The 2010 edition of Michigan Land Use Institute's 94-page, pocket-size
Taste the Local Difference is its best guide yet to local foods, farms, farmers markets, wineries, grocery stores, restaurants and all the great places to procure home-grown heaven from 10 Northwest Michigan counties -- Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee and Wexford.
You'll also learn about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms, which sell "advance" shares of their crops, eggs, meat and specialty products, and which ones are near you, plus there's a fine list of U-picks for summer afternoons of food gathering. How about organic wineries? They're in the guide. So are locations for cider and spirit producers, including one of the newest, Grand Traverse Distillery, which makes True North cherry vodka from local fruit. Local brewpubs are among the listings, too.
Add in a seasonal availability chart, regional map, even caterers who go out of their way to turn events into locavore celebrations, complete with fresh-picked blooms, and you've got the whole picture -- foodie nirvana.
Find the guide all over the north, and visit
here for updates all year long.
Writer: Patty LaNoue Stearns
Source: Michigan Land Use Institute
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