Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Michigan's Farmers Markets in "Gourmet"

Don't miss the article on Michigan local food in Gourmet! Most interesting paragraph:
If there’s anyplace that ought to be immune from a California-style food revolution, it’s Michigan. Long winters, high unemployment, an economy that’s been staggering for years, no instantly recognizable culinary culture—Berkeley it ain’t. But the truth is, Michigan farmers raise the second-greatest variety of agricultural products in the country, after California. Traditionally most of the fruits and vegetables grown there have gone straight to giant food processors, but that system isn’t working the way it used to, now that processors have access to cheap produce from across the globe. So farmers are turning to what’s called the fresh market—selling directly to grocers, restaurateurs, and the public. The amounts sold locally are still small, but the potential is immense.
Most of the examples are from the area west of Traverse City, but of course the whole situation reflects the culture of farmers markets in our great state. The author has a bit of that coastal superiority -- what! Michigan has local food? But still, it's a good article.

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