Each year, I look for the Great Pumpkin at every farm stand, at every grocery store, and in every field. I love to collect different varieties of these joyful gourds. They find their way into recipes and onto my doorstep, and spark so much joy. So what should we know about the Cucurbitaceae family of […]
Due to the global pandemic, Michigan’s statewide food insecurity rate is predicted to increase from 13.6% to 21% by the end of the year.1 Food pantries and emergency food sites are feeling the impact of this increased need. Food Gatherers, a Washtenaw county hunger relief agency, has reported a 30-300% increase in people seeking assistance […]
Inside the Greater Lansing Food Bank Garden Project Resource Center, you will find everything needed to grow a garden, from seed to shovels, and gardening books to transplants. Teaching those in need and providing the resources to grow their own food is part of the Greater Lansing Food Bank’s mission. They use a multi-faceted approach […]
Around this time of year, Cat Stenberg (200-ERYT, 500-ERYT, YACEP) of Dandelion Yoga, hosts an off-grid yoga retreat on Grand Island in the Upper Peninsula. Located just outside Munising, Grand Island is a National Recreation Area that boasts beaches, dunes, bike trails, hiking, camping and cabins. With no cars allowed on the island, yogis pack […]
As anyone who has tapped in to their local food sources knows, sometimes you end up with a fridge full of fantastic produce, ready to spoil if you don’t get a move on. Or you have one vegetable that looked so right at the farmers market, but now is left in that place in the […]
A member of the Umbelliferae family, fennel is a cooler season vegetable crop related to carrots, dill, parsley, and cilantro. It has a mild, sweet licorice (or anise) flavor with broad appeal, even among black licorice avoiders. In the Garden: Fennel, a native to Mediterranean climates, prefers full sun and well drained soil for growing. […]
For the past 9 months, Taste the Local Difference has partnered with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to implement the Building Healthy Places (BHP) Program. Through this program, the TLD team has connected 22 businesses and community organizations in Northeast and Southeast Michigan to funding and technical assistance for healthy food […]
Blueberries, a member of the heather family, are native to Michigan and can be found growing in prairies, woodlands, rocky bluffs, sand dunes and bogs across the state. Most Michiganders, however, don’t forage for these tasty treats but instead get them from our state’s nearly 600 blueberry farms- most of which are in the Southwest […]
Snap peas are a legume which means they are in the family of incredible plants that can “fix” nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into a usable form in the soil for other plants to access. Similar to snow peas (edible pod, flat) and English garden/shelling peas (inedible pod, round full appearance), snap peas (edible pod, […]
Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend in Northern Michigan would have been the beginning of the Summer tourist season. But this year, it marked the beginning of a step towards normalcy: the partial re-opening of some of our favorite restaurants. However, some businesses are now open, but some are choosing to wait until they feel they can […]