Good News October 2022

MARKET

Cornelius Luyendyk came from Holland to Kalamazoo at age 16 and before long began peddling meat in 1886. He established Luyendyk’s Meat Market in 1895, originally lo cated at Ranney and Osborne Streets, between S. Westnedge and S. Park.

Initially Cornelius would fill up a pedal wagon with ice and meat and go door to door. “He’d cover the north end of town one day and the south end the next. There was no wrapping paper then so the women would just hold out their aprons and he’d fill them up. And he’d give out wieners to the kids,” his son, Samuel Luyendyk, recalled fondly in a 1975 Kalamazoo Gazette article written by Mary Wade.

As the business grew, Luyendyk had a building constructed in 1901 at 816 South Westnedge. (West St. at the time). The market was one of the most modern in the state, based on the culmination of ideas that Cornelius gathered traveling over the globe and visiting the finest marts of the world. The business flourished in that location for 74 years.

Cornelius’s son’s, Samuel and Peter, joined the busi ness in 1915 and learned the butcher trade from their father. Those were the days when hamburger was made by chopping the meat with a cleaver and sold for less than 10 cents a pound.

In 1925, Samuel and Peter bought out their father in 1925 and operated as a partnership until Peter’s death in 1965.

It wasn’t unusual for them to have 40+ hogs on hooks at any given time in the back of the market. Custom ers were greeted by the smell of smoked bacon and ham wafting in the air that tempted your taste buds while waiting in line. Refriger ated display cases replaced the meat hooks, along with the open counter and ice-cooled boxes.

Luyendyk’s focused on customer service, offering meat delivery and running charge accounts right up

until the end. They also catered to special requests, including chickens and turkeys that were never frozen, along with special cuts of meat that you would never see on meat coun ters.

The market was centrally located on the edge of the Vine Neighbor hood along with other small busi nesses, serving the daily needs of residents within walking distance of their homes (before families had cars). At one time every neighbor hood had many small businesses, such as: drug and hardware stores, barbers and shoemakers, as well as

grocers and meat markets. The business es in the former two-story brick building located at 816 S. Westnedge, have changed over the years, but the basic building re mains the same.

During my college days, it housed the popular Sunshine Subs, and later on, Pasta Pasta. Fourth Coast Café & Bakery and the Crow’s Nest Restaurant are now located in the old Luyendyk building.

Former customers fondly re member Luyendyk’s on the popular Vanished Kalamazoo Facebook page. Comments include: “ I used to go to Luyendyk’s with my mom. I remember the meat wrapped in white paper and the big rolls of red string they would wrap the meat in. Then of course we would go over to Mal

nights for a clown cookie” “Luyen dyk’s brings back so many memories of going there with my Mom and Grandma. I can even picture the sawdust on the floor and the smell… the wonderful smells.” “I’ve never tasted better meat since. Prime Rib and steaks were aged to perfection.”

“ Mrs. Luyendyk wrote a recipe for turkey dressing on butcher paper for my aunt. The recipe is in our family cookbook and has been used every Thanksgiving ever since.” “Luyen dyk’s has the best ham salad ever!”

“I’ve never had better dried beef.”

Loyendyk’s Meat Market was one of the only old butcher shops left when Sam Loyendyk at the age of 75 retired and closed the market on June 21, 1975 - ending an era spanning 80 years of providing quality meat in the community.

Jackie Merriam

Sources: KG 6/15/75, KG Looking Back 12/16/84, Kalamazoo Lost & Found copyright 2001, Vanished Kalamazoo Facebook page.

Fall is for Planting Ornamental Perennial Grasses

Perennial grasses look good all year long, but especially in the autumn season when their beautiful plumes and seed heads come out. They reli ably come up year after year with almost no effort on our part – they’re some of the easiest care plants you

can have in your landscape! Matter of fact, the only real maintenance peren nial grasses need is to be trimmed back once a year, either in late fall or early spring. The hardest part about ornamental grasses will be choosing which ones you will want to add to

your gardens!

