the festival. It's well managed and a has a great vibe!"

Erin is dead on and you can see some of the best and brightest talent from around our beautiful state including The Ragbirds, Breathe Owl Breathe, The Macpodz, Ella Riot, Airborne or Aquatic, Seth & May, The Crane Wives and many more!

It's more than just music - Hoxeyville is held on 85 acres of northern Michigan farmland and hardwood forest that gets you feeling like you're away from it all. So you don't feel too far out there, they have a swimming pool, showers, plug-ins, dump station and wireless Internet. The festival also features a disc golf course with a glow course, VIP and quiet camping options, a vendor village and a beer tent featuring some of the finest brews from the region. To ensure you can enjoy the intimate vibe, attendance is capped at 5000!

Hoxeyville is also a leader among green festivals and offers incentives for "green acts" and was able to compost more than 70% of the waste produced, use biodegradable cups & plates and even to reduce its carbon footprint by powering its stages and productions using biodiesel generators!

All this can be yours with a pair of free weekend passes that include camping - enter below and read on for a highlight from Hoxeyville 2010!

Susan K won the pair of passes to Hoxeyville. She says that a few of her favorite Michigan festivals are Rothbury, Electric Forest Festival, the Buckley Steam Show and very appropriately the Hoxeyville Music Fest! Some of her favorite bands are The Red Sea Pedestrians and three acts who will be at Hoxeyville: Greensky Bluegrass, Seth & May, and Steppin' In It!

To be entered in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

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Expanse by g. s. george

You don't have to travel far when you live in Michigan to find a whole lot of fun. We encourage you to support the festivals, events, cities and businesses that are making all the cool things happen around the state. So get out this summer and have some fun and create some great memories in the process. Carpe diem!!

As usual we by no means have listed all the events happening around Michigan. Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

July Quotes

"Many public-school children seem to know only two dates: 1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don't know what happened on either occasion. - Mark Twain

"Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels." - Mark Twain

"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." Henry David Thoreau

"You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook's year. I get more excited by that than anything else." - Mario Batali

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard

Fast Facts - via Wikipedia's July entry

• The second half of the year commences in July
• The birthstone for July is a red ruby
• July was renamed for Julius Caesar... Previously, it was called Quintilis...

Also be sure to check out Pure Michigan's July Event Round-up and our Absolute Michigan Event Calendar for more great Michigan events!

July 2 - 9
National Cherry Festival Traverse City
The National Cherry Festival features over 150 events including free air shows over the Bay, colorful parades & marching bands, music shows, sporting events, rides & carnival games on the midway, pie-eating contests, clean blue skies, warm sunshine, crowds of smiling faces, and loads of luscious cherries prepared every way you can imagine!

July 8 - 9
Michigan Elvisfest Ypsilanti
The world-renowned Michigan Elvisfest began in 2000 in Ypsilanti, Michigan's Historic Depot Town. Beautiful Riverside Park is the place where Elvis fans flock by the thousands every July to pay homage to the King of Rock & Roll and to hear the most award-winning professional Elvis Tribute Artists in North America, as well as other talented Legend Tribute Artists.

July 8 - 10
Blissfest Cross Village
The 30th Blissfest Music Festival will be a celebration of music, culture, art and community featuring a world of diverse and innovative folk and roots music and dance at the Festival Farm in picturesque rural northern Michigan. It is truly a blissful musical weekend to be shared with families, friends and music-lovers of all ages. The annual event is a showcase of the many musical styles that define American roots and world music. Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun, Celtic, Folk, Jazz, Latin, Ethnic, World music and dance all share the stage.

July 9 - Aug 7
Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire Battle Creek
Neither heat, rain nor scary beast will shut their gates that hold jousting and performances and all manner of medieval fun. The Faire is also West Michigan's premier Artisan Marketplace with over 100 vendors selling their wares and crafts, you will find everything from turkey legs to wood-carving, leather to silks, and blacksmiths to fairy wings.

July 14 - Aug 7
The Michigan Shakespeare Festival Jackson
The Michigan Shakespeare Festival has been presenting the timeless themes and glorious language of William Shakespeare since 1995, growing each year into a premier regional event that draws respected actors from across the nation, and satisfied audiences from throughout the Midwest.

July 14 - 17
Venetian Festival St. Joseph
The name implies gracious glides on a glowing river and the gentle sounds of water rippling as gondoliers pole their slender boats and sing soft love songs to couples snuggled in the bows. Such were the hot days and long nights in Venice, Italy, where Venetian Festivals started so many years ago. In St. Joseph, they still celebrate hot July days and long summer nights with boat rides and love songs and couples holding hands. The Venetian Festival on the St. Joseph River is all of that plus music, fine food and fun for all ages!

July 14 - 17
Concert of Colors Detroit
The Concert of Colors is metro Detroit's free annual diversity music festival. It is presented by ACCESS/Arab American National Museum, New Detroit Inc. and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) with the goal of bringing together metro Detroit's diverse communities and ethnic groups by presenting musical acts from around the world. Over its 17-year history, the festival has become a beloved highlight of metro Detroit's summer festival season.

July 15 - 16
Michigan Storytellers Festival Flint
It’s free fun for all INSIDE the Flint Public Library. Don’t miss our master storytellers who bring the oral tradition to life. As always there will be several workshops and storytelling concerts during the day on Saturday with storytellers in concert beginning at 7PM on Friday and Saturday.

July 16 - 17
Quake on the Lake Waterford
Over the past 10 years, the "Quake" has become on of Oakland County's must-attend events and is the North American Inboard Hydroplane Championship. The event is the proud holder of 17 American Power Boat Association (APBA) world speed records being set in 5 different racing classes making Pontiac Lake one of the fastest one-mile race courses in the country! There's also music from Rare Earth, the Verve Pipe and others.

