Artists Freed to Create at Artist-in-residence Programs

In a spontaneous decision to accept an invitation from the Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT) to be its very first artist-in-residence on Silver Island, local poet Laura Smyth spent her 66th birthday week blissfully writing in solitude. 

“The whole thing was amazing,” Smyth said. “There was this feeling that all the hours are mine. That’s what this was about. I never experience that — there’s never a situation where all the hours are mine. You don’t have to rush through it. Experiencing it for the first time was like an exhalation, and the thought was, ‘oh, my god. Oh, my god.’”

The solitude was wonderful, Smyth said, though not as complete as expected.

First, there was her nocturnal roommate, an active chipmunk or squirrel or some other rodent, perhaps living in her cabin walls. Second, there was boisterous Lake Superior that surrounded Smyth’s temporary island home one week in August. In that vein, nature provided ceaseless companionship.

“The water is never silent,” Smyth said. “It roars.”

B Lauer, community program specialist with KLT, said that connection to nature is exactly what she hoped would happen.

“First, I think the residency is an amazing way for artists and nature to come together. We want to foster that interconnection,” she said. “Second, we want artists to have the freedom to create or even not to create while they’re on the island—they can find inspiration and do what feels right to them. It’s about fostering the creative mind and the creative process.”

KLT was granted $2,500 from the Land Trust Alliance, a national land trust consortium, to support the new artist-in-residence program. The money is to be used in 2024 to support maintenance work on the island’s cabin and sauna, as well as providing a stipend for each artist. Two other local artists, Bonnie Loukus and Tom Oliver will spend time on the island this fall.

Silver Island is between Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor, a mere 300 meters off the coastline, visible from the home of Bill and Nano Rose, who donated the land to KLT.

Smyth was inspired to create. The first poetic words she wrote during her visit were with a black Sharpie on one of the cabin’s walls, a tradition she and Lauer hope other artists will practice — leaving a piece of their artistry behind.

She wrote, 

Make it stand out

“This island between us —

Circumnavigated by loons and grebes —

Changes the shape of water

And sunlight and air

Which is to say

Us”

“My thought was, whatever comes up, I wanted to be open to it. Cliffs overlooking Lake Superior, the sand, everything,” Smyth said.

That included the shifting moods of the lake itself. 

“It was like glass going out and two-foot waves with white caps heading back a week later,” Smyth said. 

For now, the residencies are invitational only while the program gets underway, but artists interested in the experience can contact Lauer by emailing B@keweenawlandtrust.org

Smyth’s next book of poetry, Fox Dreams, is expected to be released in early November. Her poetry inspired by her stay on Silver Island is in progress under the working title, Silver Island Poems. For more information on her poetry, go to smythtypedesign.com.

There will be a showcase event with all three artists in October — the exact date and time to be determined.

For every kind of artist seeking a nature refuge, there is that opportunity in the Keweenaw and nearby counties.

Ontonagon, Houghton and Keweenaw counties host a number of artist-in-residency programs including:

Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw County

Isle Royale, one of the United States’ most remote national parks, offers artist residencies each summer, with three to four artists spending two to three weeks on the island.

Artists are required to donate a piece of work inspired by their residency within a year of their experience.

Isle Royale also offers a teen-artist exploration. Visual and performing artists from 13-18 years old may participate.

The Isle Royale Teen Artist Exploration is for all aspiring teen artists who want to develop their art through experiencing wilderness. It is open to all visual and performing artists, writers, and composers ages 13 to 18 at time of participation.

Isle Royale National Park summer 2024 artists-in-residence:

• Jennifer Manella (Philadelphia, PA, printmaking)

• Sofie van Doorn (Austin, TX, dance)

• Teagan White (Portland, OR, watercolor, gouache)

Five alternates:

• Amber Dietz (Detroit, MI, photography)

• Brandon Hansen (Long Lake, WI, writing)

• Holly Haworth (Winterville, GA, writing)

• Carrie Koffman (West Hartford, CT, saxophone performance)

• Nicole Simpkins (Minneapolis, MN, printmaking)

Teen Artist Exploration include:

• Caroline Huang (Santa Rosa, CA, acrylic)

• Adeline Mulder (Traverse City, MI, colored pencil)

Five alternates were chosen:

• Coraline Bond (Blacksburg, VA, clay)

• Elsa Carter (Benzona, MI, oil)

• Jaqueline Daphnis (Silver Spring, MD, acrylic)

• Lillian Godleske (Wausau, WI, pen)

• Anna Rayhorn (Marquette, MI, printmaking)

Rabbit Island, Houghton County

Rabbit Island, also known as Traverse Island, is a largely unoccupied space 3 and a half miles off the coastline in Lake Superior. Artists live on Rabbit Island for two to four weeks during the summer months.

