Since 2015, Taste the Local Difference has been publishing an annual food guide focused on the bounty available in our state. If you’re curious about past editions, you can peruse digital versions here. Meanwhile, the Traverse City-based marketing and food consulting agency is prepping to release its 2022 edition. The 100-page magazine celebrates Michigan’s local food culture and the businesses that make it all possible.
“Our 2022 Local Food Guide is more useful than ever,” says Emma Beauchamp, Editor in Chief of Taste the Local Difference. “From features on community organizations making local food more accessible, to highlights on individual food businesses like a goat farm in the UP and a blueberry producer in Fennville, this Guide is an educational and fun resource that is jam-packed with information about Michigan’s local food system.”
The 2022 version lists food businesses across the entire state of Michigan, but is separated into hyper local regions to make it easy to find local food sources. Plus, there there are QR codes that help the reader jump straight to the company’s searchable digital directory for helpful information like farmers market hours and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) locations. CSAs provide a specified amount of produce and/or farm products to customers on a regular schedule during the growing season, helping to connect families more directly to local food sources.
The Local Food Guide, which also includes seven seasonal recipes, a kid’s farmers market scavenger hunt, and a bilingual seasonality guide in English and Spanish, is freely distributed. You may find them at farmers markets, cafés, libraries, welcome centers, and other stops throughout the both peninsulas. In fact, each region of Michigan will host a Local Food Guide Release party in June that the whole community is welcome to attend. Party locations on the schedule include Old Town General Store in Lansing (6/8), Barrel + Beam in Marquette (6/9), The Fresh Palate in Alpena (6/9), Les Cheneaux Distillers in Cedarville (6/10), Cafe Mamo in Grand Rapids (6/13), Providence Organic Farm and Cafe in Central Lake (6/13), Folk in Detroit (6/17), Table of Contents Cafe in Kalamazoo (6/17), Calumet Farmers Market in Calumet (6/18), and Argus Packard Cafe in Ann Arbor on 6/22). Details about each celebration can be found online.
For those who can’t attend, but want to get their hands on a guide, they can be purchased at $8.99 each, for home delivery. Companies interested in having guides at their business are asked to send an email to info@localdifference.org to coordinate a delivery with the regional Local Food Coordinator.
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