You’ll find some with seed heads, some without, some tall, some short, some blue, green or burgundy, but all with garden texture and interest. Before choosing, decide how much height you are looking for. Some

are only 1 foot tall and will make a nice border and some would be the perfect backdrop or privacy plant and grow 10-12 feet tall! Here are a few of our favorites:

Tiger Tail Miscanthus and Little Zebra

Tiger Tail - Uniform gold bands on green blades on a sturdy, upright, yet graceful form that will add a statement to the garden. Beautiful bonze plumes in the fall. Height 5-7 feet

Little Zebra - this variety is shorter, more upright, than it parent ‘Zebra’. ‘Little Zebra’ flowers reliably every year in early fall. The lovely reddish-purple plumes are held about

1’ above the foliage, changing to a creamy tan color in winter.

Picture from Growing Colors

Huron Sunrise Miscanthus

Beautiful clump of green leaves withsilver mid-ribs, have loads of showycopper-colored plumes, in the fall.

The plant maintains its graceful form throughout winter, providing tremendous winter interest. Height 5-6 feet. Picture from Walters Gar dens

Big Blue Stem (Andropogon Blackhhawks)

Native grass that emerges bluish green then starts to get red high lights later in the summer. Will turn a purplish-red later in September. Height 4-5 feet.

Picture from Growing Colors

Morning Light Miscanthus

Fines blades of green edged in white that provide elegance and grace to the garden. Loves a sunny location. Height 4-5 feet. Bronze plume in the fall.

Picture from Growing Colors

We used our creativity to cobble to gether a costume, which was so much fun!

We found inspiration to become ghosts, witches, cats, soldiers, cheerleaders and football players.

When I was 5 years old, my older brother offered to make my costume for a Halloween party that I was invited to down the block. His idea was to make me into a present, which I was excited about!

He got a big square box and cut holes for my arms and my head and wrapped it to look like a present, complete with a large bow. I loved my costume as I proudly walked down the street to the party.

Ruby Ribbons Switch Grass

Blue-green foliage that matures into burgundy fall color with beauti ful plumes in late summer that last all winter. Height 3-4 feet.

Picture from Monrovia.com

There are so many more eyecatching ornamental grass choices! Shenandoah is a selection of native prairie switchgrass grown for its burgundy-colored foliage and pinkish flower spikes. This grass has especially nice fall color with the grass blades tinted with red and orange with a. Height 3-4 feet. Autumn Light Maiden Grass is a graceful grass with arching, green foliage that changes to glowing gold in the autumn months. It is an attractive, showy statement in the winter as the leaves dry to a tawny color. The feathery flower spikes are tinged with red fading to white in fall.

Wedel’s carries other varieties of switch grass (native) including ‘Hot Rod’, ‘Northwind’, ‘Ruby Ribbons’ which have different hues for the fall and are easy to care grasses.

And be sure to check out Karly

legs underneath the box and sit squarely on the grass. Many other children came and sat with me. They were having trouble getting their Dixie cups of KoolAid to stand up in the grass and decided that my box made a wonderful table. While the other kids were having fun, I was stuck beneath my box, with sticky Kool-Aid dripping down my neck.

If you want to save on Halloween this year, encourage the little ones in your life to use their creativity – I would avoid costumes that could be used as a table.

Happy Halloween!

Rose fountain grass, Little Bunny mini fountain grass and so many oth ers when you stop in and visit with ourperennial experts.

Perennial Grass Care

Many ornamental grasses are generally a drought tolerant plant once they are established and can be tolerant of poorer soils. They do best in a sunny location.

Perennial grasses may be trimmed back either in the late autumn or early spring before they start growing again. They provide winter interest if you choose to wait until spring. Cut back to a couple of inches high before new growth begins.

They may be divided any time they are growing, in spring through midsummer., before they start flowering. Use a sharp tool to cut into segments for planting in other garden areas or to share with friends & neighbors.

Terrie Schwartz Wedel’s Nursery, Florist & Garden Center

Growing up in a family with seven chil dren, Halloween costumes weren’t a big priority.

My costume was a big hit until it was time for refreshments; I couldn’t sit on a chair at the table, but was able to tuck my

Jackie Merriam

Cover photo taken at the Denver Union Station.