The Rabbit Island’s 2024 artists are: 

• Ale de la Puente

• Alyssa Songsiridej

• Moheb Soliman

Each residency is supported by an unrestricted honorarium of $3,300, made possible by grants and donations.

Porcupine Mountains, Ontonagon County

The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is open to artists inspired by the wilderness setting. Artists will each provide a presentation demonstrating their art.

2024 artists

• Molly Carroll, soft pastel, Maumee, Ohio

• Justin David Gustafson, oil painting, Ludington, Michigan

• Laura Annis, skill saw artist, Baraboo, Wisconsin

• John Dempsey, landscape painting, Hillsborough, North Carolina

                                                           ###

My Week on Silver Island

Every writer I know covets two things: time and solitude. I was fortunate to receive both when B Lauer of the Keweenaw Land Trust invited me to be the first artist-in-residence at Silver Island. For one week in August, I lived outside my normal routines and environments and was able to reset and rejuvenate in a way I haven’t done since childhood. And to be with Lake Superior in a way I’ve never been in my life.

Those lucky enough to live along the Big Lake can attest to how completely the sound and sight of that body of water—throughout the changing light and weather, day after day—adjusts your entire nervous system. I admit I was a little nervous about contending without running water and electricity for a week, but that was part of the fun and challenge of the residency. I managed to pump drinking water from the lake through a filtration system without once falling in, and to cook on the two-burner camp stove without burning down the cabin. As an ex-urbanite, I left feeling proud of myself for these basic accomplishments, almost as much as for the writing I did.

The limited light of lanterns and candles meant I lived by the natural time of sunrise and sunset, and so I received the best gift a poet like myself could hope for—uninterrupted time and space to slow down, calm down, look and listen. The residency helped me clarify things in my own work that I didn’t realize I was grappling, with such as my past urban experiences and my current rural ones. Both have had their own joys and traumas; now I feel how much they mirror and enrich each other. So, a new body of work is started, and I am grateful beyond words for the experience that the generosity and vision of the Roses. working with KLT, have demonstrated in creating this residency. Silver Island is a special place and will be a gift to the region for generations.

Celebrating the Keweenaw’s Signature Food

Pasty Fest celebrated its 20th year in Calumet last week, uniting people across the Keweenaw over the region’s traditional dish: the pasty.

This year was renaissance themed, and attendees of all ages dressed for the occasion. Opening ceremonies at noon were led by CLK Marching Band, MTU Pep Band, and all manners of knights and mages, along with the famous “Cousin Jack” Pasty and human pasty ingredients like carrots and rutabagas.

Volunteers Rebekka and Rachael pose with Cousin Jack. Photo courtesy Lily Venable.

The festival featured medieval roleplay, from smithing to sword fighting, by a local LARPing group. The group is called the Shire of Skerjestrand or Hancock Houghton Regional Rattan Armored Combat and represents the UP chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism (or SCA). According to group member Eleanor McKinney, the group mainly does European historical reenactment from the early prehistoric to late medieval eras, ending around the 16th century.

They hold fight practices down on Hancock’s Quincy Green every Saturday and crafting nights every Thursday.

LARPers conduct swordfighting, smithing, archery, and enjoy pasties. Photos courtesy Lily Venable.

McKinney says the group is an amazing creative outlet.

“I just really enjoy historical fashion. A lot of the research elements of it I found interesting. It’s creative anachronism - melding actual historical elements with people's own creative touches, which creates really fun parts of the society at large because it includes this entire country, but there’s also people that do it internationally… There are groups in China, groups in Australia. So you get to see people’s own creativity and also their cultural touches, which is really, really neat, and I really enjoy it.”

Music was on every corner at the festival, and vendors lined the streets, offering food, cotton candy, face paint crafts, and other wares, while the Calumet Farmers Market happened just a street away. Children enjoyed playing in bubbles pouring from the giant bubble machine, while attendees chased suds that floated down foggy 5th Street.

Kids play in the suds from the bubble machine. Photo courtesy Lily Venable.

