Hello
everyone and happy ninth week!
This week
I wanted to focus in on my favorite place in the world, the State of Michigan
as well as an unique treasure from our forest. Through this post and our class time, I
hope to share some of the influence food has within Michigan and with our
respective home states.
When I
think of Michigan, the first things that come to mind are the cherry festival
in Traverse City, apple cider mills in the fall, and Saturday farmers markets,
but these token events do not demonstrate the large-scale production that is
occurring. The food and agriculture industry contributes $104.7 billion
annually to the state’s economy and accounts for 22% of our labor force (as
recognized by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development). In
fact, Michigan ranks #1 in the nation for production of tart cherry, several
bean varieties, potatoes for processing, asparagus, and in the top 5 for
several other foods staples
(https://www.michigan.org/article/trip-idea/michigan-agriculture-facts-might-not-have-known).
There are several other interesting resources I found while googling whose
links I will add to the bottom of this post if you would like to check them
out!
I believe
that becoming aware of the food and food production in your region is immensely
beneficial and crucial to tackling issues surrounding the system. However, as we have seen through our class
discussions and various assignments, this information is difficult to come by.
Therefore, for class on Wednesday, I am challenging everyone to identify a food
that is unique or a staple to your home state and why it is meaningful or
interesting and I am going to do the same!
One of the
foods that I have become particularly interested in recently in our Great Lakes
State is Maple syrup. Although I grew up in Michigan, I would not have been
able to tell you the process for the creation of maple syrup before I took Sara
Tanis’s “Trees” course this past winter. We were able to go and observe the
production on a small scale and taste the sap and syrup at every stage! I tried really hard to find a good, concise
overview of the process to share with you all but that proved to be more
difficult than I imagined. There are
several videos online that look at large scale production of maple syrup such
as this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1UYfRdH7rs. However, I find the
small-scale process much cooler so I will talk about it in class! Something that
you can glean from the video that I always find incredible is the sheer volume
of sap that is needed to produce the syrup. I have heard estimates between
35-40 gallons of sap needed to produce one gallon of syrup (depending on what species of maple you are tapping). Further, as you can
see from their taste tasting, the syrup is not consistent throughout the
season. The beginning of the season yields lighter, sweeter syrup while the
end of the season gives a darker, more “maple-y” flavor.
On top of
researching a food for class, I ask that you answer the following questions to
guide our upcoming discussion, thank you!
1.)
Prior to this blog post or this class in
general, what did you know about the food industry in Michigan? Were there certain
crops or traditions you were aware of?
2.)
Why (or possibly why not) do you feel it is
value to become knowledgeable about the food and agriculture in your region?
3.)
What did you know about the production of
maple syrup before reading this post? Had you ever had a real maple syrup before?
Michigan
Agriculture Links:
I also believe that becoming aware of the food and food production in a region is immensely beneficial and crucial to tackling issues surrounding the systems so I am pleased to see you introducing such a intertwined concept to the class space!
ReplyDelete1)Prior to this blog post, I had a pretty general overview of what was grown in Michigan thanks to my experiences working on the farm, research done for Just Food Collective, and my time spent navigating the Kalamazoo Farmers Market. The Michigan agricultural staples that I am most aware of are of the asparagus and the cherries. However, I had no idea that Michigan produced processing sugars from sugar beets. When I think about beets, I never think about sugar. I do not have many experiences with beets growing up because my mom has an allergy to beets, as in, they make her tongue tingle and she does not like the taste of them. So I tried my first fresh beet from the ground at the hoop house on Thursday at the Hoop House Engagement Series on food waste. The beet was bright red on the outside, and the innards were a nice bright white shade. They were very bitter to me, perhaps I plucked it from the ground too early. If anything, the beet was spicy and bitter. I can not imagine that tasting sweet unless it fermented in a way that gave it a sweetness.
2)It is valuable to know the amount of effort that goes into creating the product of maple syrup. I am confused as to how the state, or whoever, decides to grade maple syrup (Grade A, B, C) ect as it seems to be an arbitrary mode of “grading” as I have never seen “Grade B” maple syrup on the shelves at the store. How can you market Grade B when grade A exists right next door?