Graphic Designer: Lauren Ellis

Editor and Publisher: Jackie Merriam (269) 217-0977 - goodnews.jackie@gmail.com

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Tiger Tail Miscanthus and Little Zebra

Ruby ribbons switch grass

big Blue stem

Huron sunrise micanthus morning light micanthus

While visiting the John Ball Zoo with my grandson’s last month, we were fortunate to see the Koala Bears that were visiting from the San Diego Zoo and were equally impressed by another traveling exhibit called Washed Ashore.

The exhibit consisted of 16 giant

see sculptures placed throughout the zoo that were created entirely from trash collected from the beaches of Oregon.

We identified many objects that were used in the sculptures, includ ing: cell phones, metal, rubber, and a wide variety of plastics, which

sparked conversation with the boys about the impact we have on our environment and the responsibility we have to reduce, reuse and recycle in our everyday lives.

When artist and educator, Angela Haseltine Pozzi, found plastic trash polluting the beach near her home, she took action and formed a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization in 2010 called Washed Ashore, and began gathering trash from the beaches, using it to create incredible sculptures

of wildlife. These sculptures travel the country to teach people about the importance of these animals – and the problems caused by plastic pol lution.

Don’t miss the opportunity to see the amazing Washed Ashore cre ations on display at the John Ball Zoo through November 20th. Learn more about Washed Ashore at jbzoo. org/washedashore. To continue this important, work make a donation today at washedashore.org.

For 39 years, I have had the same, wonderful hairdresser. Nan has been cutting and curling my locks for so long that I still call her a hairdresser, instead of a stylist or beautician or cosmetolo gist or tonsorial artist. She’s so much fun that she would probably love to be called a tonsorial artist. Alas! Too late.

Last week, with trembling fingers, I

phoned a new salon and nervously spoke to the extremely young woman who answered. I told her that I was new, that I needed a haircut, and that Nan had retired. The extreme ly young woman seemed to under stand the seriousness of my situation.

She asked me how long I had been see ing Nan, and gently inquired my age. I began to trust that this might not be a disaster.

“What type of hair do you have?” she asked.

“It’s straight and fine—these things happen at my age.”

“I understand,” she said solemnly. This young lady was well trained!

“How long is your hair?”

“It’s been six months since my last cut—very long! It’s almost past my chin and I need help.”

“I see…” she pondered. “You know what? I think I can get you in this afternoon with M__, She had a can cellation. You’ll do very well with her and she has loads of patience.”

“Bless your heart!”

“One more question,” she lowered her voice slightly.

“I pay cash,” I answered.

“Oh? Really? That’s fine. We can deal with that. But my question is: have you cut your own bangs? I just want M__ to be ready.”

I was amazed at this young tonso rial artist. “How did you ever know that I have bangs?!”

Ellen: I have a bad habit of cutting my hair short right when the weather gets cold. Sure, there are plenty of cuddly scarves and turtleneck sweat ers that can help, but this year I was determined not to make this mistake. Instead, I cut my hair short in the spring right before the warm weather.

Also, right before wedding season.

I am not very good at styling my hair, regardless of length, so figuring out how to make it look event fancy while a shorter length was a chal lenge. My husband started to eye the slowly growing pile of fancy head bands and hair clips with concern, especially as very few of them made it onto my head.

It wasn’t until I learned how to color match the hair on my head to blessedly simple hair extensions purchased on the internet that I finally figured it all out. Short hair? No worries, there’s a ponytail clip for that. Want to have long hair again for

a day? No problem, curly or straight?

It didn’t occur to me that hair ex tensions weren’t a part of my mom’s encyclopedia of knowledge until I was taking one off while talking with her in my kitchen. Her eyes grew rounder as I removed quite a few inches of hair and laid them on the counter. “That wasn’t your hair??”

I laughed. “No! Didn’t you notice my hair was about 6 inches longer today? It’s just a clip.” I flipped it over to show her.

“I didn’t!” She marveled at it a bit, “so you could have any hair you want, you don’t have to cut or style it!”