July 16 - 17
Ragtime Street Fair Dearborn
Savor an American original -Ragtime music. You'll hear Scott Joplin rags like "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer" along with  much, much more as scores of other musicians travel from all over the country to perform on nearly a dozen stages throughout Greenfield Village. It's syncopated, jazzy, hot and live. Fresh summer food, too, and dancing in the streets!

July 20 - 23
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair Ann Arbor
Established in 1960, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is the Original of the now four award-winning Ann Arbor Art Fairs: The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original, The State Street Area Art Fair, The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and the Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair. Together, the fairs attract over a half a million attendees from across the nation. The Original Fair was named the Number One Art Fair in the country by AmericanStyle magazine readers survey (October 2004) and has made the Top Ten Fairs and Festivals list every year since.

July 22 - 23
Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival Ypsilanti
The Summer Beer Festival is the Michigan Brewers Guild's oldest and largest of our four annual festivals. The festival takes place outside in a lovely riverside setting and will feature more than 300 different beers from more than 50 different Michigan breweries. A variety of tasty food items are available for purchase from independent food vendors inside the festival and there will be a diverse selection live music from a variety of local bands.

July 26 - 31
Traverse City Film Festival Traverse City
The Traverse City Film Festival has grown to become one of the largest film festivals in the Midwest, and one of the most respected in the country. Last year, there were over 80,000 admissions to nearly 100 screenings, a number of them U.S. or world premieres. A special emphasis is given to foreign films, American independents, documentaries, and films which have been overlooked but deserve the attention of a public starved to see a good movie.

July 29 - 31
Yale Bologna Festival Yale
Every July Yale plays host to the Yale Bologna Festival, a 3 day weekend event that closes the streets and transforms this small community of just under 2,000 to a gathering of over 20,000 Bologna starved party-goers! A tradition in Yale since 1989, this festival has grown considerably since its humble beginnings. The festival draws people from all around Michigan as well as other states, eager to see who will be the next King and Queen of Bologna. The Bologna Festival includes such events as the famed outhouses races, a street dance, fireworks and a parade down Main Street that continues to grow each year.

July 29 - Aug 7
Coast Guard Festival Grand Haven
The United States Coast Guard has a long and prestigious history in Grand Haven and around the world. Celebrate the Coasties with activities, events, and attractions for all ages. Many are free, and you will find plenty of fun and choices from Kid's Day to the Street Dance and Cruise-In Car Show, to carnival rides, picnics, parades, fireworks and ship tours.

July 30 - 31
Art On The Rocks Marquette
Located in a beautiful wooded area on the shore of Lake Superior in north Marquette, the annual Art On The Rocks at Presque Isle Park features a huge variety of artwork in all media for show & sale.

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Surfing Michigan by farlane

We've pulled together a great collection of Great Lakes & Michigan surfing videos with a few links:

• The photo was taken on Lake Michigan at Leland. You can see more surfing photos on Michigan in Pictures and also on Northern Michigan Surf on Facebook and in the Surfing slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool!
• The best of the bunch is below, a TV special on Grand Haven filmmaker Vince Deur's movie Unsalted. the 7 minute short introduces you to the history and present day of Great Lakes surfing. There's also a couple of outtakes that take you to surfing hot spots like Michigan's Lake Superior shore in winter! Last December we ran Michigan Film: Unsalted: A Great Lakes Experience that has all the details (including where to get it!) and tons of clips from the definitive work on riding the freshwater wave.
• The Roxy Get Outside Tour recently visited Grand Haven, Michigan with a couple pro female surfers. They also answered the "Michigan question" and visited the Great Lakes Surf Association (more Michigan footage including waterskiing at the Roxy blog)
• Surfing isn't just for lakes any more, there's also the Grand River Surf (featuring some cool Police tunes...)
• If surfing isn't fast enough (or the waves aren't big enough) there's always kiteboarding. Boarding Lake Michigan Waves from South Beach in South Haven shows you highlights of surfers, kiteboarders and windsurfers. Every September, the King of the Great Lakes Kiteboarding Competition is held in Grand Haven. You can visit Mackinac Kites for information on the event.
• Pure Michigan gets in the act with the Fresh Water Surfing page.
• Check out Absolute Michigan keyword surf for surfing articles and surfing-related businesses! Might as well try Absolute Michigan keyword kiteboard too!

Did we miss something? Of course we did!! Tell us and/or add a link in the comments.

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National Cherry Festival Junior
Royale Parade by farlane

Remember the sights, sounds, and smells of a summer celebration in your hometown when you were a kid? Well, happy days return to Traverse City's beautiful Lake Michigan shores July 3-10, 2010, during the National Cherry Festival featuring over 150 events including free air shows over the Bay, colorful parades & marching bands, music shows, sporting events, rides & carnival games on the midway, pie-eating contests, clean blue skies, warm sunshine, crowds of smiling faces, and loads of luscious cherries (2010 will have local cherries!) prepared every way you can imagine!

A Short History of The National Cherry Festival

The Cherry Festival began in 1926 as the Blessing of the Blossoms Festivals in the spring. In 1933 it was renamed the National Cherry Festival and moved to mid to late July in order to coincide with the cherry harvest. It was then later moved again to early July in order to simultaneously occur with the Fourth of July weekend. The festivals annual attendance is now over 500,000 over the course of eight days. The National Cherry Festival has played host to many special guests and dignitaries, including President Gerald R. Ford, Former Astronaut James Lovell, PGA Touring Professional Dan Pohl, Jerry Mathers, and an assortment of Michigan governors.

Global Wine Pavilion

The National Cherry Festival will once again offer wine lovers of all levels an unsurpassed wine experience at the Global Wine Pavillion on the beautiful, tree-studded former Clinch Park Zoo property in downtown Traverse City. The three night event, Thursday-Saturday, July 8-10 from 5-10 PM will feature a superb collection of over 90 wines & almost 40 different grape varieties selected by Master Sommelier Ron Edwards. A $10 entry fee buys you an Andrea Robinson designed wine glass – The One – and your first glass of wine. The One is thought by many experts to be the world's perfect wine glass, so every wine you taste in the Pavilion and at home will be perfectly presented.