3)Your comment that it takes between 35-40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup explains why maple syrup is so expensive and something that is considered a treat in my home growing up!
Are you sure you didn't accidentally try a turnip instead of a beet? lol
DeleteSounds like you ate a radish!
DeleteHaha, I always confuse radishes, turnips, and beets too!
Delete1) I had no idea Michigan produced maple syrup! I've always considered maple syrup to be a thing in Vermont and Canada, but I guess that makes sense considering how Michigan is on a similar latitude to Vermont. Being out-of-state, I was not really aware of food traditions or crops commonly associated with Michigan, but I do recall driving through the state on my way to campus and seeing many apple trees and corn fields, so I guess I just kind of equated that with Michigan farming in my mind.
ReplyDelete2) I think the value of knowing what grows in your region goes back to the honorable harvest and having a more intimate relationship to the land. If I am knowledgeable of the foods that are produced locally to me, I feel like I will be more likely to buy them more often than something that needs to be shipped from the other side of the world. I've noticed that (at least for myself) I tend to have more pride in things I equate with home, and this would help me deepen my relationship with the food and farmers in my area.
3) I knew maple syrup was tapped from maple trees and that its knowledge was discovered by Native Americans and taken by colonial settlers. Besides that, I didn't really know much about the process. I was definitely one of those people the guy talks about in the video who thinks of a bunch of trees with a metal tap and a bucket underneath. I think it is really cool how on this industrial maple farm the man was talking about taking care of the forests and being stewards of the land so that they do not take advantage of the trees in an unsustainable manner. I wonder what exactly they do differently than an unsustainable maple farm? I have had real maple syrup, and I look forward to hearing about the small-scale process in class!
1.) Not being from MI, I didn't know much about its foods prior. I had heard about the cherries and maple syrup, as well as its substantial fruit industry, but I think that was it!
ReplyDelete2.) For me, I feel that it is valuable to know what is in season in my area so I can try to buy local, when possible. Also, I think it is important to know about the land I'm living on (which is something I still have lots to learn about), so I can be more conscientious of my own relationship with it, and better understand some of the hard work that goes into growing those foods. Also, I think it's important to understand the effects that those processes are having on the land. Plus, it's awesome to be able to know what's growing around you.
3.) Actually, my high school had a sugar shack! (My parents really live in the middle of the woods). For a while, I helped with preparatory work like setting up tap lines, as well as actually boiling down the sap and keeping the fire going. It's a super intensive process but is pretty sweet to see in person. A few of my neighbors also produce or have produced maple syrup, so there's quite a few lines set up on the property surrounding my parents' home. As you can imagine, maple syrup is also a specialty in our area.
1.) Prior to this blog post or this class in general, what did you know about the food industry in Michigan? Were there certain crops or traditions you were aware of?
ReplyDeleteAs a Michigander, I was aware of how much Michigan produced and often I am biased towards anything Michigan produced (it often does taste better though!). I live in Lawton, which is grape country, so I was pretty aware of the production and growing practices of vineyards. Also nearby is a Wine and Harvest Festival, in addition to the Welch's plant and St. Julian's Winery so I've seen pieces of the whole process! I also had a family friend who used to run a fruit farm with cherry trees (sour and sweet), peaches and grapes. I always looked forward to when he'd bring some fresh sweet cherries in the middle of the summer!
2.) Why (or possibly why not) do you feel it is value to become knowledgeable about the food and agriculture in your region?
It helps to know what is actually local and more feasible to grow locally. For example, in the last map it showed how a lot of the different soils in different regions lended themselves to producing certain crops better due to soil, proximity to the lake, etc.
3.) What did you know about the production of maple syrup before reading this post? Had you ever had a real maple syrup before?
I knew a little bit about maple syrup production, but not to that fancy of a scale! I really enjoy real maple syrup, especially Michigan made ;).