“Yep, any hair.” Even bangs (don’t tell her tonsorial artist).

Ellen Radke and Jane Knuth

An inspirational narrative of unconditional love and healed grief

For dog lovers, for those who’ve experienced PTSD, for anyone who seeks inspirational stories of hope and healing from pain, trauma, sorrow, despair, or grief

For book recommendations from your Kalamazoo Public Library Staff go to www.kpl.gov/blog/

Vintage in the Zoo

Vendor Chat: Golden Roller Skate

Fall is here Good News Paper fanscan you believe it?! In amongst fam ily trips, camps and lessons for our three kiddos, throwing our Vintage and Handmade events monthly in Downtown Kalamazoo, and so many things, time has flown by. We hope you have had a great summer also!

There is one more chance on Octo ber 8th to catch 70+ vendors at Vin tage in the Zoo presents: Mallmart + Zoo Flea Vintage and Handmade Marketplace- then we wrap our 6th market season. We hope to see you, and that you’ll support all the amaz ing LOCAL, SMALL businesses we have featured!

For this article we sat down with a staple of the Michigan vintage community, and Vintage in the Zoo’s vendor base- Abbie Phillips, the amazing owner of Golden Roller Skate. After growing her vintage business for over a decade, we hear a bit about how she started in reselling, literally selling the shirt off her back, and the vintage scene in 2023.

How did you get started?

I’ve been into shopping and put ting looks together basically since I learned to dress myself. Then I really got into thrifting in high school and would find the funkiest greatest stuff for like a quarter. This was in the 90s, pre internet, when the thrifts

were still packed full of “true vintage” pieces at incredible prices.

Do you stick to a specific era or specialize in any decades?

I try to buy good quality pieces that I personally like for my business, and though I don’t limit myself to a particular era, my favorite for cloth ing is the 1970s. I love the silhou ettes, wild prints, workwear styles, clogs, flowing dresses, tooled leather bags, the list goes on and on. Natural fiber 70s clothes are the absolute best. They just make you feel like dancing in a field of wildflowers with the sun glistening off your hair. Also, you can still find 70s clothes in pretty great condition. That becomes more and more difficult the older items are.

What is your most cherished piece that you personally own (and would never part with, sell)?

Nothing! Everything is for sale, and I have sold things off my body at several shows. I do have a dress I just had made from a 1940s rayon patch work quilt that I’m not giving up just yet. And my Seafarer jeans and 70s Frye boots.

What was your most challenging and memorable find?

The most challenging finds often have to do with people. I do a lot of private buys and some of those are not only a psychological battle, but sometimes also a biohazard. One of

the best things I’ve found in a while was a 1960s Beatles t-shirt.

What are the big changes in how vintage works today, compared to when you started?

So many people are doing it now, it’s very competitive. It’s a hustle to find decent inventory, and pieces are more expensive when sourcing. Can the readers find you items at any local vintage stores?

Yes! I am at Kalamazoo Fashion House in Kalamazoo (IG: @Kalama zooFashionHouse). I also pop up regularly with Vintage in the Zoo, and sell on Instagram: @golden rollerskate , Etsy: Etsy.com/shop/ goldenrollerskate , and occasionally out of my basement. Email me if you have vintage to sell me: goldenroller skate@gmail.com

Do you do this for a living, part time or as a hobby?

I do it full time! I’m not getting rich but it’s what I love.

OK, so what sparked the jump into vintage full time?

When I realized it was possible to do something I love and have a great

work/life balance. It felt like reclaim ing my time.

Finally, when you’re not hunting down the best vintage out there, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I like hanging out with my hus band and dogs, going on road trips, trying new things, keeping plants alive, talking about food, hunting for interesting rocks, and cross stitching.

Huge thanks to Golden Roller Skate! Come shop her collection and 70+ additional vendors at Vintage in the Zoo on October 8th in Down town Kalamazoo! Want all the details? Check out our website: www. vintageinthezoo.com or Instagram: @vintageinthezoo ALSO, as always, you can also head down the Walking Mall and support all of Kalamazoo’s great small brick and mortar shops and grab a bite from local restaurants. Support LOCAL!!