Parades, Music, Fireworks & More!

In addition to two parades and the crowning of the 2010 National Cherry Queen, Cherry Festival boasts an air show featuring the Blue Angels, beach volleyball tournament, Old Mission Peninsula bike tour, bed race, car show, live music, carnival midway and classic events like the cherry pit spitting contest.

A Handfull of Cherries by Julie70

More National Cherry Festival Links

• National Cherry Festival web site
• Area lodging, dining & more at Absolute Michigan keyword "Traverse City"
• Food Network: Top 5 Video featuring the National Cherry Festival
• Traverse City Record Eagle: National Cherry Festival Guide
• 1354 Cherry Related Recipes from FoodTV.com
• National Cherry Festival from Wikipedia
• The Unofficial National Cherry Homepage
• Michigan Cherries
• Absolute Michigan keyword search "Cherry"

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danenmolly (Molly) is a friend of mine from the real world and her husband Dane is a pilot - hence the rare photo opportunity showing The Whaleback and North Lake Leelanau taken from high above Lake Michigan's Manitou Passage.

Be sure to check this out bigger and you can see more from this flight in her Fishtown - Leland - Good Harbor - Manitou Islands - Leelanau Peninsula set (slideshow). Her other sets include Aerial Photographs and Lake Michigan Sunsets.

Dive into her Flickriver.

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The Michigan Wildlife Conservancy has released results of an investigation that appears to validate a cougar presence in Michigan. The apparent cougar was photographed near the south shore of Glen Lake in Leelanau County:

On Labor Day, September 7, 2009 Dr. Jerome Wiater and his adult son, Christian, observed what they believed to be a cougar (mountain lion) at about 3:30 p.m. on a clear, sunny day. The sighting was along County Road 675 near its intersection with County Road 616. Dr. Wiater, an orthopedic surgeon (MD) residing in Bingham Farms, Michigan, was walking to Glen Lake with a camera in hand, planning to water ski. He and Christian (who was nearby) were startled to see a large, long-tailed cat they believed was about the size of a big dog. Dr. Wiater snapped two photos of the animal—one when it was in shade and the other when the animal was walking in a shallow roadside depression through a more sunny spot approximately 209 feet away.

The site is adjacent to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore where the National Park Service has had “cougar warning” signs at its trailheads since fall of 2003. Dr. Patrick Rusz, director of wildlife programs for the Wildlife Conservancy, took measurements and photos of objects of known size at the site and analyzed the photos in consultation with forensic photography experts. His conclusion is that the animal had the profile (llikely more than 30 inches long) and coloration of a cougar and was too large to be a house cat.

"Both Jerome and Christian Wiater stated that the animal they observed was about the same size as their pet hound," noted Dr. Rusz. "Based on my analysis, it may have been slightly smaller than the dog, but was definitely the size of a small cougar. The Wiater photos, along with decades of sighting reports and tracks found in the same general area during the past 9 years, provide compelling evidence of the presence of cougars in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore area."

Click the photo above to see it bigger or head over to Flickr. You can also see Rusz's full report and see the larger photos at the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy and read more about Michigan cougars at Absolute Michigan.

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Sets from kmay include home (glen arbor) and naturescape (slideshow).

Check out their Flickriver.

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by Bill Herd

Camping is as American as apple pie—oops, I mean cherry pie. It's part of our pioneer heritage. Not too many generations back, we were all outdoor folks, hunters in the forest, shepherds on the hillsides, herders on the plains, farmer tilling the soil, fishing folk and sailors at sea. For many of us, being outdoors is part of our genetic makeup. When the weather turns fair we long to be out of the city and back in the countryside. A tent and a campfire are two of our favorite companions.

Except for recreational vehicle campers that require full hook ups, camping at Sleeping Bear Dunes has something for everyone, so you really can “have it your way.” From vehicle camping with modern restrooms and electric to backpacking on a remote wilderness island, you will find opportunities for the type of camping you seek for your next trip. Best of all, camping is inexpensive. A site with electric and a Lakeshore pass will cost just $150 for seven nights, a small fraction of what a modest cottage on an inland lake would cost for a week. In these tough economic times, camping may be just what we need.

I did not realize just how important camping might be this year until I read two articles in the same newspaper. The first article talked about the stress the current economic crisis is having on individuals and families. The article recommended that families think about alternative vacations, and have fun simply spending time together. The second article reported that a large numbers of families would not be taking a vacation this summer because of the economy. So, just when families need a vacation for their mental health, they will not be taking one. But a camping vacation to Sleeping Bear Dunes can provide an enjoyable, fun-filled vacation and still save a large amount of money, not to mention a number of activities that are available at little or no expense.

The Platte River Campground is the park's premier campground. Campers who have camped at many different National Parks often remark that is the nicest campground in the entire system. The campground has paved roads, which keeps dust from smothering you, your campsite and the nearby vegetation. Campsites are generous and spaced well apart and take full advantage of the terrain with abundant vegetationbetween sites. Campground staff keep the modern restrooms immaculate and “These are the cleanest restrooms I've ever seen” is often heard by Park staff. The ultimate luxury for a camper is a hot shower, which is available for a small fee. (They are a $1 for six minutes—let your teenagers use their own money for any additional time they feel they need) Some of the Platte River Campground sites have electric hook-ups and some can be reserved ahead. From the back of the campground there is a half-mile trail that leads to Lake Michigan and a nice sandy beach. One of the big advantages of the Platte River Campground is that poison ivy is not common and most years mosquitoes are few because of the well drained sandy soil, which are actually ancient dunes.

