The Hills Are Alive

The hills are alive with the sound of music in northern Michigan. Well, perhaps
not music, literally, but there is reason to sing and rejoice and celebrate. The
natural beauty of rivers and lakes and streams flowing throughout the region now also include fields of lush green row crops grown by organic farmers concerned about the environment. Organic farms are introducing to the area a natural form of raising crops—natural fertilizers, innovative soil preparation, weed control using natural means. This pioneering movement is bringing healing to the land. It produces nutrient-dense vegetables and organic apples and all manners of healthy local foods in addition to soil regeneration.

From the tip of lower Michigan’s mitten where Mackinac Bridge blends into
the north edge of the village of Mackinac City, the greening panorama unfolds
south to Kalkaska and west to Frankfort. Encompassed in this area are the
counties of Antrim, Benzie, Leelanau, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Emmet. White
fenceposts often mark the borders of farms where front yard signs proclaim the
information that this is a Certified Organic Farm. Cattle grazing in grass-covered
pastures attest to the practice of raising free-range stock. Chickens thrive in
outdoor moveable pens covered for safety. Kiosks filled with just-picked
vegetables lure passing motorists along country roads. Summer outdoor markets
abound. Truly a lifestyle to sing about – this promise of a reverence for nature
and a vision for the future of northern Michigan.

Come join me now as I walk, in print, through a journey of change
blossoming among the hills of nearby villages such as Leland, Northport,
Interlochen, Traverse City and Petoskey. I write from a vantage point of
observation and interest because as a young girl in the 1930’s, I walked many a
time barefooted through fields of wheat and corn with my dad on his small, rural
farm. I am enthralled at the thought of small farms becoming a way of living in the world of today and especially in the area where I am spending my retirement
years. If you feel the urge to dig around in the dirt after you close the pages of
this book, do it. Let the sweet, rich soil slip through your fingers. Sense the need
to protect it. The greening of the earth lies therein.