We are happy to introduce our new summer intern, Zoë McAlear. She’ll be helping out in our communications department, so you’ll be seeing her name pop up often over the next two months. Rather than let us tell you about her, here’s a brief introduction in her own words.
Schools in Leelanau, Grand Traverse, Benzie, and Antrim counties will celebrate the inaugural School Garden Week next month to draw attention to the diversity of school-based gardening projects in our region. From June 2 to June 6, the public is welcome to visit schools for “Garden Tour Days” to learn more about these projects, participate in fun garden activities, and meet the staff that helps run these programs.
A plastic dishpan of potting soil, a cup of seeds and some small plastic baggies made their way around a conference room at the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District. These simple materials evolved into tiny greenhouses and a mini-science lesson for teachers to engage their students on local food and agriculture. The Michigan Land Use Institute, TBAISD and FoodCorps teamed up to plant this seed-literally and figuratively-that local food and agriculture can be an integral part of the classroom.
A recent overhaul of the federal nutrition rules for schools is meant to provide healthier options for children. But the new requirements-including larger servings of fruits and vegetables that local farmers could grow, less sodium and fat, and more whole grains-have sparked a heated debate nationally and right here in Traverse City.
Over the last decade, though, through the relentless and often creative efforts of organizations and entrepreneurs, a now burgeoning food and farming sector is evident at every turn. On Tuesday, March 12, the fruits of this work were celebrated during the fifth annual Farm Route to Prosperity Summit at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City.
MLUI is packing up and heading south, leaving behind eight-month winters and the first part of our name.