Buy Fresh, Buy Local – Select Michigan Farmer’s Market

24 07 2008
Shoppers looking for deals at the farmers market at the State Capitol

Shoppers looking for deals at the farmer's market at the State Capitol

I know it’s hard to believe but I actually got my butt out of bed this morning so we could make our way to the State Capitol for the farmer’s market.  We parked along Michigan near the roundabout and headed towards the Capitol.  I was really surprised at just how many people had already started checking out the booths at just a little after ten o’clock.

The sidewalks on the east lawn were lined with pop-up tents full of flowers, produce, fish, herbs, cookies, and much more.  One of the first place we stopped had zucchini and squash 3 for $1.  I just picked up a pasta recipe that uses both of those, so my girlfriend snuck through the crowd and grabbed a few.  As she was paying, she also noticed pints of Traverse City Cherries.  After handing me the bag of zucchini, she went back for cherries. 

The next stop was for me.  The thing I love about farmer’s markets is fresh herbs.  I’ve tried growing my own, but I get impatient and I usually end up killing the plants.  I’d rather just spend a couple bucks and buy small bunches as I need them.  I picked up a bunch of basil and oregano for a couple meals next week.  I love the smell of fresh basil and it made the car smell good the rest of the day. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Downtown, Farmer's Market, Food News, Lansing

Press Release – Secondhand Smoke Study

15 07 2008

The following press release was sent out by the Campaign for Smoke Free Air.  I haven’t posted anything about the smoking ban for a while because the state legislator is on summer break.  They will be coming back next week to take up a few issues.  Could the smoking ban be one of them?  I have no idea.

LANSING– Recent declines in the exposure of U.S. residents to deadly secondhand smoke is attributable to smokefree workplace policies like the one currently being held hostage in the Michigan House of Representatives. A new study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals the exposure levels of secondhand smoke have declined significantly among the U.S. population between 1988-1994 and 1999-2004.

“This study is another testament to the need for a smokefree worksite law, including restaurants, bars and casinos,” said Judy Stewart, spokesperson for the Campaign for Smokefree Air. “It’s becoming clearer every day that exposure to secondhand smoke is dangerous and the only way to combat those dangers is to have a smokefree law in place.” Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Michigan

Salmonella Scare Continues..

11 07 2008

..and now they’re calling the Saintpaul Outbreak.  Is it tomatos?  Is it something else?  Who knows?  No one yet.  Local officials say that it’s hard to figure out.

“Going back to figuring out the origin is so complex given that tomatoes are used for so many different things,” said Michigan Department of Community Health spokesman, James McCurtis Jr.

Health officials are warning consumers jalepeno and serrano peppers along with cilantro may also be included in the outbreak. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Michigan

Russian Dairy Farmer’s Tour US Plants

8 07 2008

I like this story.  A company right here in Michigan helps foreign companies set up shop  here in the U.S. instead of the other way around.  Last week, officials from the Russian Department of Agriculture and several dairy farmer’s were shown around U.S. dairy operations by Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development which is based in Hudson, MI.  From a press release…..

The group toured both Vreba-Hoff dairy farms located in Hudson, Michigan – home to more than 5,500 dairy cows that produce more than 20 million gallons of whole milk per year.

This was such a great experience for our Russian guests,” said Cecilia Conway, Vreba-Hoff spokeswomen. “It was a remarkable opportunity to show our international visitors the modern milk production techniques that are utilized at our farms.”  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Michigan

Buy Local First Week

3 07 2008

I got a mailer today from Rep. Barb Byrum (D-Lansing) proclaiming July 13th thru 19th Buy Local Week.   Since I can’t find it on-line, I’m just going to copy the bulk of the mailer which is 10 Reasons to Buy Local.

