We Have a New Home!

Visit our new location. 

Although we are still in the process of decorating the new digs, that's where all new posts are being published. All old posts have also been copied to the new site.  Come see them in their new home!

Upcoming posts on the new site will feature some book reviews, improved references and directories to help you find great farms, markets and other sources of great food grown in the Great Lakes region. Hope to see you over there!

Leave My Michigan Fruit Alooone!!

I hate to whine like a Britney fan, but Muskegon Critic's post in Daily Kos the other day scared me with its headline.   Turns out the post is mostly an explanation of the unique climate and growing conditions which enable a big chunk of western Michigan to produce such fine fruit crops. The only scary parts are when it's pointed out how little climate change it would take to screw these conditions up. That would be catatastrophic for many reasons. I've written in previous posts about the great farmers markets I have the opportunity to shop at around Chicago that are jammed with growers from Michigan. Below are two typical stalls, from a recent market in Northfield, IL, with growers from Coloma, MI.

These fruit crops are about the only bright spot in Michigan's economy right now. They must be protected at nearly any cost. That's why I was encouraged to see this post about the EPA blocking (albeit temporarily) the efforts of a big BP refinery just upwind from Michigan's fruit belt to expand refining of Canadian Tar Sands Crude. The location of this refinery in East Chicago, IN, is part of a strip of Lake Michigan shore, stretching from the southern city limits of Chicago, around the bend of the shore, including the Gary steel mills and a little beyond to the east, which already sits in a permanent sulphurous, yellow haze from the heavy industry. When the wind blows out of the southwest, as it does frequently, it's a short trip across the lake to the orchards and vines of Michigan. Of course, the impact of these pollutants on people is and should be the driving priority behind efforts to curb the emissions, but sparing the fruit is a nice side benefit.

Eating Local is a Real Joy When You Find A Farm Like This ...

We continue to eat our way through Green Lake County, WI. Sunday we visited Boerson Farm, in the beautiful northwest area of the county, near where the White River joins the Fox. This farm is run by Danielle and Mat Boerson, using a full range of sustainable methods, including pasturing of pigs and chickens. One of the most exciting things about this farm is that they have a greenhouse in which they will be growing greens through most of the winter. That's a huge deal in the northern midwest.

Mat tending the vegetable field. Below, the sampler box of various vegetables Danielle put together for us, including kale, swiss chard, shallots, carrots, two types of winter squash, leeks, sweet potatoes, white and blue potatoes and cipollini onions. The Boersons were pretty well-stocked with pork, so we picked up a variety of cuts, including chops, back ribs, bacon, bratwurst patties and breakfast patties.

Above, the box of vegetables, and below one of the hogs raised by the Boersons. The hogs were temporarily in a large pen while the solar collector that powers the electric fence that encloses the pasture they normally live in is being repaired.

Photos shot by my wife.

Visits to Two Sustainable Farms near Green Lake, WI

As promised the other day, we visited two of the half dozen or so farms in Green Lake County, WI who practice some form of locally-focused farming, selling directly to the public. The first was 4M Bison Farm, run by the Mildebrandt family. As the name implies, they raise Bison for meat. They practice rotational pasture grazing, moving the animals from paddock to paddock to keep the pasture grasses growing. This was our first visit to this farm, and first sample of their products. I loaded up on various steaks, and have already had several--they are excellent. Below are seveal pics, courtesy of my wife.

Here one of the herd of 27, just creeping over a hilltop to investigate the strangers talking to Mrs. Mildebrandt (us, that is). The rest of the herd was just out of site over the hill.

Here is a random shot of some of the pasture land. Too far off to show up in this pic is a glimpse of Green Lake.

Less than 10 minutes away, our next stop was Honey Creek Farm. This farm is operated by Jim and Ginger Quick, also using rotational grazing, but in this case it is beef cattle and poultry. They also grow a dozen or more varieties of garlic, leeks and challots. They are sold out of beef this time of year, so we bought a chicken, some eggs and a bunch of garlic and shallots. This is our second visit in two weeks. We bought the same things last time, and have eaten all but some of the garlic. It's all amazing. The cattle were grazing in the woods behind the house when we were there this time.

There are at least four more farms that sell direct and practice some form of sustainable methods in this county, and I am determined to visit them all yet this year. For future posts...

Black Radishes? From the private stock of our favorite produce market.

We are spending the weekend in Green Lake, WI, where we have a small second house overlooking the beautiful lake. Whenever we are here, between May until Halloween, one of our favorite places to go is Soda's Farm Market, a small store located on the small farm operated by Tracy and Kimble Soda, on WI State Road 73. I've posted previously about Soda's legendary sweet corn in season, and rich assortment of other vegetables. They take tremendous pride in the quality of their produce, which is very evident when you peruse the table tops inside the store. Tracy in particular, who usually minds the store, also loves swapping recipes and stories involving unusual varieties of common vegetables--some newly developed, others long-forgotten varieties that a mother or grandmother remembers from many decades ago. These black radishes are a perfect example. Too unusual to even offer in the store, the Soda's grow them for themselves. But it was our good fortune to visit yesterday--Halloween--as Tracy was closing the store down until May. Since we are such frequent customers, she had set aside a bunch of these for us. We wasted no time incorporating them into the meal we prepared last night, which also involved various colors of peppers, baby lettuce, red potatoes, rutabagas, squash and onions that we also hauled out from Soda's. And the fridge is full of many bags of other produce that we will be working thru here, and when we head back to Chicago.

The black radishes are earthy, strong-flavored, just a bit hot and firm--and absolutely wonderful. We sliced them raw for our salad.

Before heading back, we hope to visit at least one local farm for pasture-raised meat, poultry and eggs. There are a half-dozen to choose from within 20 miles of where we are. Quite a local food paradise. I will post about where we end up visiting. Farewell Soda's Farm Market until next year--we will dearly miss you!