ABOVE: Leisa Eckerle, The Eckerle Farm. Photo courtesy of Leelanau Ticker. I sat on the front porch of my home and watched as the first signs of autumn made themselves known. While the leaves gently floated off of the trees around me, I listened as Leisa Eckerle...
ABOVE: Jane Lively, farmer at The Lively Farm. This piece first published in the Traverse City Record-Eagle Agriculture Forum. Let’s say that somewhere in the world there’s a category titled “The Best That Good Governance Can Bring.” When we think of that...
ABOVE: Food pantries like Leelanau Christian Neighbors are bracing for a surge in demand if SNAP benefits pause. In northwest Lower Michigan, Groundwork’s Food Equity Specialist, Christina Barkel, plays a central role in sourcing and distributing locally grown food...
ABOVE: Kevin and Mary Donner, Mshko'Ode Farm This article is part of the Ice Storm Farm Relief Fund series, in which we share the first-person stories of farmers affected by northern Michigan’s historic ice storm of late March 2025. The ice storm was devastating for...
ABOVE: Becca and Andrew LaFountain, of Alpine Forest Farm A dozen counties in northern Lower Michigan experienced a disastrous ice storm that lasted from March 28 through 30, 2025. The storm is long gone but the damage remains and farmers need the help of all of us to...
Photo courtesy Heart's Pasture Farm. A dozen counties in northern Lower Michigan experienced a disastrous ice storm that lasted from March 28 through 30, 2025. The storm is long gone but the damage remains and farmers need the help of all of us to repair extensive...