ReplyDeletePrior to this post I had some relative idea of food production in Michigan. I remember hearing that Michigan grows the second largest range of food varieties in the country, just behind California! Which is pretty cool. Also, growing up I think I have had a decent exposure to at least some of these foods. My parents grew up in Traverse City so the Cherry Festival has always been a part of my summer-- my dad has some good stories about working on the cherry orchards up there too. And where I grew up we have tons of blueberry fields. When they are in season they tend to flood the city's diet which is always pretty exciting. And Michigan sweet corn is the best!
2.) Why (or possibly why not) do you feel it is value to become knowledgeable about the food and agriculture in your region?
First of all, everything that is grown locally and in season tastes so much better. The idea of seasonal cooking with the right ingredients goes a long way in terms of taste it seems... It is also pretty cool to know what foods are grown in your community and when they are available. Having knowledge and support for the agriculture in your region often gives rise to festivals and community celebrations which can be cool to be a part of as well.
3.) I went to school in Traverse City for part of elementary and I remember taking a field trip to a maple syrup making facility there. It was awesome and probably one of the coolest field trips I have taken. I still remember some of the methods they used and how SO much sap goes into one bottle of syrup. I got to taste some it that day on pancakes, and I have had it occasionally as a treat when it is offered to me. Its so goood
1.) Prior to this blog post or this class in general, what did you know about the food industry in Michigan? Were there certain crops or traditions you were aware of?
ReplyDeleteI feel like I knew a good bit of information of Michigan specifically. I know that we are the we are 2nd in agriculture for producing the largest amount of variety (California is first). I know that we have a huge amount of Migrant workers that make up our agricultural labor force. I did not know very much in terms of actual farming practices, and what that looked like. So for me some of the most informative times were out on the farm seeing how to actually grow things, and what the production side is like.
2.) Why (or possibly why not) do you feel it is value to become knowledgeable about the food and agriculture in your region?
I think prior to this class I did not find a whole lot of deep meaning behind knowing about the food in my area. I treated it as more of a fun fact ‘I grew up in Michigan where we grow cherries!’. Now I think it is important to know about what foods are local in order to support the local producers, and try and cut down on one’s carbon footprint.
3.) What did you know about the production of maple syrup before reading this post? Had you ever had a real maple syrup before?
I have had real maple syrup! Big fan of it… I really thought you just kind of stuck a spigot into a tree during the right time of year. I am excited to hear your description of the small scale maple syrup production process.
1) I know some about Michigan's agricultural production just from spending most of my life in Michigan and being involved in agriculture. But there is always more to learn! This state has such an abundance of natural resources and diverse ecosystems and it's interesting to me how Michigan's different ecosystems support both different wildlife populations and agricultural systems.
ReplyDelete2) Because farming has such powerful social and ecological influences, I think it's useful to know what types of farming are happening in your bio-region so that you can advocate for yourself and your community. If farmers are polluting waterways or depleting aquifers, for example, those are impacts that are going to affect anyone downstream. And we've already talked about why it's important to know whether farmworkers are living in your area so that you can advocate for their protection. If you don't know what's going on on the farms in your region, then you aren't able to advocate for the sort of farming systems you value.
3) I recently ordered pancakes at a local restaurant and was very disappointed to be served fake maple syrup! It doesn't compare.
1.) I think I heard once that Michigan has the second greatest crop variety in the United States, second to California. I am not sure if that is still true, but hearing that fact really impressed upon me how vital agriculture is to the state. There are a few crops that I knew about already, as well as other on the list you provided that came as a surprise. I have memories of going to the Kalamazoo Nature Center in the fall for their Maple festival, going to Traverse City for the Cherry festival, picking apples in the fall, and picking peaches and strawberries in the summer. Participating in festivals and going to u-pick farms is only a very small window into what I now understand to be a giant operation.
ReplyDelete2.) We have spent this class exploring the importance of farming, specifically through its ecological, social, and political impact. The farming practices that are happening around you, I believe, are super important to understand. As we have said, we are all implicated in the system and, therefore, must understand it in order to be good advocates.
