Maple Creek Farm Weekend Update 4/25 & 4/26

Hello Lovers of Local Organic Food!

 

I know it's been a while since I last emailed you. of course you know why-busy of course. We're very busy getting the 2009 season going.

 

Been spending a lot of time in the greenhouse. April & May are heavy seeding months. There are many crops that need to get started now. We haven't been planting too much in the fields just yet, but that's about to change in a big way!

 

Danny seeded last Saturday on that beautiful day we got to enjoy at the Earth Day Expo in Rochester. Today we'll put lettuce in the ground. There is thousands of plants waiting to be planted in the fields, just waiting on the weather to cooperate and also waiting for the soil to warm some and not be too wet with all the recent rain. It's been a muddy Spring. So think of it as us taking the tortoise approach, tried and true. I am not predicting an very early start to the season, of course the weather could change and I will gladly eat my words if Spring starts to really shape up and take off-but no worries , it's all a normal pace right now and we're really looking forward to getting started.

 

May all growers be blessed with great growing conditions this season!

 

Just writing to give you a brief farm update & let you know about a couple things we're also doing this weekend:

 

Saturday 4/25 making our return to Royal Oak Farmers Market. No produce yet, but we'll have plants for sale for your homegardens and edible landscapes. Saturdays from 7-1 Royal Oak Farmers Market is located on E 11 Mile, one block east of Main Street.

 

Sunday 4/26 Veg Michigan @ Ferndale High School. 12-5. I will be outside selling plants :)

 

VegFest April 26 in Ferndale

Vegetarian tastefest & expo promotes meatless, earth-friendly diet.

 

NBA champion, TV/film personality, and devoted vegan John Salley will give the keynote address at this year's VegFest, taking place Sunday, April 26 at Ferndale High School. The annual vegetarian tastefest and expo, formerly known as the Great American Meatout, is hosted by VegMichigan, the state's largest vegetarian group and features food from local restaurants, lectures, cooking and raw food demonstrations, exhibitors, free samples, literature, and more, all designed to promote the health, environmental, and ethical benefits of a plant-based diet.  Major sponsors include Whole Foods Market, 93.9 FM The River, Natural Awakenings magazine, and the Medicine Cabinet Pharmacy.

 

VegFest takes place from noon until 5 p.m. at Ferndale High School, 881 Pinecrest in Ferndale (south of 9 Mile, west of Woodward). Admission at the door is $10, $5 students, free to children under 6 and VegMichigan members. For details and to purchase discounted tickets and memberships in advance, visit www.VegMichigan.org. Please think about bringing a family member or friend who would be interested in learning more about the reasons to become vegetarian or at least to cut back on meat. VegFest is a perfect low-pressure opportunity to expose them to the benefits of a plant-based, cruelty-free diet.

I'll be in touch soon with a more complete newsletter before we reach the end of the month.

 

Your Organic Farmers,

 

Danny & Michelle Lutz

Maple Creek Farm

mlutz@maplecreekfarm.com

www.maplecreekfarm.com

Earth Day Expo April 18 & 19 Downtown Rochester

4TH ANNUAL EARTH DAY EXPO MOVING TO MAIN STREET
50,000+ Expected in Rochester for  F r e e  Two-Day Event

Rochester, MI --  The 39th Earth Day will be this April 22nd. It is the largest annual secular event in the world, observed in 150 countries by over one billion people. Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center and the Rochester DDA are pleased to do join in this global celebration and bring Earth Day's hopeful message to main street.

The 4th annual Earth Day Expo will be Michigan's largest Earth Day gathering. It will be moving to downtown Rochester and expanding to two full days - Saturday & Sunday, April 18th and 19th. The Expo will offer the public a wide variety of fun, informative, earth-friendly activities including: 150+ green and wellness exhibits, presentations and films, alternative vehicle and energy displays, organic food service, farmers' market and petting farm, kids corner, hands-on demonstrations, music and entertainment, prizes drawings, f r e e massage and yoga, and sustainable project tours, as well as a community-building Connections Cafe'. The expo will attract an anticipated attendance of over 50,000 interested in healthy, earth-friendly living and looking for green alternatives in food, energy, wellness, transportation, clothing, personal care, home, garden, finances and more. 

"We are building on the success of our first three expo which were held at Oakland University. Last year, over 6,000 attended the one-day event indoors at the Oakland Center. To serve a larger audience, we have decided to grow the Expo outdoors and bring it to main street Rochester, where the green economy has already taken root," said John Batdorf, Upland Hills EAC Executive Director and Expo Manager. "We want to make the Earth Day Expo THE place to celebrate Earth Day and to learn about the dedicated efforts of businesses, non-profit organizations, and government to promote a brighter, greener future for Michigan."

The Expo promises to offer something for everyone including the opportunity to celebrate, learn, shop and connect. The family-friendly event is open 10am-6pm on Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sunday and is f r e e of charge. It will bring together local green and wellness businesses, major companies promoting their green initiatives, and leading educators and advocates, all with a focus on building sustainable, healthy community. The expo will center around a unique Connections Cafe' which will provide a relaxed atmosphere for sharing ideas and success stories.

Steve Rogge, Expo Sponsorship Manager, has many years of experience in automotive marketing but is happy to change gears and promote a green event. "With a f r e e public event, we are asking sponsors and community leaders to help us take this to the next level. So far, the response has been gratifying; people are really getting behind the message of sustainability. Sponsors see the Expo as a way to get out their green message, support a good cause, and spend their limited marketing funds efficiently. Although every sector of our economy is suffering, nearly all of them have green initiatives that are offering a positive direction and providing hope for a better future."

On the Wednesday before the expo, a Media Day and Welcome Reception will be hosted by Mind, Body & Spirits restaurant in Rochester, where the public can rub elbows with VIPs, media and leaders in the green movement, as well as get a taste of the expo - literally. Short presentations will be made by dignitaries, educators and sponsors. Tickets for the reception are $25 and include organic snacks and drink.

The Expo was brought to Rochester with the help of Marilyn Trent, Rochester DDA Green Committee Chair. "We have been working to make Rochester greener and are very excited about the momentum the Expo will provide for our initiatives. The Rochester area has a lot of natural beauty with its parks, trails, and rivers, as well as an attractive business district which is now home to several green businesses." 

For information about sponsoring, exhibiting, attending, or volunteering at the Expo, or to register for the reception, visit www.earthdayexpo.org.

Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center is a 501c3 organization. It is a designated Michigan Energy Demonstration Center and model of eco-friendly design and renewable energy applications, located in northern Oakland County. It provides resources that promote a sustainable relationship with the natural world and each other. UHEAC can be reached at www.uheac.org, john@uheac.org or 248 693-1021.