East Fork Pasty Company took home this year’s trophy for Best Pasty, receiving the most votes from taste testers and ending Slim’s Cafe’s 3-year-long reign. Competition was fierce, with new and old participants, including Sheboygan Pasty Company, who traveled all the way from Wisconsin to participate.

The pasty eating competition was a tie between Greg “the Pennsylvania Pasty Proprietor” Esser and Lord Brendon the Hungry of Laurium, at 2.5 pasties each. In the face of an eat-off, Lord Brendon ceded, and Esser took home the prize, as well as this year’s pasty-eating glory.

Pasty Fest is a fundraiser for Main Street Calumet, which is run by volunteers. Volunteer Abe Stone says the theme was definitely a hit, and they’re hoping to have a similarly exciting theme for next year.

From Manual Typewriter to the Internet – Journalism’s Journey

Jennifer in 1959. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Donovan.

How far journalism has come—from typewriters to word processing, internet tools, social media and beyond.  And I’ve seen it all.

When I fell in love with newspapering—as editor of my 7th grade newspaper in the 1950s—we wrote on manual typewriters. When I was in high school, the gift of a little portable typewriter of my own was such a thrill.  

Fast forward to my second job after college, writing for a small daily newspaper. The publisher lured me there with the promise of an ELECTRIC typewriter! If reporters made a typing error, we had to go back and retype. Back in the composing room, typesetters were still using clanking linotype machines to produce bars of lead type, placing the heavy lead bars by hand in columns on page forms. Paper proofs were printed from those pages and read for errors by copy editors.

I was an anomaly in those early newsrooms. There were very few women, and the ones there were wrote society columns and covered “women’s news” like sewing circles and church socials. I covered City Hall and the cops.

In the late 1970s, when word processors appeared on the scene, I was working for a slightly larger daily paper. The reporters all grumbled. “We’ll never be able to write on those things,” they said. But we had to learn to use the new tool, so we did. 

The clunky word processors were replaced by centralized word processing systems linked to each computer screen in the newsroom. By then, reporters were in love with the new technology. Instead of retyping a whole page, they could mark a misspelled word or a line that belonged somewhere else in the story and correct or move it with the click of a key. But they still had to print out their stories, paste the pages together and hand-carry them to the copy desk.

Then word processors were laid to rest, replaced in the 1990s by computer systems that required a large tower that stood next to a small monitor and keyboard. The mouse made its appearance, speeding up the writing and revising process. Microsoft Word replaced WordPerfect, which had required use of all kinds of function keys. The Internet arrived, lending a new and growing library of research resources. 

By the time the last newspaper I worked at, the Dallas Times Herald, went belly-up, the clunky computer towers had vanished too. The computer itself had been incorporated into the monitor and keyboard. Reporters were writing away on large screens with easy-to-use keyboards and mouse control, sending their stories to distant editors just by pressing a key.  They were using the Internet to research their stories, find sources and fact-check. By then, newspapers were printed by computer too. The linotypes had disappeared, and the huge roller-presses that produced the low, rumbling background music of every newsroom, were sold for scrap. 

Today, reporters use portable laptops, carrying them along to interviews and meetings, often writing their stories remotely. There are far more women than men in the newsroom, covering everything from crime to courts, from public protests to politics. I wouldn’t even recognize most newsrooms today. 

Now we can read the news literally as it's happening, on the little rectangular computers we all carry in our pockets or purses, on which we receive news and weather alerts, as well as doing email interviews and calling or texting sources. 

The technology behind producing and distributing the news is still evolving and undoubtedly will continue to evolve in ways we can’t even imagine today.

The journalism industry has changed too, and not necessarily in a good way. Family-run newspapers where the reporters and editors knew their community have been taken over by corporate conglomerates. Newspapers hire reporters fresh out of journalism schools from all over the nation and editors wherever they can find them. The people we rely on to report the local news often don’t know the community, its people, issues and concerns.  

How can we fix what went wrong with journalism? Here’s my prescription: 

• Communities: Develop alternative news sources, like the Copper Beacon. 

• Journalists: Stick to the facts—all the facts—and fact-check, fact check, fact check.

• Readers: Support your local newspaper or other community news source by subscribing, and become citizen journalists, alerting your news sources to important issues, projects and events in your community.

• Family-owned and community newspapers: hang in there. Don’t let the corporate media giants eat you up.

Citizen Sources: Spilling the Tea or Helping Community?

