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Food Producers - Opportunities - Grant Opportunities - Classifieds - Culture
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Preventing Bird Nests in Critical Spaces
By Patrick Gordon, Produce Safety Technician for the Berrien County Conservation District
Birds are an important part of the ecosystem, but they can also pose a serious threat to food safety and produce quality when they build their nests in critical spaces on the farm. Early season is the best time to establish a wildlife monitoring and prevention plan in order to prevent contamination during growing and harvesting. Click here to read more.
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The Importance of a Pre-Harvest Water Distribution Check
By Phil Tocco, Produce Safety Educator MSU Extension
Inspecting irrigation water systems, much like monitoring fields for wildlife intrusion, is something that often happens without much thought to recordkeeping. Crops need water, so growers are always keeping an eye on and maintaining their irrigation equipment. When approaching irrigation from a food safety perspective, be it to meet requirements of good agricultural practices (GAP) or the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, some key factors besides basic function need to be taken into account. This starts with thinking of the whole system, from the water source to the last emitter.
Click here to read more.
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Explore 70+ Funding Opportunities for Food-Related Businesses
Learn how to jumpstart your business with resources in the latest edition of the Funding Sources for Food-Related Businesses directory. This updated resource from MSU Center for Regional Food Systems identifies national and statewide opportunities for financial support for Michigan farmers, food producers, distributors, food hubs, other food-related businesses, and business assistance providers. The directory includes 74 sources of funding, guidance for what kind of financing to seek, and tips for getting funding.
Funding Sources for Food-Related Businesses: Eighth Edition
For more information, contact Jamie Rahrig at rahrigj@msu.edu.
Funding for this resource has come from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Kresge Foundation.
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Fruit and Vegetable Grower Feedback Wanted on Produce Safety Costs, Needs, and Barriers
Survey closes June 1, 2023
The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Team and personnel from the Northeast Center to Advance Food Safety (NECAFS) at the University of Vermont would like to understand the costs and the barriers of beginning or expanding food safety practices on farms and in packinghouses to make educational materials more relevant to fruit and vegetable growers and packers. To do so, we have developed a survey to collect food safety information from fruit and vegetable growers.
What are the Goals of this Survey?
To understand:
- what steps growers have taken toward adopting food safety practices on their farm,
- the costs of adopting food safety practices (both one-time and reoccurring), and
- the questions growers have about food safety.
Why Should You Participate?
The detailed information that is provided will allow future educational materials to be tailored to specific challenges that growers are facing.
Who Should Participate?
We are looking for feedback from people involved in fruit and vegetable production and packing, including those who have and who have not adopted food safety practices. This survey should be completed by someone who has knowledge about the operation’s produce safety practices (e.g., equipment, finances, supplies, training, market distribution, third-party audits).
Participation is voluntary and anonymous. It will take 10 – 30 minutes to complete the survey, depending on the farms’ food safety practices.
By completing this survey, you can choose to be entered into a raffle to win a $75 prepaid credit card. Ten participants will randomly be selected to win. The raffle will be held when the survey closes, approximately June 1. If selected, you will be contacted to confirm your mailing address and acknowledge acceptance of the $75 prepaid credit card.
- Direct link to the survey in English
- Direct link to the survey in Spanish
Questions?
Please contact Elizabeth Newbold at elizabeth.newbold@uvm.edu with any questions. Thank you for helping to inform the national food safety landscape.
This work is supported by the Food Safety Outreach Program grant no. 2021-70020-35497 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Michigan Farm To Family: CSA
Michigan Fitness Foundation presents Michigan Farm to Family: CSA, an innovative program that brings fresh food to Michigan families from local CSA farmers. MF2FCSA is made possible through a $500,000 grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP). Along with MFF’s SNAP-Ed team and partner nutrition educators, MFF seeks Michigan CSA farmers, non-profit community organizations, and grant match funding partners to create up to 17 partnerships in eight communities over the next four years to deliver the MF2FCSA program. Click here to learn more.
Local Farm to Family CSA's
Dukes Farm, Skandia
Lakeshore Depot, Marquette
Partridge Creek Farm, Ishpeming
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Accepting CSA Members for 2023 Season
Seeds and Spores Family Farm is accepting CSA members for the 2023 season. Custom sides of exclusively grass fed beef and pasture raised, organically fed pork are also available. The order form can be downloaded from seedsandspores.com, requested via email seedsandspores@gmail.com, or found at their booth at the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market or downloaded here.