The campground also features 25 walk-in sites, which give campers a rare opportunity to get away from vehicles and traffic and get closer to nature with a short hike that's not farther than a city block. Once set up, life at your walk-in site takes on a relaxed pace and atmosphere. Parents of young children do not have to constantly watch to be sure the kids are not in the campground road. They can also enjoy themselves as the young ones amuse themselves in nature's playground. Campers are often reluctant to use these sites fearing the extra work required to carry their gear to the campsite. Usually, however, they are pleasantly surprised to find that the close-to-nature experience is worth the extra effort. Here is a hint: it is not necessary to carry all your gear to the campsite. Rangers suggest that campers store food in their vehicle at night, so just take the food you need for the next meal. Likewise, you will be returning to the parking area to use the rest rooms and showers so just leave your clean clothes and towels in the vehicle. I cannot think of any other place where you can camp away from traffic and still have easy access to modern restrooms and hot showers. You get the best of both worlds. If that's not enough, at the back of the restroom is a kitchen sink with hot water where you can wash dishes. I encourage you to consider the walk-in sites. However, full disclosure requires me to inform you that the walk-in sites were my idea when we were developing the design plans for the reconstruction of the campground.

The D.H. Day Campground on Lake Michigan near the Sleeping Bear Dunes provides traditional rustic campsites—no electric, no flush toilets, no showers. It has been a favorite campground for Michigan families for generations. Highlights of the campground are its simple, widely spaced campsites, airy pine and oak forest and its close proximity to the Lakeshore's main attractions. D.H. Day Campground is named for local lumber and shipping entrepreneur David Henry Day, who owned most of the adjacent forest, and donated 32 acres of land along the shore of Lake Michigan to the state for Michigan's first state park in 1920. You can visit his company town of Glen Haven, which is now a historic village, just a short walk from the campground. One disadvantage of this campground is the large amount of poison ivy. Just about every plant that is not a tree is poison ivy, so beware and stay on the campsite, paths and roads. Since the early part of the last century the National Park Service has provided high quality ranger programs in its campgrounds. Both campgrounds continue this National Park tradition with evening amphitheater programs or hikes.

For those who wish for a more adventurous camping experience, the Lakeshore has two hike-in campgrounds on the mainland and two on South Manitou Island. Hiking distance is about a mile to a mile and a half depending on the one you choose. On the mainland the White Pine Backcountry Campground is the most popular since its sites are near Lake Michigan. The six sites are in the pines just back of the dunes at the middle of Platte Plains, close to the lake but not so close that you will have sand in your sleeping bag and food. The Valley View Campground on the edge of the Port Oneida Historic District seldom gets used since its sites are not on a body of water. They are located in a sunny meadow surrounded by mature hardwood forest, and if you want to camp in solitude, this is your place. The hike-in campgrounds on South Manitou Island are the Bay and Weather Station; both are close to Lake Michigan. A normally overlooked hike-in campground is on North Manitou Island not far from the dock. Since most campers to the north island are backpackers who want to put some miles on their boots, you can usually have the campground to yourself. Set up camp and enjoy the beach, forest and historic village. If your family is not up to backpacking because of age, this may be the best place in the park. On one of our family camping trips to this campground, campers ranged in age from one year to 80. All campers on North Manitou need to be prepared to purify their drinking water, including those camped in the campground.

Backpackers who want to hike farther have two choices: Popple Campground on the north side of South Manitou and North Manitou Island. The Popple Campground is slightly over three miles from the dock. On North Manitou backpackers can select their own camping spot on the 15000 acre island, an opportunity not allowed on most other public lands. However, there are some important restrictions the ranger on North will tell you about when you register for a backcountry permit. Campers on either Manitou Island need to remember to take everything they need. There are no stores on the islands so if you forget batteries for your camera or insect repellant you will have to do without. On the other hand, the islands are about as safe as backcountry camping venue as you will fine anywhere. There are no dangerous animals, you can not get lost for too long before you find a known landmark, rangers are nearby if someone gets hurt or sick and, if needed, for emergency evacuation the Coast Guard helicopter is just a few minutes away in Traverse City.

For detailed information about camping fees, reservations and rules check the camping pages on the official Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore web site and also the camping fees & reservations page. Group sites are also available at both main campgrounds and on both islands.

Photos

• Platte River National Campground by rharlow
• Untitled by cyoas55
• Untitled by cyoas55
• Tent Crescent City by Arace

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morel spring 2008 by baldo1man

When an avid morel mushroom hunter stands before 250 people recounting a time when he walked out of the woods wearing only his underwear, socks and shoes, giggles burst but people listen. Finding the elusive morel is no laughing matter, but to the attendees of the morel hunting lecture at the 49th National Annual Morel Mushroom Festival in Boyne City, the entertainment was as delicious as the soup - seasoned with laughter and emboldened with rich enthusiasm.

After watching culinary guru John Sheets prepare a mouth-watering array of wild edibles, the crowd listened as native Anthony Williams recounted tales of his morel hunting lineage, sharing tricks and tips passed down through generations. Afterward, he shared a morel song accompanied by his wife, Robin Lee Berry. No one would walk away from Friday's festivities empty-handed.

Boyne City Sunset by rickrjw

What Boyne City offers this weekend is more than just words. Yesterday organizers and volunteers from the community accompanied four bus loads of hungry hunters, through private land, to search and pick as they will again today. Experts offered suggestions and visitors shared in the excitement of discovering their first morel. Not everyone walked away with something in their sack, but each person had the opportunity to inspect this elusive mushroom--some place other than their dinner plate or produce aisle. Immediately following, attendees were invited to celebrate at the Morelfest Wine and Dine, which featured an elegant five course morel-themed dinner with wine pairings. The evening ended with live music from blues artist Larry McCray on Lake Charlevoix.

Weekend events remain and there is still time to join in the fun! Saturday (May 16) offers another full day of activities, beginning with a morel breakfast, followed by a hunting competition; there will be a cooking demonstration by an award-winning chef; a craft-fair, where you can purchase morel inspired walking sticks, wood carvings, mesh morel-picking bags, jams, jellies and many other treats; a carnival to entertain the children or satisfy the inner-child, and another chance to experience great music with Twisted Finster. If you are anywhere in the vicinity of Boyne City, grab your family and friends and join in the fun!