Ever get the urge to tell the world about that outrageous pothole on White Street, or the inspiring student project at your local school? You, my friend, have the potential to be a journalistic goldmine – a citizen source with the power to shape a story! But before you spill the beans, let’s break down what being a source for a reporter actually entails.

Fear not, fellow truth-teller! Local reporters aren’t out to twist your words into clickbait. They’re a part of the community, not a shadowy figure from the internet. The story they’re piecing together is a puzzle, and your information is a crucial piece. Here’s the reporter’s process in a nutshell:

Imagine a reporter is baking a cake. They gather ingredients – facts, figures, and yes, quotes, from people like you. The higher quality and fresher the ingredients, the better the cake. Your job is to provide those top-notch sprinkles of knowledge or experiences.

Now, let’s address those all-too-common jitters you might have.

● “Will I get misquoted?” Reporters are careful, but mistakes happen. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or politely point out any errors after the interview. Reporters won’t usually let you read their story before they publish, but asking questions is always okay.

● “What if they twist my story?” A good reporter will present a balanced view, including different perspectives. If something feels off, you can always express your concerns directly to the reporter.

Alright, ready to be a source? Here are some Dos and Don’ts to keep in mind:

Do:

● Be prepared. Gather any relevant documents or jot down key points you want to share.

● Stick to the facts. Avoid speculation or hearsay.

● Be clear and concise. Reporters appreciate focused information.

● Be honest and upfront. If you don’t know something, say so.

● Understand confidentiality. If you need to remain anonymous, discuss it with the reporter beforehand.

Don’t:

● Ramble or go off on tangents. Stay focused on the topic.

● Express personal opinions as facts. Stick to your own experiences.

● Be afraid to ask questions. If something is unclear, clarify it.

● Expect instant gratification. Good reporting takes time.

Remember: You are a partner in the journalistic process. By being a prepared and informative source, you can help bring important stories to light. So, the next time you have a hot scoop on that suspicious pothole or a heartwarming community initiative, reach out to a reporter! Your voice can improve the news.

More Than Fun in the Sun

Summer means beaches and barbecues, right? Think again. There’s a lot more to do in the Keweenaw than play in the sun.

It would be impossible to include every cultural, historical, musical, artistic, outdoor, educational, and festive event or activity that happens in our portion of the U.P. in just one article. Summer in the Copper Country is relatively brief and can be intense—not just with the swings in temperature, but with the frenzy of activities. On any given weekend from June through September, there might be a dozen or more things to do, see and experience. I think of it as summer’s version of a blizzard: exciting, but definitely calls for some planning.

And then there’s the weather. Maritime? Fickle? Pick your adjective, but thankfully there’s so much to do that doesn’t require cooperative sunshine. We thought it would be fun to focus on some of the not-necessarily-weather-dependent things happening on the Keweenaw. But even narrowing the scope of this article that much I was still overwhelmed with possibilities. So, I decided to focus on just two museums, each dedicated to lifesaving history: Copper Country Fire Fighters Museum and Eagle Harbor Life Saving Station Museum. Both are good bets for visitors of any age. They’re economical and get you up close to history. And in this summer of civic and political division, it is inspiring to spend some time steeped in what humanity at its best values: common welfare.

A team of volunteers keep the Life-Saving Museum open to the public. Photos courtesy Laura Smyth.

You don’t need to be a mariner to imagine how much stamina, strength and courage it requires to head out onto Lake Superior in a winter storm and attempt a rescue operation. At Eagle Harbor Life Saving Station Museum you can see up close just how small and fragile some of those rescue boats were. There are exhibits about major shipwrecks on the Big Lake and commemorations of heroic acts. On July 13, the museum will be hosting an open house, so it’s the perfect chance to visit. There will be a day of speakers and activities, and the setting alone is worth your time.

For land-based lifesaving history buffs, Calumet’s Copper Country Fire Fighters Museum offers a charming, self-guided tour of the village’s past. On the main floor are the old engines, and on the 2nd floor visitors get to step into what life as a firefighter in the early 20th century was like. On the day I visited, a family from Chicago was touring, and their two enthusiastic boys got to sit in the driver’s seats of the old engines, wear firemen’s hats, crank the 1920’s fire alarm and clang the bell. A volunteer, Steve, was there to make us all welcome and clearly enjoyed this inter-generational moment.

Volunteer Steve and boys on a firetruck at the Copper Country Fire Fighters Museum. Photo courtesy Laura Smyth.

