The vineyards are lush, and the grapes are plumping up in preparation of the upcoming harvest. And, to celebrate, folks are gearing up for the annual Harvest Stompede held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6-7.
Thousands of visitors flock to Leelanau County each year, many of them attracted by big draws such as the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. But while nothing compares to the delight of bounding down the Dune Climb after a sweaty trek uphill, or taking in the pristine view of the Manitou Islands from a sugar sand beach, there are plenty of lesser-known places in the county to have fun, too. Two of these places are sister communities Maple City and Cedar.
Scott Whybrew is a man with a plan for retirement: hops farming. “You’ve heard of people spending their children’s inheritance?” he asks with a straight face. In October Scott and his wife Gerri, the parents of three adult children, purchased a 110-acre former apple orchard on Kittlinger Road in Empire Township. Over the course of the fall and a challenging winter, the couple employed a crew of eight-to-10 local men who turned the feral orchard into a working hop farm.
By Linda Beaty Sun contributor At least 15 minutes before Pegtown Station restaurant in Maple City opens for breakfast, cars are already pulling into the small parking lot in front. In large part, that’s because Pegtown, owned by Maple City residents Dave and Mary MacDonald for almost 10 years now, serves up some of the […]
Halfway between Glen Arbor and Leland along M-22, just after the Maple City turnoff, you’ll find the historic Little Traverse Inn, owned by Graeme Leask, who was born in Scotland and grew up in Ireland and England before settling in the United States in 1988. The establishment, which includes six beautifully refurbished rooms and a pub, reflects Leask’s diverse heritage, beginning with the flag that flutters in the breeze in front of the premises. On any given day, it may be Britain’s Union Jack, Ireland’s green, white and orange vertical stripes, Saint Andrew’s Cross, the national flag of Scotland—or our own Stars and Stripes.
The Glen Arbor Garden Club has some news for you: Better living through chemistry is not a strategy that works for bees. In addition to the threat posed by habitat loss, pesticides used in both home gardening and commercially-produced plants do a real number on our pollinating pals. Kills them, for one thing.
Folks around Leelanau County frequently ask what Mimi Wheeler has been up to since she sold Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate last spring to food conscious entrepreneurs Jody Dotson and Dc Hayden. The answer—she launched MimisChocolateBlog.com, where she writes about chocolate recipes, traveling the world (Mimi spent much of the recent grueling winter in Guatemala and Ecuador) and introducing her fine food to new friends, and grandkids.
After a particularly long and dreary, not to mention snowy, winter, Leelanau’s warmer weather—as well as the spring and summer bounty that comes with rising temperatures—is especially welcome. And there’s no better place to find seasonal food grown, canned, baked, dried and produced locally than a farmers market. Leelanau Farmers Market Association (LFMA), a nonprofit organization developed in 2000 by the Leelanau Agricultural Alliance in collaboration with Leelanau’s Michigan State University Extension, offers farmers markets five days a week in six locations within the county beginning in June: Empire, Glen Arbor, Lake Leelanau, Leland, Northport and Suttons Bay.
The Glen Lake Chamber of Commerce is organizing its first annual Glen Lake Restaurant Week, May 2-10. Click on the Chamber’s event page for more information, and “like” it on Facebook too. Participating establishments will offer their own three-course prix-fixe menus for $25. Some may offer $15 lunch specials as well. Simply show up to each restaurant on the list to experience a unique and mouthwatering time. Restaurant week is a great opportunity to discover new cuisine at a great price, and dine at your usuals too.
The Glen Arbor Art Association, The Homestead resort and the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail will again team up to offer Art From Michigan’s Wine Country on Friday, Feb. 7, from 6-8 p.m. at The Homestead’s Mountain Flowers Lodge. Now in its sixth year, this fun winter event kicks off Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail’s Taste the Passion weekend. The Friday night GAAA benefit features wine from Leelanau wineries, original art exhibits and sales by local artists and a small plates menu designed by Chef Piombo.