The Northwest Michigan New FARM Program Is Underway!

Partner Report Bringing Knowledge to Life! Leelanau County

8527 E Government Center Drive, Suite 107 E-mail: [email protected] Suttons Bay, Michigan 49682 Fax: 231-256-8331 Phone: 231-256-9888 Web: msue.msu.edu/leelanau

January 2010 The Northwest Michigan New FARM farms and farmland, and 5) develop and hone Program is Underway! leadership, decision-making, facilitation, crisis management, communication, team-work, networking, Though agriculture is Michigan’s second largest and problem-solving skills. industry, and four times more important economically in northwest Michigan than in other areas of the state, Long range impacts include: increased financial it has become increasingly difficult for younger literacy and viability, diversification of production and farmers to enter into the profession. Specific marketing strategies, improved business management constraints include: lack of farm transfer, decline of skills, increased generational farm transfer, improved traditional processing markets, residential land stewardship strategies, improved public speaking development, increasing land costs, and financial and communication, improved network with industry difficulties. A new program being developed by and legislators, improved management and labor Michigan State University Extension- relations, improved social/cultural awareness, Leelanau, Antrim, and Grand Traverse, and the enhanced leadership skills, and finally a viable and Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Station sustainable agriculture in northwest Michigan. Contact: Dr. Rob Sirrine hopes to address these constraints. Leelanau County MSU Extension Director

231-256-9888 or [email protected] The Northwest Michigan New FARM (Farmer Assistance and Resource Management) Program is Volunteer Recruitment designed to assist beginning farmers increase economic viability, maintain and enhance environmental 4-H club members flourish under the leadership of 4-H stewardship, and conserve Northwest Michigan’s rural volunteers; training to prepare them for this important character. Thirty-six beginning farmers from NW role is provided to all new and tenured leaders. Michigan’s five-county area were selected to This fall, seventeen potential leaders attended 4-H New participate in this comprehensive two-year Program. Volunteer Orientation. Six adults are stepping in to Through a series of eleven workshops and four assist existing clubs and eleven others are starting educational trips, the two-year Program will help seven new 4-H clubs: frontier skills, checkers, horse, beginning farmers in northwest Michigan: 1) engage knitting, environmental education and two livestock in environmentally sustainable production and clubs. marketing strategies, 2) enhance financial viability through innovative business management strategies, 3) One of the new livestock clubs has specifically opened decipher challenges and opportunities for increasing their membership to "differently-abled children." They competitiveness and market share through alternative- are providing a 4-H experience to youngsters based on marketing, value-added, and other strategies, 4) engage what they CAN do. In partnership with Benzie County in strategies that increase access to and acquisition of

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. 4-H, the leaders have designed a show at the NWM We opened ourselves to community volunteers who, Fair exclusively for differently-abled 4-H’ers! one by one, came forward. And, within just eight Contact: Barbara Duvall months after the club’s official founding in April 2009, Leelanau County 4-H Youth Educator it had 28 members. And, the club members planted 231-256-9888 or [email protected] and maintained more than 20 barrels of bright annual The Master Gardener Story – flowers and one native flower garden under the One Seed at a Time welcoming sign to Suttons Bay. The group members As the story goes, one little seed can quickly turn into a weeded, they watered, and they pondered how they garden. Plant seed, water, feed, weed and divide a could make their little Village of Suttons Bay even healthy new plant into two -- and then four -- and better. They worked on fundraising and met with you’re on your way. Village and Chamber officials to find out how else they could help. They selected trees and helped in planting So it is with the Michigan State University Master them in the North Park area of Suttons Bay. And they Gardener Program, planting one seed at a time with its met monthly for educational sessions on the lands Master Gardener students and seeing how they take around them. root and bloom throughout their communities. This is the story of but one of those many seeds. And, in 2010, the group decided to make the Village of Suttons Bay a City of Daffodils, with the goal of In 2008, I fulfilled a dream and took the MSU Master raising funds each year to plant an increasing number Gardening Program through the Leelanau Extension of daffodils in the commercial district, while making program. For years, I had been too busy with career, their planter and garden plantings even more colorful family and volunteer leadership to take the course. and visually attractive. A fundraising committee was Upon moving to Leelanau, my calendar was clear and, formed to make possible the work of the ever-growing fortunately, the Extension Service offered the program and idea-generating beautification committee. in my community, coordinated by Pam Schmidt. Thoughts are turning to providing more planting in the Village, including the marina, and to working with Each week was a new adventure – deciduous, fir and Village officials as they look to enhance the beauty of fruit trees, flowers, indoor plants, fruits and vegetables, the downtown area with a possible streetscape projects. insects, insecticides, and on and on. And, then there were the happy hours of volunteering for various The value of the Michigan State Extension Service’s community groups to gain the 40 hours needed to Master Gardener program is indeed planted one seed at complete the Master Gardener program. a time, making a growing difference in lives and communities throughout the state. And, all the while a seed of an idea kept growing. Written by: Judith S. Hoeffler, Ph.D. For, you see, my new community, Suttons Bay, had Advanced Master Gardener and President of By-the-Bay Garden Club of Suttons Bay neither a garden club nor the volunteers to plant and maintain pots of flowers throughout the historic Contact: Pam Schmidt downtown. Leelanau County MSU Extension Master Gardener Coordinator And, as the story goes, one little seed quickly turned 231-256-9888 or [email protected] into a garden. Working together with a handful of volunteers, another of whom was a Master Gardener, we began to form a Garden Club in Suttons Bay. Interestingly, the last such club was formed prior to World War II and disbanded during the war. So, 65 years later, here we were!

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.