Small, community museums like these—staffed by volunteers—are an important part of many towns across the area. They preserve our history, but they also present us with an opportunity to join in imagining our future, together. I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer day on the Keweenaw.

Community Celebrates Keweenaw Pridefest

June is Pride Month worldwide, when non-binary people, their allies, families and friends, gather to celebrate openly and invite others to join them. Here at home, on the very first day of the month, crowds of people of all ages, gender identities and sexual orientations flocked to Hancock Beach to celebrate Keweenaw Pridefest. 

A colorful group gathers at the entrance to Pridefest. Photo courtesy Jennifer Donovan.

Music, food, community information tables and lawn games were on the menu. People dressed in rainbow colors, honoring the Pride community’s rainbow flag. One had even dyed her hair in brightly colored stripes. There was no admission fee, and everything was free except eats from a commercial food truck in the parking lot.

Pridefest is sponsored by Keweenaw Queers, a local collaborative that provides a home for non-binary people and their allies in our community.

Why the name Queer? “We chose that name because queer is how we self-identify,” said Emily Stanton, one of the organizers of the group and the event. In the past, queer was a pejorative, a slur to describe gay men. Recently, however, the LGBTQ+ community has adopted “queer” as an all-inclusive term that they use to self-identify.  “It’s an umbrella phrase,” she explained. “We want to be as inclusive as possible.”  

Young people—millennials and Generation Z—have embraced the term, Stanton said. “Some even prefer it.” There is some resistance among older people, and the public is just getting used to it, she admitted. But she believes it will become more and more accepted. 

This is the second year that Keweenaw Queers has held Pridefest in the Keweenaw. According to Stanton, it’s a celebration of being queer and overcoming adversity. “We need to celebrate the rights that queer people have earned,” she said. “We get to love each other in the open and be our true, authentic selves. We want this event to connect all the generations of queer people living in the Keweenaw Peninsula.” 

This year’s Pridefest drew hundreds of people to Hancock Beach. At 3 p.m., just halfway through the event, the head count was already up to 437.  Four bands were playing, and colorful booths featuring information and goodies from local organizations lined the winding path through the trees.

At a face-painting booth, children and adults alike acquired extra-rosy cheeks and brightly colored designs painted on their faces. People of all ages and sizes lined up for hugs at the Free Mom Hugs booth. Free Mom Hugs is a non-profit founded by a mother who had turned her back on her gay son, later coming to accept him and the LGBTQ+ community as she gave and received hugs at a Pride event. Free Mom Hugs now has chapters nationwide who work to help mend family relationships broken by a family member coming out. 

While members of Keweenaw Queers frantically tried to count heads, smiling people were milling around. Many waved little rainbow flags. Some were dancing and clapping to the music of Mr. Cesar & the Lucha Tones, Deep Fried Butterfly, Rat Bath and Bees! Bees! Bees! Bees! Bees! Bees!

Laura, who had colored her long hair in rainbow stripes, was hugging her friend Lesley.  Sherry was telling passersby, “It doesn’t matter who you love; it matters that you love.”

Nick from Laurium brought his three kids and their friends. Audrey was frantically trying to keep track of her two little ones, who were pumping the swings and dashing around the beach. Three young boys were walking—and falling off—a tightrope strung between two tall pine trees. Everyone was having fun. 

Keweenaw Pridefest is supported by businesses, organizations and individuals throughout the community. 

Everyone could get a hug at the Free Mom Hugs booth. Photo courtesy Jennifer Donovan.

Farm Fresh Food Access: Your Guide to Farmer’s Market Season

Farm Fresh Food Access: Your Guide to Farmers Market Launch Season

As June graces the chilly Peninsula, so arrives farmer’s market season in the Keweenaw. The community comes alive with a burst of color and flavor as local farmers, artisans, and vendors converge to showcase their bounty.

Independent markets all over the peninsula are resuming  operations, showcasing local makers and farmers of their communities, while the non-profit organization From the Ground Farmers Markets heads into their third season.

Hancock Tori & Farmer’s Market. Photo courtesy Lily Venable.