Megan Zielke + Patrick Turner | Vintage in the Zoo

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is an environmental education center and biological field station in Hastings.  The mission is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of our environment.  In addition to 850 acres and 10 miles of hiking trails, the Institute wel comes elementary students for field trips, college students for a biological field station research, and the general public for hiking and programming events.

The Institute opened in 2001 and was the brainchild of Bill and Jessie Pierce.  Pierce along with five other local businessmen began Flexfab.  When Bill retired he wanted to give back to the community so he found ed the Willard G. Pierce and Jessie M. Pierce Foundation in 1988.

The vision for Pierce Cedar Creek was to “preserve land in its natural state of wetlands, forests, prairies, and agricultural areas for future genera tions to enjoy and to provide schools, colleges, communities, and envi ronmental professionals a teaching classroom and laboratory.

The Institute Visitor Center is

open Monday-Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.  There is no admission fee to hike and the trails are open every day, dawn to dusk - restrooms are open on the south side of the building.

Although there is no charge to visit the institute, they rely on their members and their generosity to continue the mission. Without the members, the Institute would not be what it is today. Nor, could it be what it aspires to be in the future.

Membership opportunities begin at just $30 and offers free admis sion to select programs, invitation to Members Only Events, discounts on programs and workshops, reciprocal benefits at over 140 nature centers, 10% off all gift shop purchases and 25% off one item during birthday month and free snowshoe rental with overnight and weekend use available. They also have gift memberships! Go to CedarCreekInstitute.org for more information.

The simple beauty of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is the ideal place for intimate, casual or formal indoor or outdoor events – weddings, recep

tions, rehearsal dinners, funeral lun cheons, corporate events and business meetings, baby/wedding showers and family celebrations.

Each month Pierce Cedar Creek offers many seasonal community events. October programs include: October Storywalk Book – The Fungus is Among Us by Joy Keller; illustrated by Erica Salcedo. Explore the largely misunderstood, yet won derful world of fungi (also known as mushrooms) and their importance in keeping our world clean, growing, and well fed. When you’re finished reading the book along the trails, stop by the south side bathrooms of the Visitor Center for activity sheets to learn more about Michigan’s Mush rooms. This event is free and selfguided on the trails every day dawn to dusk.

Another free event is Science Storytime: Just Winging It – discover bird migration through a variety of activities (for ages 7 & under with an

adult (Fri., Oct. 7, 10:30-11:15am).

Other October events include: Pies and Decorations Workshop, World Migratory Bird Day, October Brunch: Fungi to the Rescue – One Spore at a Time, Fungi Foray tours, including mobility-limited tours, Lunch & Learn: Dark Skies to Bright City Lights – Bird Migration in a Changing World, and a fam ily favorite for all ages; Candlelight Trails: Trick or Treating on the Trails and other nature-inspired fun!

Registration is recommended for the events – some fill up very quickly. For more event details and to register go to the website: CedarCreekInsti tute.org or call (269) 721-4190.

Enjoy the outdoors and expand your knowledge of our environment at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute lo cated at 701 Cloverdale Rd., 10 miles south of Hastings.

Jackie Merriam

In a world with instant gratifica tion and our minds being pulled into many different directions because of all the constant distractions, do you think the art of listening has been hiding in the background? If you ask a child, many of them might say they don’t feel like they are being heard. Some children may even say they don’t feel their parents or guardians listen to them. Yes, you may have a zillion things on your plate as parents, but if you don’t listen to the small stuff, your children might not share the big stuff with you later.

Some children say their parents go into yelling or giving lectures when they might not have all the facts. It is essential to stop, pause, and breathe when having a conflict with your child. Allow them to talk, be present in the moment, and hear what they say. We often assume what is being told from our perspectives. The art of listening and truly hearing the other person can be done by paraphrasing.

What is paraphrasing? Paraphras ing allows members to ensure they take their perception out of the conversation and listen to what the other person is trying to say. An example would be: if your child says, “I am unhappy with how I have been doing in school.” Your response could be, “so, I hear that school hasn’t been easy lately.” They may say that is

exactly what they mean, or it may be that isn’t what they are saying at all, and they can let you know if you are on the same page within the conver sation.