...and just why was a morel hunter walking out of the woods in his underwear?

Apparently Tony had discovered "the mother lode" and, rather than leave them, utilized the remainder of his clothing to carry home the all the morels. Although he made no promises, with generous spirit and good humor he offered some of his secrets and instilled hope in a new generation of mushroom hunters.

Click for the all the details of the Boyne City Morel Festival or grab your Michigan map and head to Boyne City.

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Michigan Uncorked is a regular column by Lorri Hathaway and Sharon Kegerreis, writers who are passionate for Michigan and authors of award-winning From the Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries. Learn all about Lorri & Sharon and their book at www.michiganvine.com.

Forty-five years ago, Bernie Rink planted grapes in northern Michigan. As a reflection of his own childhood on a vineyard in northern Ohio, Bernie believed the labor-intensive farming would instill good values in his five sons.

"Every time I sat next to my wife on the couch, I got another son," Bernie jokes. "After the fifth one, I knew I needed to do something to put them to bed tired at night."

At the time, wine grapes were not being commercially farmed in northern Michigan. Bernie tested 35 French-American hybrid varieties to determine which ones could survive the cold winter temperatures. Six varieties made the cut, and Bernie has kept things simple by handcrafting quality table wines from the same varieties ever since. The six include Bernie's favorite de Chaunac, as well as Vignoles, Seyval Blanc, Aurore Blanc, Vin Blanc and Soleil Blanc.

"Everybody should be able to afford to put decent wine on their dinner table each night,” states Bernie, who opened Boskydel Vineyards in 1976. Three price increases in almost 40 years has kept Bernie's wines under $10 a bottle.

Boskydel wines can only be found in the simple tasting room on Leelanau Peninsula overlooking Lake Leelanau. On your way, keep an eye out for the small sign hidden among the trees and the rusted mailbox at the bottom of the drive. Also, be sure to just take a friend or two as the self-proclaimed "Wine Nazi" does not encourage groups or crowds and allows only eight tasters at a time; and be prepared with cash or check, the only two forms of payment accepted at the tasting room.

On a sunny day, you may find Bernie sitting outside his entry door. Most likely, though, you'll find him pouring wines from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. every day amidst his piles of books and the haphazard collection of faded newspaper clippings, artwork and favorite sayings covering the four walls. A notable family treasure hanging on one wall is an 1847 grape picking basket brought from Germany on the Mosel River by Bernie's great grandfather, Martin Rink. One of our favorite posted sayings is, "I'm a prisoner in a wine cellar - don't shend help." (An intentional play on "send" of course!)

The result of Bernie's vision and hard work years ago has paid off five times over. Bernie is proud of his five sons and believes the values he instilled in them as young boys gave them the tools for their success today. Amazingly, a smart, fatherly decision in 1964 ignited northern Michigan's now booming wine industry. So, while you won't find gourmet cheese plates or fancy wine decor when you visit Boskydel, you will find one of northern Michigan's most respected winemakers.

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morel mushroom by Latitude 45

The Boyne City National Morel Mushroom Festival takes place May 14-17, 2009. This year is the 49th annual*, and the 4 day celebration of the morel mushroom includes a morel seminar and guided mushroom hunt on Friday and of course the Boyne Valley Lions National Mushroom Hunt on on Saturday (be sure to display your finds on the Mushroom Pole too!). In addition to the Taste of Morel event where you get to try all manner of morel dishes, there is a seminar on foraging & cooking with wild food guru John Sheets and another on hunting with local expert Tony Williams, concerts with Michigan Blues legend Larry McCray and others, there's a carnival, euchre & poker tournaments, zany car race and plenty of fun for kids.

One of the highlights of the weekend is the "Morel Taste of Boyne" featuring a Chef's Challenge along with the area's finest restaurants in the big tent on Saturday afternoon serving different morel dishes and also presenting morel cooking demonstrations. This is the largest morel cooking (and eating) event in the world!

You can grab your sweetie and get warmed up with The Mushroomers Waltz and if you're hungry,Lake Magazine has a recipe for morel & hazelnut soup that looks very simple but very tasty! Chef Eric Villegas of the TV show Fork in the Road offers a recipe for midwestern risotto of carnaroli and minnesota wild rice, morel mushrooms and white truffle oil that looks more complex but every bit as tasty.

MichiganMorels.com reminds you that you can eat any mushroom ... once. They offer tips to help keep you safe, but the biggest tip is to hunt with someone who knows what they're doing! Speaking of hunting, here's a video interview of morel expert Tom Nauman that gives you a couple useful tips for morel hunting.

If you can't attend the Mushroom Festival and can't get to any morel-filled woods, you can still get morels (and leeks and other tasty treasures) courtesy of Michigan-based Earthy Delights.

Visitors will want to visit the Boyne City Chamber of Commerce and/or try Absolute Michigan keyword "Boyne" for lodging and other information. I thought it was pretty funny that the best article online about the Boyne City Mushroom Festival is from a Pittsburgh, PA newspaper. It's from May of 2003 but has great background on the festival with a focus on the National Mushroom Hunting Championship. Check out Boyne City mushroom championship has no lack of morels.

* Next year the 50th annual takes place May 13 - 16, 2010 - they are seeking recipes for a commemorative cookbook, so send them if you have them!

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Just found out that the 2009 DN Gold Cup iceboat races are being held on Torch Lake today! If you go to that link during the racing, you'll be able to watch them on the webcam I'm told!

The photo above of yesterday's opening ceremonies on Torch Lake is part of Gretchen Dorian's great DN World Championships 2009 set (slideshow). More of her amazing work on her web site!

