Michigan Land Use Institute publishes Taste the Local Difference guide
Backed by ‘Know Your Farmer” campaign, booklet boosts local food, farm economy
From staff reports
The Michigan Land Use Institute today published its ninth annual Taste the Local Difference farm and food guide. The latest edition of the free, handy, pocket-sized guide is the largest ever. Its 104 pages list more than 250 local farms; 42 wineries, breweries and distilleries; 30 farmers markets; and 82 retail businesses and food artisans, all located in the 10-county region stretching from Manistee to the Mackinac Bridge.
The guide, which is also available in a searchable, online version, continues to play a crucial role in demonstrating to both residents and visitors that there are local farm products available year-round in this part of the state.
It also encourages customers to ‘Know Your Farmer’ by directing them to online biographies about several of the farms included in the guide. These biographies are part of a pilot project to help people get to know the faces and stories behind the people growing our food in this region.
The online version of the newly updated Taste the Local Difference guide, which was first published by the Michigan Land Use Institute in 2004, is available at localdifference.org.
The print version is available at retail businesses, visitor centers, chambers of commerce, libraries, and farmers markets throughout the region, as well as at the Michigan Land Use Institute office, 148 E. Front Street, Suite 301, in downtown Traverse City. It is also available via phone or email requests, at (231) 941-6584 ext. 21 or janice@mlui.org.
Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa, located in Thompsonville, is the Presenting Sponsor for the entire Taste the Local Difference project this year.
The guide enjoys strong support from many other Northern Michigan businesses. The full list of 2012 Sponsors includes: Cherry Capital Foods, Tom’s Food Markets, Trattoria Stella, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Friske Orchards Farm Market, Progress Printers, Black Star Farms Smith Haughey Rice and Roegge, Oryana Natural Foods Market, Grain Train Natural Foods Market, Watervale Inn, and Light of Day Organic Farm and Tea Shop.
Media sponsors include Edible Grande Traverse, Absolute Michigan, WTCM NewsTalk 580, 9&10/Fox 32 News, Interlochen Public Radio, and the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
For more information about the Taste the Local Difference guide or project, including the Know Your Farmer Project, contact Janice Benson at 231-941-6584, ext. 21 or at janice@mlui.org.
The Michigan Land Use Institute is an independent, nonprofit research, educational, and service organization founded in 1995. More than 3,000 households, businesses, and organizations have joined the Institute in support of its mission to establish an approach to economic development that strengthens communities, enhances opportunity, and protects Michigan’s unmatched natural resources.