There are opportunities each day to talk with your child and listen to what they are saying. It may seem like your child doesn’t want to talk to you or have you listen to what is going on in their lives, but they do. One of the best times to have honest conversations is in the car. It allows all members to be present and can’t leave the conversation.

Sometimes it can be challenging to have a conversation when one of the multiple family members is divided

into their thoughts or ideas. These conversations can be more difficult but even more vital to install good listening conditions. I often hear families say that during an argu ment or disagreement, no one listens. When disagreeing within the family, it is important to let each member have a chance to talk. Not interrupt ing the other family when talking is essential to ensure each member is heard. If it is challenging for your family not to interrupt or jump and jump to conclusions, try using a talking stick. The talking stick can be given to the family member who is talking while being a visual reminder to the remaining family members

that it is not their turn to speak.

Gone are the days when a child should be seen but not heard. Your child and children have voices, and if you take the time to listen, they may be teaching you something. Children are brilliant and allowed to use their voices and truly be heard; great things can happen. Teaching your child the art of listening now will enable them to understand the true meaning of communications. Parenting is not an easy road but such a rewarding one.

Julie Sorenson, Doctoral Candidate, MA, LPC

Oh, no, summer can’t end yet! I haven’t gotten to half of my planned  yard projects. But when I was shop ping, I noticed Halloween stuff  already on the shelves and that made all the end-of-summer hurt go away.  You know the old saying, this season isn’t called fall or autumn, it’s  called the season of Halloween.

When I was a kid, the West Main hill neighborhoods did a great job decorating for Halloween and trick of  treating was a wondrous event. That’s one of the many reasons that  Halloween is still my favorite holiday. In my adult life, my husband and  I threw great Halloween parties, complete with required costumes and a neighbor who’d don a creepy mask

and peer in the windows to ‘frighten’  the guests.

I never looked at myself as a collec tor of Halloween decorations, but

I’ve kept a lot of my favorites. The only Halloween items that I seemed  to actually collect were the small cheap haunted house candy boxes I’d  buy at the checkout counter in conve nience stores when they were sold  individually. I haven’t seen any sold individually in awhile. I’ve  gleaned a bit of information about the age of some of my decorations  from the rare makers marks and store stickers on some of them.

The scarecrow boy is from Ambassa dor cards which was a division of  Hallmark that sold greeting cards in

grocery and convenience stores.The  haunted house candy boxes are be tween 2 and 3 inches high. The witch and the cat with the orange moon are marked Beistle Co. Made in USA. The owl mask is marked 1979 Hall mark. The cat with the arched back has a price tag that says «Frank›s 29 cents.» The big sugar pumpkin di orama was made by a company called Sugar Sugar. While trying to research these, I›ve found that some decora tions are collectible and that there are a lot of Halloween collectors out there. That›s ok, but I could never part with anything Halloween. As I finish this article, I›m planning to run down to the dollar store  to see if they›ve gotten in any new

Halloween decorations for me not to  collect. When I come home with a full bag, my husband will remind me of my broken resolve not to buy any more Halloween decorations. I hope you have a treat filled, and very decorated, Halloween!

Ann Murray is an award-winning commercial illustrator. She has  illustrated eight children’s books for several authors. Her stories, one  of which was a collaboration with her husband Rick, have been published  in three anthologies and have won writing awards. Her latest story is in  the 2022 climate fiction anthology “Ex tinction Notice: Tales of a  Warming Earth” available at Kazoo Books.

The Grazing Table, a locally owned and operated charcuterie inspired business, began as an expression of love from Joey Gamrat to his fiancé Jenna and continues to be the foun dation of their business. They can’t wait to serve you with a smile + love.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term charcuterie, it is an ap petizer typically served on a wooden board or stone slab that features a selection of preserved foods, espe cially cured meats or pâtés, as well as cheeses and crackers or bread.

The Grazing Table serves charcute rie boards and other artisan favorites perfect for a night out, a quick meal, or a large event. “For us, each char cuterie board we make and product we sell means individuals gathering together creating community, conver sations, and memories,” says Joey & Jenna.