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Ohio and Michigan share a centuries-old tradition of viticulture which was wrecked by Prohibition but has re-emerged in recent times. From the Ohio River Valley to the upper shores of Lake Michigan, growers and winemakers are once again crafting unique and quality wines. In light of the growing concerns about the carbon footprint of transported products, Slow Food Columbus created this event to showcase regional efforts in the context our storied gridiron rivalry. The top wines were:

• Sparkling Wine: Shady Lane Cellars Blanc de Blancs 2000 (MI) [order]
• Aromatic White: Ferrante "Golden Bunches" Riesling 2007 (OH) [order]
• White Wine: Black Star Farms "Arcturos" Chardonnay Sur Lie 2006 (MI) [order]
• Pinot Noir: Black Star Farms "Arcturos" Pinot Noir 2006 (MI) [order]
• Red Wine: Kinkead Ridge Revelation 2006 (OH) [order]

The real winners are the consumers of Michigan and Ohio who have an array of quality local wines to enjoy, these wines emerged as the MVPs for their respective teams. "I would consider any of these winning wines to be on a par in quality to their peers from California and elsewhere," said organizer Andrew Hall, "and at very consumer-friendly prices."

"There were a lot of good wines from both states," echoed one of the judges, "and I hope that people will give them a chance. Restaurants and consumers are starting to care a lot about local produce and wines should follow."

Amen to that - think about putting a bottle or two of excellent Michigan wine on your table this Thanksgiving (and all year long!). There are a bunch of Michigan wineries and wine sellers on our Michigan wine page to get you started!

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Deep Woods Press, photo by Todd Zawistowski

Michigan Radio's Jennifer Guerra recently took a trip to northern lower Michigan to explore the ties between art & community. One of her stops was Chad Pastotnik's Deep Wood Press studio in Mancelona to learn about the centuries old art of letterpress:

The first you thing you notice about Chad Pastotnik's studio is that – minus Chad – everything in it is old. It's almost as though you've stepped back in time to the days of Gutenberg and his printing press.

"Yeah, this is not Kinko's. It's not even your ink jet," jokes Pastotnik.

Hardly. This is hand set, letterpress printing. It's a fine art that's been around for 500 years and has recently undergone a kind of revival in the states. Book Arts graduate programs are popping up around the country and community art centers have started to offer letter press workshops. But none of that was around when Pastotnik was an undergrad getting his fine art degree in printmaking:

"At that point," says Pastotnik, " I didn't even know about the fine book tradition. I'd seen fine books, but I wasn't aware in the 80's what this whole thing was about."

..."Well," he says, "I wanted words with my images and that was the way to go. You know, it's magic. It's alchemy in the works. It's turning lead into gold."

Listen to the interview and head over to the Deep Wood Press web site for more about this cool process. Also be sure to check out her other features on Bay Bucks, the Art Farm and Earthworks Music.

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Benzie County Coastal Color by John Clement Howe

The annual Fall Festival offers two weeks of fun in Frankfort, Beulah, Benzonia and the surrounding area. The Benzie County Visitor's Bureau has a page of information on the festival and for more details visit the Frankfort-Elberta Chamber.

Weekend of October 4-5

Fall food takes center stage with the Fall Soup Contest on Saturday (Oct 4) in Beulah Park and the Honor Lions Club Hillbilly Breakfast from 8:00 - 12:30 and Darcy Memorial Library of Beulah Cookie Bake Sale at the Trailhead in Beulah. 10am -2pm on Sunday (Oct 5).

There's also a Sidewalk Art Contest and a Fall Market in Beulah on Saturday and the Crystal Lake Elementary FallFest Fundraiser in Benzonia on Saturday with a full lineup of fun for families including a produce & products market, cider press, carnival with prizes, food, refreshments, petting zoo and fire truck rides.

Crystal Mountain offers scenic chairlift rides to view the fall colors (4-6 PM both Saturday the 5th & 12th) and a haunted forest (6:30-9:30 PM) on Saturday and then hosts the Betsie Valley Run on Sunday with a 10K Run and Half Marathon Walk & Run.

Trick or Treat!!! by John Clement Howe

Weekend of October 11-12

At 11 AM on Saturday, October 11 2008, the Fall Festival Parade and Mutt March will take place in downtown Frankfort (costume judging for the Mutts is at 10 AM). Other events following the parade include a Pumpkin luncheon at the Recreation Center, performances by the internationally acclaimed Scottville Clown Band and a ton of fall fun at the Open Space including:

• Giant Pumpkin weigh-in (guess the weight and win a bike!)
• Mutt Corral with awards and doggy fun
• Giant Pumpkin Carving by Ed Moody and Auction
• A hay wagon ride through Frankfort with a storyteller
• The Pumpkin Regatta
• Activities for kids including games, pumpkin decorating, face painting, balloon man, straw maze, fortune teller, pumpkin bowling and pumpkin hillbilly golf!

On Saturday a really cool feature is the Pumpkin Chuckin' Catapults and the Giant Pumpkin Drop on a Car at 3:00 PM in Frankfort! Check out the video below to see what happens when a 500 lb. pumpkin is dropped on a vehicle from over 100 feet in the air.

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The Long Crossing

A combination of Wikipedia's Traverse City, Michigan entry and the Traverse City CVB the Grand Traverse Bay got their name from 18th century French voyagers who made la grande traverse or "the long crossing" across the mouth of the bay Grand Traverse Bay. In 1853 the only post office in the region was located at Old Mission, then known as "Grand Traverse." While in Washington, D.C. in 1852, Tracy Lay convinced the U.S. Post Office to authorize a new post office at his newer settlement across the bay. The village was known as "Grand Traverse City," but at the suggestion of a postal clerk the "Grand" was dropped to limit confusion.

Culinary Delights

The Grand Traverse region earns the nickname of "Cherry Capital of the World," producing an estimated 360,000,000 pounds of cherries annually. It's not just cherries though - the wineries of the Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula have risen quickly to the top due to a conducive micro-climate for growing grapes. You can enjoy the region's agricultural bounty through a wide array of farm markets and food producers like Shetler Family Dairy, Moomers Homemade Ice Cream (named America's Best Scoop in 2008) and Carlson's of Fishtown. There are also at a number of great restaurants in the city and scattered throughout the area. Just a few of these to not miss are Fusion, amical, Trattoria Funistrada, The Old Mission Tavern and (of course) the Cheese Shanty.