FROM THE GROUND FARMER’S MARKET COLLECTIVE

Houghton

Houghton Pier next to Portage Lake District Library
Tuesdays 3-6 PM
-

Hancock
Quincy Green

Thursdays 3-6 PM
-

Calumet

Agassiz Park

Saturdays 10 AM - 2 PM
-

Beginning the week of June 10

From the Ground Farmer’s Market (FTG), a board-run non-profit organization, made its debut in 2022, managing Hancock, Houghton and Calumet farmer’s markets. The organization was established to create innovative long-term solutions to the region’s farmer’s market plights: staffing, food access program facilitation, adequate budgets for marketing and supplies, etc. Essentially, the organization fulfills the many fundamental needs of farmer’s markets–which often overwhelm the municipality or individual market manager responsible for them.

In November, 2023, From the Ground officially secured their non-profit status. Co-founder Rachael Pressley has big aspirations for the organization’s future.

“Our goal is really to be a place-based leadership organization in food access. How we do that, what programs we support,. there are so many ways people get food, whether it’s institutional purchasing, restaurants, labor, food pantries, community gardens, schools, farms, there are lots of avenues we can get into,” said Pressley. “All of that really needs to be built on a strong foundation for an organization that is looking to stick around for a while.”

FTG has facilitated several state and federal food access programs since its inception:

• SNAP (“food stamps”/BridgeCard)

• Double Up Food Bucks (where BridgeCard owners receive up to $20 back for dollars spent on fresh produce)

• WIC

• Senior Project Fresh

• Aspirus Prescription for Health

• UPCAP programs Food is Medicine (for produce) and Fresh Food Access (meat, dairy, eggs, honey). These coupons are administered at several local clinics, so ask your primary care provider for them.

• MTU HuskyFAN tokens.

• FTG also processes credit and debit cards in exchange for tokens that customers can spend at the markets, covering all associated processing fees so that individual vendors don’t have to pay them.

Pressley comments that facilitating the food access programs not only gets nutritious food to the people who need it the most, but it also allows the organization to compete with other places where residents shop for groceries.

“Farmers markets are a little more expensive because they’re not subsidized,” said Pressley. “The cost of vegetables at the market is the true cost of food, and sometimes that’s overwhelming for people. The food programs actually make the food accessible and allow us to compete with the food from Walmart.”

Other key changes at FTG this year:

• The Calumet Market will now be held in Agassiz Park.

• Market management has seen an amicable change of hands: The job will be split by Cassandra Van Dam and Amanda Makela.

• WIC no longer allows market managers to transact WIC Produce Connection. Vendors have to apply for their own terminal with a subscription. FTG representatives comment that it has been a poor transition and that they are advocating at a state level (especially Rachael Pressley as a MIFMA (Michigan Farmers Market Association) Board of Directors member) for reconsideration of these changes.

• The organization is prioritizing signage and kids events, including a 4th of July event on the Quincy Green this year.

BARAGA COUNTY FARMER’S MARKET

Meadowbrook Park off Division St. in L’anse

Saturdays 9 am - 12 pm

June 15 - October 12

Wednesdays 3 pm - 5:30 pm

July 3rd - October 9

The Village of L’anse was just awarded a grant from Copper Shores Community Health Foundation to build a pavilion structure in Meadowbrooke Park for the Baraga County Farmer’s Market.

Joyce Budreau is managing the market for the 11th year in a row, although the longstanding market has been going “on and off” since the 80’s, according to a vendor.

Budreau says that though the market is small, it offers a wide variety of products, and that she most enjoys talking with people and trying to get more people involved.

The market is proud to accept UP Food as Medicine coupons, a program through UPCAP, in which residents can ask their doctors for markets to use as currency for fresh produce at participating farmer’s markets. Budreau hopes to also accept UPCAP’s sister program, UP Fresh Food Access, this year. UP Fresh Food Access coupons can be used to purchase meats, dairy, eggs, wild rice, maple syrup and honey.

LAKE LINDEN FARMER’S MARKET

Fridays 4-7 PM at Lake Linden Village Park

The Lake Linden Farmer’s Market is held in the heart of Lake Linden, facing Torch Lake and sharing a park space complete with a children’s playground, swing sets, a pavilion and picnic tables. The market promises food, music and community outreach, with new and returning vendors.

The market resumes its 10th year managed by Sarah Batzell, who also launched the Little Gem Community Center in March of last year. The building, once an old Catholic school, now houses a space where community members can attend yoga and other classes, as well as host other events like kids’ nights and holiday events. The Lake Linden Farmers Market will partner with the Little Gem’s in-house food bank this year: The Little Gem Community Cupboard. Mirroring the success of the Calumet Free Fridge, volunteers will make rounds at the end of the market to offer food vendors the option to donate what they don’t sell.