3.) I knew a small amount from visiting the Kalamazoo Nature Center before. They have a small festival every year where you can see trees being tapped and learn a little bit about the production of maple syrup. Of course, this festival also provided ample opportunity to taste test. So yummy!
1. I know that we are one of the lead states of the nation that brings in migrant workers from my work this summer at Farmworker Legal Services- so it would make sense that agriculture is a big part of our industry. And because of visiting many of the camps I knew that there are a lot of blueberry and apple farms- I didn’t realize that so many of these apples become slices in apple pies which is fascinating. I think we end up making a lot of jams from our berries too because that seems to be something I see at every market I attend- so much so that I brought two jars to Chile as gifts for my host family. Additionally, although I knew that Battle Creek was famous for the creation of Kellogg’s I didn’t realize the wheat was actually sourced here in Michigan- I didn’t know we were able to support our large companies in that way. Finally, it’s so awesome to learn that we are third overall for Farmers Markets! What an incredible resource for both our shoppers and growers! I must have just taken them for granted ever since I was little.
ReplyDelete2. First off, if we are aware of the food and seasonal agriculture of our regions it makes it much easier to eat locally which is good for a number of reasons. Some of the health benefits included are that it usually involves less pesticides and preservatives in its production processes, digestion is easier and flavors are often fuller. Small farms are better supported and food travel is obviously reduced which allows for genetic diversity to be better preserved. Finally it creates more jobs in our community which improves overall well-being. In a world where people are becoming increasingly concerned with where and how their food is being produced, it’s important to understand food production at a smaller level as a way to empower ourselves as consumers.
3. I really didn’t know much about maple syrup other than it comes from sap and I like abnormal amounts of it on my pancakes. Something I appreciated about the video posted was that this particular company does show efforts to follow the principles of honorable harvest- they talk about being stewards of the trees and tapping only enough so that the trees are able to rebound by the time they are next tapped.
1. My knowledge about the food industry in Michigan is very limited even though I have spent most of my life in Michigan. I know from many drives up north that we grow a lot of corn and soy, as well as, many fruits (strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, etc). Michigan’s environment seems to be perfect for many foods to grow well as long as we have lots of snow in Winter, rain in Spring, and no late frosts in Spring. I know that the Farmers Market here in Kalamazoo is great when it comes to supporting local farmers and local food industries. This allows for individuals in the community to become apart of the interaction between growing foods locally and consuming such foods rather than going to the grocery store and buying fruit which may have been grown hundreds of miles away and being unaware of the farmer and laborers who grow such foods.
ReplyDelete2. I think it’s extremely valuable to be knowledgeable about our own food and agriculture systems in Kalamazoo/Michigan because this is the space that I am living and knowledge on how our food is grown and how the environment is cared for is extremely important to future food and agriculture for our generation and those that come after us. For example, if herbicides and pesticides are used on local foods and on local lands than we are inherently poisoning ourselves and those that come after us.
3. I honestly had no idea about maple syrup production before reading this post. It was fascinating to watch the video showing the process of producing pure maple syrup. My mom has always bought pure maple syrup which has made it so I am unable to eat artificial maple syrup knowing it has almost or no nutritional value and loaded in corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup.
1)I knew next to nothing about MI food production. Knew more about farmworker and farmworker issues than I did about what fields they were working.
ReplyDelete2)I think it is valuable because you can then shop smarter and even farm for yourself. It is important to be aware and it is important to be engaged. If we do not know what we grow or what we manufacture then we also cant hold those systems accountable and we can also run away and forget that we are implicated to. It also has such a connection to people that paved the way for you today!
3) Literally nothing except that you tap a tree and yes I had had it but not very much and not very often since I dont like syrup!!!
1. Prior to this blog I knew there were a lot of rural areas around Michigan that were worked on for food, but I had no idea it was so big or important as it is.
ReplyDelete2. I think it is valuable to be knowledgeable about what is happening in your region because you are not the only person existing in that space. So I think that being aware is learning how to coexist in the same space and look out for one another.
3. I knew that it was mostly water.
Farming has become quite a lucrative business. To learn more about agriculture investment companies, visit on hyperlinked site.
ReplyDelete