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Salad Box Subscription
Receive weekly salad kits containing a variety of freshly picked vegetables from Partridge Creek Farm. Click here for more information.
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EUP Grassroots Gathering
Waishkey Bay Farm is looking forward to hosting this Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) event at the Farm Saturday, May 20th from 3:30pm-5:30pm. 10135 W Mills Rd Brimley, MI 49715. Register at: https://tinyurl.com/hpyst5d5
The Farm Bill Grassroots Gatherings are spaces for Michigan farmers to learn about Farm Bill programs, to share your farm's needs and interests, and to learn how to advocate for those needs in this year's Farm Bill. No prior Farm Bill knowledge is required for participation.
The Eastern UP Grassroots Gathering is open to beginning (less than 10 years farming) and historically underserved (Black, Indigenous and Other People of Color; veteran; LGBTQIA+; and women) Michigan farmers growing with intent to sell at least $1,000 worth of goods in a year. $50 stipends for participation are available to beginning and historically underserved farmers.
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From Seed to Transplant for Annuals, Perennials, and Herbs
Saturday, May 20, 2023. 1:00 p.m EST at the George Shiras Room (2nd Floor) Peter White Public Library - Marquette
Elise Bunce will give a talk on the process she has used from seed starting, to transplanting annuals, perennials and herbs.
Attendees at her presentation, will learn about:
- Collecting seed
- When and where to get seeds
- Vernalizing seed
- Seed viability/ germination tests
- When to seed
- How to seed
- Care of the seedling
- When to transplant
Questions will be encouraged. Hope to see you there!
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From the Ground Festival
May 27, 2023
Warm spring sun and clear blue skies are awakening the Keweenaw! Houghton From the Ground Fest celebrates the arrival of Spring and the Keweenaw's preparation for this fabulous season.
From growers yielding first harvests, to folks prepping their bikes and bodies for warm outdoor play, to gardeners looking for landscape additions - this May festival on the Houghton Waterfront Pier will have something for everyone! Event flyer. Click here to watch an interview about the event!
Register for Ride the Keweenaw here.
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Saturday, May 27th 1:30pm Rain or Shine at the Lakeshore Depot. Click here for event flyer.
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The planning team consisting of members from the Michigan Aquaculture Association and Michigan Fish Producers Association would like to invite you to attend the Mi Fresh Fish Expo to support educating Michiganders about Mi Fresh Fish on Tuesday, June 13 from 10am-3pm on Michigan’s Capitol Lawn! Come meet your Michigan fish farmers and commercial fishermen. See how easy it is to cook fish, enjoy some fish tales, and learn more about Mi Fresh Fish!
The goal of this event is to educate and bring awareness that commercial fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing industries exist in Michigan, and aim to be recognized as not just as businesses, but as neighbors. Want to learn more right now? Check out these videos showcasing Michigan’s fish producers on the Mi Fresh Fish website!
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USDA Grant Opportunities
Other Grant Opportunities
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Summer Job Openings
Ever wanted to work on a farm, or at a booth during the farmers market? Here's your chance! The Downtown Marquette Farmers Market vendors are gearing up for the busy season and need your help.
Summary of job openings:
Case Country Farms - Saturday Market Helper
Full Plate Farm - Farm Crew Member
Tonella Farms - Assistant Farm Manager
UP Gourmet Mushrooms - Harvesting, Packing, and Farmers Market Helpers.
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New Job Opening!
Ishpeming High School is looking for a CTE Agriculture CTE teacher. If you are a farmer or in another farm field related role and like to teach youth this is a position for you! This is a part-time school position teaching August 29th 2023- June 6th, 2024. This is an exciting opportunity to build out the NEW AG CTE program utilizing a brand new indoor grow lab and outdoor farm. The Year 1 cohort is a daily, double block class of junior and senior students. This position will grow with the program, both in wage and benefits. Childcare is available this year through Ishpeming Schools with an option for full-time shared employment with Partridge Creek Farm immediately. Duties with PCF would include local food procurement, working in partnership with the school food service director and teaching other farm-to-school educational classes at Ishpeming Middle School or Birchview Elementary School. Please reach out to May@partridgecreekfarm.org ASAP with more questions.