Traverse City, in pictures

The photo above is titled Sunrise, East Arm, Traverse Bay and it was taken by Joel Dinda, who has several more from Traverse City and this set of Leelanau County photos (slideshow). As you can see from Joel's photos, the countryside and shoreline surrounding Traverse City is some of the most beautiful in Michigan. In addition to Traverse City, some things you might want to look at include Old Mission, Sleeping Bear Dunes and of course photos of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee & Wexford.

TJ's Pub by the pentax hammer

But what is there to DO in Traverse City?

If you enjoy the outdoors, Northwest Michigan is the place to go. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is among the most beautiful natural areas in the nation, offering miles of untrammeled Lake Michigan coastline, hiking, camping and cultural opportunities and the world's largest shifting sand dunes. There are many more beaches offering swimming and fishing on the area's many inland lakes like North and South Lake Leelanau and Torch Lake. You can also hike the trails of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, bike on the many backroads and trails including the TART Trails and the Betsie Valley Trail and enjoy golf at a dizzying number of golf courses.

If the outdoors isn't your thing you can experience shopping in downtown Traverse City and at villages across the region. The State Theatre - home of the Traverse City Film Festival - has been beautifully restored and shows a variety of independent and classic movies every day. The region also boasts some excellent museums including the Dennos Museum, Music House (private museum), and Great Lakes Children's Museum in Traverse City, the Manistee County Historical Museum, the Empire Area Historical Museum, Grand Traverse Lighthouse, Guntzviller's Spirit of the Woods Museum (private) and the Carl T. Johnson Hunting & Fishing Center in Cadillac.

Where do I go for more?

You can dig deeper through Absolute Michigan by checking out Absolute Michigan county pages for Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee & Wexford and also try the pages for Traverse City, Manistee, Cadillac and many other towns that you can see on the Absolute Michigan Map of Michigan. Of course there are tons of other web sites with useful information. Some of our favorites are the Traverse City Visitors Convention & Visitor's Bureau, MyNorth, Kalkaska County Michigan Online, the Benzie County Visitors Bureau, and our own Leelanau.com and betsiebay.net.

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Rebeka is a graduate art historian currently working with the Denver Art Museum.

Most of her photos are from Someplace Other Than Michigan but she has a great set from Charlevoix, Cross Village, and Walloon Lake, Michigan (slideshow).

Our "related posts" thing says you might also like Michigan History: Up North with the Hemingways!

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Rainbow of Color by Patti

Summer has officially arrived and festival season is kicking into full gear! Events for this week include the Detroit Windsor International Film Festival, the Muskegon Summer Celebration kicks off with 11 days of concerts, events, fireworks, arts & crafts and carnival rides, the Alpena Blues Festival, now in it's 5th year is looking like a premiere blues event in Michigan and the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest in Howell offers entertainment for the whole family.

Our featured event this week is the Michigan Energy Fair.

The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (GLREA) is presenting the 3rd Annual Michigan Energy Fair. This three-day event will unite people from throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes region to learn about energy issues and sustainable living. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend educational workshops; meet vendors offering valuable goods, services, and information; eat local food; and hear great live music.

< The Week for June 16-22, 2008 | The Week for June 30 - July 6, 2008 >

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(Old Mission Peninsula AVA)

The meso-climate of Old Mission Peninsula is unique not only in the state of Michigan but probably in the world. Lying on the 45th parallel (like Bordeaux, Milan, etc.), the Peninsula stretches 18 miles into Grand Traverse Bay and is only four miles wide at the broadest point. We are virtually surrounded by the 600 feet deep waters of East and West Bays. It stays cold longer in the spring, protecting us from the late frosts and warm longer in the fall when we benefit from an extra six to seven weeks of ripening. The rolling hills and lake-effect snow ensure that no Arctic blasts of freezing air will stay around long enough to harm our vines.

Since most of the volatile compounds which give any fruit its flavor are formed during the last few weeks for ripening, warm (not hot!) dry conditions in October are key in creating the fully ripe, unique wines of the Old Mission Peninsula. Our maritime climate in the middle of North America's vast continental climate provides these conditions for us. We get the warmth when we need it most. The fantastic growing seasons provide us with wines that match and even top the best wines of many of the worlds more famous growing regions.

--Mark Johnson, Winemaker, Chateau Chantal

Get information about the wineries & winemakers of the Old Mission Peninsula including their upcoming Blossom Days event (May 17 & 18).

From the Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries is a must-have for wine enthusiasts, first-time tasters and travel buffs alike. Authors Sharon Kegerreis and Lorri Hathaway capture the personalities of the hardworking families behind the wines and the exceptional experiences awaiting you at 51 Michigan wineries.

The 192-page hardcover book, honored as a 2008 Michigan Notable Book, begins with an insightful foreword by Governor Jennifer Granholm and wraps up with a handy wine glossary. The book is organized by four designated wine trails and “beyond the trails,” providing a sneak peek at Michigan's wine trail destinations. Interesting tidbits on wine topics including Pinot Grigio vs. Pinot Gris, Syrah vs. Shiraz, Sparkling Wine: Why Can't We Call It Champagne? and Ice Wine provide basic answers to lingering questions; and delicious side stories on local chocolate and cheese artisans tempt your taste buds.

Grab a glass of your favorite Michigan wine and let the beautiful photographs and intriguing stories take you on a journey through Michigan wine country. Order autographed copies of From the Vine at www.michiganvine.com during the month of April and get a $5 discount and free wine journal.

