Fifth-grader Evan Weesies has an all-terrain wheelchair that gives him the freedom to move around his family’s Muskegon County farm, thanks to assistance from Michigan AgrAbility. Evan’s Pumpkin Patch, which takes inspiration from the movie and book “Spookley the Square Pumpkin,” is a destination for busloads of schoolchildren.
As the pandemic strained supply chains last year, many West Michigan families turned to home canning as a way to stretch their food dollars, store supplies for winter months, and be sure of what they are eating. Novices and experienced canners alike recommend home food preservation as a satisfying endeavor.
Making syrup from maple tree sap brings a sweet reward, but it takes a lot of work. Lakeshore syrup producers — large and small, young and old — are tapping trees, collecting sap, and boiling it down to just the right consistency. And they love it.
Students at one Lakeshore high school will be studying the insects up close, thanks to a federal grant that will put cameras in hives.
The program helps growers care for their land, water, and the life it supports. Farms can earn certification by implementing environmentally friendly practices.
Allegan County Transportation provides its customers with bus rides to medical appointments and grocery shopping, allowing clients who don’t drive to maintain their independence.
A cover crop “blanket” helps hold soil and contaminants like phosphorus in fields, reducing runoff into Lakeshore waterways. It also builds organic matter and nutrients, improving soil health.
With a philosophy of caring for Earth and the people who inhabit it, Eighth Day Farm provides produce for CSA members and the food insecure in the Holland community from a former mall parking lot. The farm’s influence also includes composting, support for local growers, and connecting the next generation to the food cycle.
Sonny Perdue hosted meetings with growers and other stakeholders in Ottawa and Kalamazoo counties. Those in attendance talked to and heard from the USDA chief about topics ranging from trade to invasive species.
MSU Extension has seen a spike in interest from those seeking to create home gardens since the pandemic began. Those who are trying it say gardening provides a food source and fills the need to nurture.
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