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New Internship Opportunity!
The summer 2023 intern will work with MSU Extension’s Health and Nutrition Institute and Bay Mills Community College’s (BMCC) Land Grant Department to support nutrition and physical activity programming in tribal communities. Internship is paid up to 12 weeks; 40 hours/week at $15/hour. Anticipated start and end dates are May 15-Aug 4, 2023, with flexibility.
Preferred Qualifications
- Current Bay Mills Community College or Michigan State University Student who is a member of a tribal community
- Knowledge and/or lived experience of history/culture/foodways of communities indigenous to the Great Lakes region
- Students pursuing or have an interest in Native American Studies, nutrition, public health, food systems, healthcare, sustainable/community development, or health education.
Internship is paid up to 12 weeks; 40 hours/week at $15/hour. Anticipated start and end dates are May 15-Aug 4, 2023, with flexibility.
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Does your farm need help this summer? Do you offer employment, internships, or volunteering? Let UPFE know and we’ll spread the word for you. Contact Eli at ehopp@marquettefood.coop or 906-225-0671 x 726 to be included in the Plowshare classifieds and/or have your contact information shared with folks inquiring about opportunities.
WANTED: Pasture for 25-35 cow calf pairs for the summer of 2023 in the Eastern UP. Will consider a custom grazing arrangement as well. Call Ben at (989)370-3570.
FOR SALE: Mixed Grass Hay in Escanaba, 4x5 bales. Call Bill Johnson 906-630-4945 or 906-786-4878.
FOR SALE: Hay, mixed round bales, 700#, stored inside. Also small square bales of straw. Call Jim 906-280-1649 or 906-4662672.
FOR SALE: small square bales of straw and 2nd & 3rd crop hay bales. Call Marenger Potato Farm 906-384-6587.
FOR SALE: 1st crop alfalfa baleage. Call Jim Dalgord at (906) 644-2107.
FOR SALE: Mixed Hay round bales, 700#. Call Alan or Karen (906) 647-6697, Pickford.
FOR SALE: Black Wagyu Bulls, forage fed. For more information contact Paul Naasz, MSU UPREC, Chatham (906)439-5114 Ext 2.
FOR SALE: Hay, 5x6 round bales legume grass hay, stored inside. Call Jon and Donna Ahlberg, Iron River (906)265-9333.
Looking for animals to custom graze on 120 acres. Henry Miller 2351 W 6 Mile Rd, Sault Ste Marie, 49783
FOR SALE: High moisture corn, approximately 5,000 bushels in harvester already rolled. $8/per 100; $160/ton. (906)424- 0225.
FOR SALE: Simmental Bulls, mature and young, registered and non-registered. Call Duane Kolpack (906) 362-6862.
Have something to list? Email your listing to ehopp@marquettefood.coop and Eli will add it to the next edition!
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Why Farm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula?
By Michelle Sweeten & James DeDecker, Michigan State University
Updated from an original article written by James Isleib
Low cost land and a laidback lifestyle may seem appealing, but the basics of successful farming in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are the same as everywhere else: careful planning, efficient use of resources, adaptability, commitment and good luck. Click here to read more.
Farms in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula often face many challenges. Over the years, Michigan State University Extension educators have worked with various types and sizes of farms to minimize these trials. Click here to read more.
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MSU Center for Regional Food Systems to Launch Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center
East Lansing, MI, May 10, 2023 - Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems is one of twelve organizations selected as a finalist by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish a Regional Food Business Center (Regional Food Center). These Centers will help more farm and food businesses access new markets and navigate federal, state, and local resources. In September 2022, USDA announced $400 million available to fund this initiative. Click here to read more.
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More to read...
Check out the U.P. Food Exchange's website here.
Check out the UPFE Online Marketplace for institutional purchasers here.
Check out Michigan's Conservation Districts website here.
Check out the Western U.P. Food System Council's website here.
Check out the Michigan's On-Farm Produce Safety website here.
Check out the Taste the Local Difference newsletter here.
Check out the MSU UP Research & Extension Center monthly newsletter here.
Check out Marquette Food Co-op's newsletter here.
Regional Email Listserv for Western UP Growers and Food Provisioners
This is a peer-to-peer listserv open to posts about to all things about growing and sharing food in our region. More information about it can be found here.
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