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Trillium by farlane

In Michigan, the number of native plants being buried under bulldozers is decreasing, thanks to the efforts of the Cranbrook Wildflower Rescue Committee in southern Michigan and the Leland Wildflower Rescue in northern Michigan. The Cranbrook committee has been in operation for over 25 years, the Leland committee for over 15. Both of these groups are formed of dedicated volunteers who have saved thousands of Michigan woodland plants each year, digging up native species before their habitats are razed for development. These folks have learned a lot and offer these tips for people wishing to start similar rescue programs in their areas.

A couple things to do if you're interested in starting a program, remember that you have to get signed permission from the developers or the property owner to take plants from the property. You should also have a plan for where to plant the rescued plants. They could be transplanted to a community garden, and some end up in private gardens as well. For example, every Memorial Weekend the Leland Wildflower hosts a sale of all of their plants with the proceeds going to the Leelanau Conservancy.

Here's an interesting article about wildflower rescue in Michigan and elsewhere from USA Weekend.

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They're playing a benefit for ISLAND on Saturday night at Shorts in Bellaire - if you're in the area, check it out. Rather than ramble on, here's Seth Bernard and a little Talking CSA Blues.

More videos from the Earthwork Archives on YouTube.

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Lady Slipper Flower by cyoas55

The Pink Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) or Moccasin Flower is a large, showy wildflower belonging the the orchid family. The heavily veined, deeply cleft pouch of this wild orchid is a distinctive characteristic of this species. Because this plant has an extremely long life cycle, taking many years to go from seed to a mature seed-bearing plant, and because it will grow only in very specific circumstances, the harvest of wild lady's slipper is often not sustainable and in some states such as Michigan it is not only illegal to pick but also to move.

Pink Lady's Slipper grows in a variety of different habitats, including moist and dry soils. It is usually found in pine forests, where it can be seen in large colonies, but it grows in deciduous woods, as well. It is nearly always found in soil with high acid content. Because of a fungus association needed for growth, and the high acid this plant needs, C. acaule is very difficult to grow in the average garden and is unlikely to survive any attempts at transplantation.

Check out this slideshow of Wild Michigan Orchids on Flickr.

Orchid Societies in Michigan
Michigan Orchid Society
Northwestern Michigan Orchid Society
Greater Lansing Orchid Society

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Fair Evening by CaptPiper

Interlochen Public Radio's Points North program recently spoke with Michigan Department of Agriculture Director Donald Koivisto about many aspects of farming in Michigan like biofuels and value added agriculture along with challenges to farming operations like food safety, water withdrawals, re-zoning and taxes on farms and availability of migrant labor. Agriculture is one of the top three job producers in the state and in terms of agricultural diversity, Michigan is second only to California with over 200 commercially grown products. Listen to Michigan Farming on Points North.

The Michigan Agricultural Tourism website says that over one million Michigan residents are employed in the food and agriculture sector and that the current and potential impact on Michigan's economy is $60.1 billion and growing and that:

As a value-added marketing opportunity, agricultural tourism is considered increasingly important to Michigan's economic health and diversification... Opening up farms to visitors is increasingly becoming a way for Michigan growers to create a dependable source of revenue to ride out the uncertainties of weather, disease and crop prices.

One way that farms are opening up and adding value is through wine tourism. In an effort to lend a hand, we'll be featuring Michigan's wine trails as part of our celebration of Michigan Wine Month.

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Detroit Riverwalk at Sunset #2 by epeoples

The Sweet 16 of Detroit's Development Scene

Model D got into the March Madness Mood with 16 Sweet Developments in Detroit. The feature lists some great projects like RiverWalk, Hatch HQ, Dequindre Cut and the Tiger Stadium redevelopment and also general trends like better food, a facelift for the arts and Open City, an informal networking group in which business ownders share tips about real estate, start-up financing, marketing and other thorny issues with folks starting businesses. One thing is clear - there's an energy in the D that can't help but benefit the city and the rest of the state.

Mortgage Crisis Hits Hard in Michigan...

It's probably a surprise to nobody that Michigan is near the top (#6, see Freep article) in real estate foreclosures. While 75% of foreclosed homes are located in southeast Michigan (according to WZZM, Grand Rapids), the effects of the mortgage crisis are dropping home values statewide (Gaylord Herald Times, WOOD-TV Grand Rapids), making it difficult to sell even "dream homes" up north (Detroit News) and even tightening commercial credit (mLive).

Commercial Real Estate Hit too ... by the Legislature

When residential markets collapse, commercial buyers often move in and soften the impact by buying foreclosed properties. The Kalamazoo Gazette's business writer Alex Nixon has an informative (though depressing) look at how Michigan's new business tax is imposing 200% or greater tax increases on commercial real estate. While it makes some sense due to the fact that the old SBT was payroll based, it is proving challenging to many in the industry. (thanks to Real Estate Bloggers for the tip)

So Where's the Silver Lining?

One of the things that we always try to do is find the good in the news. While the whole homes & real estate picture is pretty gloomy, here's a couple of thoughts. One is that while the drop in real estate value is bad for home owners, those who are seeking to buy are - when they can get credit - finding good value in Michigan. Many of those are young families, something that might help stem our population loss over the long haul. A second is that the difficulties are forcing Michigan to take the lead in confronting the foreclosure tide that is rising all across the nation. Whether our political leaders and institutions can rise to the challenge is an open question, but it seems to me that items like this bill aimed at providing transition loans for ARM holders through the Michigan Housing Development Authority are a step in the right direction.

Detroit Riverwalk at Sunset

Detroit Riverwalk at Sunset #2 by epeoples is one of a number found in a search for riverwalk in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. Many are from the Detroit Riverwalk, and all show something that is another amazing thing about making Michigan your home: the magic of our water.

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Jack & Kelly added this video of ice boating on Elk Lake from March 6, 2008 to the Absolute Michigan group on YouTube. If you have a Michigan video to share, you can do the same!

They have a lot more ice boating videos on their YouTube page and also have their web site, elklakeiceboating.com.

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