CHASSELL FARMER’S MARKET

Centennial Park on US 41 in Chassell

Wednesdays 3-6 PM

Media guru Moriah Goodall pioneers her third year organizing the charming Chassell Farmer’s Market, welcoming tourists and locals alike with an array of fresh produce, breads, and locally made crafts and souvenirs.

“The most inspiring thing to me about farmers markets is the ability of joining the community and the travelers,” said Goodall. “All of us in Chassell pride ourselves on making our market feel like a family gathering every week. We hope that we can inspire generations to come to continue and grow the Yooper spirit here in the Copper Country.”

While the market does not yet facilitate food access programs, farmer and local meat producer Gina Kerr of Whispering Wild Market & Farm, will have a table at the market, accepting SNAP and debit/credit cards using her own system, and she is currently mentoring other farmers on how to accept them, as well.

An image of the local farmer’s markets and farm stands. Photo courtesy Moriah Goodall, Chassell Farmers Market.

COPPER HARBOR

Every Thursday 7-9 PM

426 Gratiot Street, Copper Harbor, MI

Begins June 27

Bakers, farmers, and vendors of all kinds are welcome to set up for free alongside Performances in the Park in Copper Harbor hosted by Kathy and Jeff Ihde. The performances happen every Thursday, celebrating many talented local musicians of the area. 

SKANEE

Saturday mornings from 8:30-12 at the Skanee Fire Hall (Avon Fire Hall)

13158 Town Road, Skanee, MI 49962

The small Skanee market offers a convenient option for Skanee residents to acquire handmade and homegrown items without having to drive to L’anse or Marquette. Jamie Smith takes over the market for her first year, as a way to give back to the community.

“I've always had a desire to breathe life back into the community,” she says. “Last summer my family had been talking about starting one, but we found out that there already was one. We've always been about community and being able to continue this service will be a boon for the area.”

“It allows the older residents to socialize, especially those who don't or can't get out much anymore,” she continued. “It also allows people to buy local and give back to their community. Sales like those at the market help families live their lives.”

The market will feature handmade quilts, candles, farm fresh veggies, jams, jellies, and more.

SOUTH RANGE

The South Range farmer’s market has been canceled, as the vendors that were attending that market moved on to other markets in the area, according to a representative from the Village of South Range.

Gina Kerr of Whispering Wild Market & Farm holds a homegrown strawberry. Photo courtesy Lily Venable.

Bookended by the year’s cold, icy weather, farmer’s market season is a time of celebration, where community members reconnect; foodies revel in the season’s bounty of tastes, and the spirit of community thrives. Each transaction heralds the hard work and dedication of local producers, offering a vibrant tapestry of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and homemade goods. 

Enjoy the season!

Coming Soon: Expanded Keweenaw Co-op in Hancock

Despite delays, the wait is nearly over for the Keweenaw Co-op's much-anticipated move to downtown Hancock. The new location, slated to open later this year, will offer customers a significantly enhanced shopping experience with nearly double the retail space and a wider selection at the deli.

Curt Webb, Keweenaw Co-op’s General Manager, checks the status of the Co-op build on May 18. Photo by Denise Hansen.

The Co-op has received overwhelming community support, with more than $1 million raised, but that hasn’t stopped the project from facing significant delays. The construction has faced challenges due to unforeseen circumstances, including supply shortages in the wake of the pandemic and changes in state elevator regulations. Those regulation changes required a mid-project reconfiguration of the elevator design that set the project back months. Now, the problems have been ironed out, and the construction is back on track.

HVAC work is underway in the Co-op’s new retail space. Photo by Denise Hansen.

“We understand the responsibility ahead of us to make sure it works to provide food access to everyone in the Keweenaw,” said Denise Hansen, sales and operations manager at the Co-op. “That’s what we do.”

Produce enthusiasts will be greeted by a prominent section showcasing fresh fruits, vegetables, and even flowers as soon as they enter the store. 

“We’re doing what we do best, and we’re doing more of it,” Hansen said

An open kitchen will allow customers to witness the preparation of pizzas, sandwiches and more firsthand, emphasizing the focus on fresh and healthy offerings. The expanded deli section caters to those seeking quick and convenient meal options. 

“We are the place people come for sandwiches,” Hansen said. 