  1. Invest in the Community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in our community.  They are invested in the future of our town.
  2. Help Support Local Orfanizations: Nonprofit organizations recieve two and a half times more support from small, local business owners than they do from large, chain businesses.
  3. Encourage a Prosperous Community: Research has shown that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in comunities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character. Read the rest of this entry »

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Categories : Food News, Michigan

Attacks with Food

27 06 2008

Sometimes I have to wonder what people are thinking.  First, there’s a story out of Jackson County where a man assaulted a woman with a 10-lb bag of frozen chicken.

In Jackson County an Ypsilanti man has been charged after stabbing his mother with a fork and assaulting a second woman with ten pounds of frozen chicken.

Prosecutors say Frederick McKaney, 40, stabbed his mother in the back of the neck with a fork Monday night. 

About an hour later he hit a woman in the head with a plastic bag of frozen chicken.  The woman needed five surgical staples to close her wound.

But the craziness doesn’t stop there.  In Maryland, a man robbed a convience store with a banana.

A man walked into a 7-Eleven store in Monrovia just after midnight Wednesday and demanded money. Investigators said that when the clerk refused, the man became so agitated that he started grabbing items off the counter.

He snatched up a banana and began hitting the clerk, the sheriff’s office said.

Oh man.  People are stupid.


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Categories : Food News

E. Coli Alert For Michigan

24 06 2008

They’ve traced the strain of E. Coli at least partially meat bought at Kroger. 

The state agency has confirmed 15 E. coli cases of the same genetic strain in Michigan; 10 of those patients are hospitalized.

More than half of the Michigan patients report purchasing and consuming ground beef from Kroger Food Stores. Additional retailers and outlets may be identified.
Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Michigan

Horrocks Farm Market

24 06 2008
  • Horrocks 7420 W. Saginaw Hwy
  • Lansing, MI 48917
  • (517) 323-3782
  • Website

We accidently found Horrocks not long after moving to Lansing.  Our first day in town, we hit up the local mega-mart near our house and thought we were doing pretty good.  The produce was good and there was a huge selection.  Boy, we were naive.  Our first weekend here, we went to explore the town.  We were at the Lansing Mall and wanted to find Eastwood Town Centre.  We were way off, but we headed down Saginaw to get back to the Interstate.  Earlier in the day, we had stopped at the Lansing City Market and were really disappointed in the selection.  We had really hoped to find a place that would sell fresh produce at a good price.  Our luck turned around when I noticed the windmill.

I still remember that first time we walked in.  This was definately not a chain mega-mart.  There is a lot of produce.  A lot.  Chances are, if you want it, they have it.  That first trip, we filled up three paper shopping bags with produce and cheese and only spent around $30.  A few days earlier, we spent over a hundred at the supermarket. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Grocery, Lansing, Reviews

MUCC Online Petition for Bottle Bill Expansion

23 06 2008

On-line petitions are worthless.  They are succeptable to fraud.  If you want to be taken seriously, paper petitions are still the only way to get any kind of respect.  The Michigan United Conservation Club has posted an on-line petition encouraging the expansion of Michgan’s Bottle Bill to include bottled water and juice.  While I agree with the position, I hate on-line petitions.  I have five e-mail address that I still have access to, so I can sign this petition five times…all under different names and some of them not even real names.  The goal of their campaign is 1000 signatures.  So far, they have 89, but the petition was just posted today, so with little media expsosure they’ve got a good start. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Michigan, Politics

Brewpubs Could Be Allowed to Participate in Beer Festivals

23 06 2008

I just noticed that HB 6187 and 6188 passed the House on June 11.  In reading the analysis for the bills, it looks to me like there has been a problem with brewpubs participating in beer festivals.  The way the law is currently written, brewpubs can only sell their product to be consumed at their licensed facility.

These two bills would do two things.  Allow brewpubs to sell their beer and special liscense holders to buy the beer.  The bill was crafted for the Michigan Brewers Guild which holds two beer festivals a year.  Over 200 beers from 30 breweries will be featured, but none from a brewpub. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Politics

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