The deli will feature a wider selection, including custom orders, hot and cold pizza, pre-made salads, and bowls. Kombucha will be on tap alongside coffee and cold beverages.

Seating will also be significantly increased, with 30 seats inside at tables and window counter stools. During warmer months, additional outdoor seating will be available. Parking will improve as well, with the new location offering 50 dedicated spots, including three handicapped spaces, compared to the current store's roughly eight off-street parking spaces.

The new facility will also significantly improve working conditions for employees. A dedicated loading dock for receiving shipments is one thing the co-op has never had before.

Other improvements include a more efficient, unified kitchen location, walk-in sales coolers and a more private break space. The new coolers for drinks, dairy, and other products allow employees to stock from the rear rather than being in the aisle. Not having the store spread across three floors will also make a big difference for the workers, according to Hansen.

The Co-op's move downtown signifies a major step, not only for the business itself but also for the surrounding area. Co-op officials believe the new location will be transformative. 

“We are very fortunate to have found a location that works for the business as well as the community,” Hansen said, noting the proximity to businesses for walking lunches and the revitalization of a previously unused space. 

The increased visibility from nearby highway traffic is expected to benefit the business, and the easy access and convenient location compared to the current store situated outside the city center are seen as advantages. 

“We’ll be the first grocery store off the bridge,” Hansen pointed out.

The new store will be at 610 Quincy Street in Hancock.

Editor’s note: This article was modified after posting to include the Co-op’s new address.

More News

Can wild rice rebound in the Keweenaw?

For a living being to grow and thrive, it must have the right conditions. This sounds basic, but at times it is hard to achieve in our modern world. Manoomin, wild rice in the Ojibwa language, is not a crop, but a living being with a deep spiritual, historical and cultural meaning to the people who first settled in the Great Lakes region.

Wild rice growing in a lake. Photo courtesy Roz Hawley, Getty Images.

Starting in the early to mid-1900s, Mamoonin (“the food that grows on the water”) became increasingly scarce due to the impact of conventional farming, mining extraction, and deforestation. Wild rice needs clean, shallow, slow-moving water, most of which were lost to the new industrial demands. Wild rice is also a food source that is not harvested once; the entire crop doesn’t mature at one time but rather must be harvested multiple times throughout the harvest season. It’s popular to talk of “slow food” currently. 

Watching Manoomin being traditionally harvested by canoe—slowly moving through the tall grass, hearing the rhythmic “clack,” “clack” of the harvest sticks and the murmured “miigwech,” “miigwech” (“thank you,” “thank you”) from the harvester as the seed heads that are ripe fall into the boat—reconnects us to the sacred nature of land and food.

Cassandra Reed-VanDam, who was interviewed for this article, completed her master’s thesis on working with KBIC (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community) on their wild rice restoration guidance document.

Processing wild rice at the 2023 KBIC Manoomin Camp. Photo courtesy Cassandra Reed-Van Dam.

“The focus is not just planting seeds, but most importantly, the cultural practices,” VanDam explained. Not a tribal member herself, she described her experiences working alongside tribal members on behalf of the rice as “humbling, and inspiring, and welcoming.” A reminder that when we meet each other with respect, an open mind, and a willingness to learn, more than rice seeds are planted. In fact, every Fall, KBIC holds Mamoonin Camp, and all are welcome to attend. There are a great many resources available online for a deeper dive into wild rice and other indigenous foods, including KBIC’s website.

For everyone who loves the U.P. there are also small ways we can participate in helping Manoomin as we go about our days. Here are just a few:

1. Think about the water surrounding you as a living being worthy of protection. The People of the Heart Water Walk is a powerful way to reconnect with the water as a sacred source of life and not a natural resource.

2. If you enjoy boating on Lake Superior or any inland lakes, be aware that what might just look like grass could be a bed of wild rice struggling to gain hold. Avoid disrupting such stands of grass and slowly pass to avoid large waves in your wake.

3. If you are someone with waterfront property that you think could sustain wild rice, be sure to check with the KBIC Natural Resources Department to ensure the seed you obtain is the right type for our area. Some wild rice on the market is commercially developed and GMO modified and could do more harm than good to the local strains.

If you want an in-depth look at the long-term plan for remediation you can download the Keweenaw Bay Hazard Remediation Plan here. While some challenges to reviving wild rice in the Keweenaw are caused by global climate changes that we cannot control from a local vantage point, how we choose to live on and with the land and water surrounding us is vital to all of our well-being.

More News