The Grazing Table offers dine-in, retail, catering, and workshops.

Dine-in is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am until 7pm, offer

ing unique salads, toast, sandwiches and of course charcuterie & cheese for individuals or groups. Non- al coholic wine and Mocktail creations complete the experience. A handful of menu options are also prepackaged and ready to take with you!

In the store you will find a selec tion of charcuterie products like jams, crackers, meats, pickled items, cocktail mixers & more!

They specialize in creating unique gifts perfect for staff appreciation, cli ent gifts, event favors and more.

Let The Grazing Table take the stress of any event off of you with their many charcuterie board catering options ranging from $15 - $160+, depending on the number of guests.

The Grazing Table has partnered with other local businesses offering workshops. Build Your Own Board workshops are hands-on events where guests learn how to build their own charcuterie board to take home and enjoy. They offer tips, tricks, stepby-step instructions on how to build

a board, how to pair items and how best to serve any number of guests. Visit the website: thegrazingtableka lamazoo.com to view their workshop schedule and sign up today.

Now that you know all about the business, let’s get back to love, the owners and how the business got started. Jenna & Joey were engaged during Covid and when it came time for the wedding shower, the safest option was to do so virtually. Joey wanted to make Jenna’s virtual wed ding shower extra special, so he made a wonderful charcuterie board for her and their immediate families, who were able to gather together. Others who attended the Zoom shower no ticed the creative charcuterie board. One guest inquired to see if Joey would create one for her, which he was honored to do. Word about the charcuterie board spread like wildfire and before they knew it, the char cuterie business had chosen them.

This business was a perfect pairing for Jenna’s established wedding pho

tography business. The businesses often work hand in hand – Joey can be found preparing elaborate char cuterie tables, while Jenna captures the special wedding moments behind the lens.

The husband and wife duo are proud and thankful to be celebrat ing their 1st Anniversary this month.

“This business is more than just a res taurant and a charcuterie shop. It is a dream of ours that has become a real ity. We want to thank you form the bottom of our hearts for your support in this small business of ours,” says, Joey & Jenna Gamrat.

Share delicious food and drink served with a smile + love. The Grazing Table is located on the Kalamazoo Mall at 401 S. Burdick and Lovell in the State Theatre build ing. Contact Joey & Jenna by email at: thegrazingtablekalamazoo@gmail. com or by phone at (269) 350-5721.

Jackie Merriam

Owners, Joey & Jenna Gamrat

Michigan’s acclaimed narrow strip of geography that runs just inland of Lake Michigan’s shoreline from New Buffalo to the tip of Traverse Bay, is known as “the Fruit Belt.”

The Fruit Belt, with its unique lakeeffect microclimate, provides ideal weather and growing conditions for fruit. Gary Crane’s U-Pick Orchard, located just a mile and a half west of Fennville on the north side of M-89, is right in the heart of it.

The 105 acre orchard has been owned and operated by Gary and Sandy Crane for more than fifty years. Not only are they consummate horticulturalists but most notably, wonderful people who delight in interacting with customers.

The orchard opens in July for raspberry picking and continues on with several highly-prized varieties of peaches such as the famed Red Haven, Blazingstar, Loring, and Blushingstar. There isn’t a better tast ing peach than a sun-ripened peach plucked from a branch at its peak of

flavor. It’s also the season for plums (like Sunglow and Fantasia) and nectarines (including Shiro and Black Amber)—many of which you’ll never find in a grocery store.

Gary Crane’s U-Pick orchard also offers twenty acres of U-Pick blue berries including the popular “Duke” variety which is extra-large, firm, and all so sweet.

From early-September through October, it’s apple-pickin’ time! Gary Crane’s U-Pick offers more than a dozen varieties from sweet to tart in cluding the Transparent Apple which has a legendary reputation for making apple sauce.

No doubt, the top perennial favor ites are Honeycrisp, Gala, Golden Supreme, and Fuji. And you don’t have to worry about knowing what all the varieties are—Sandy, Gary, and their friendly staff are happy to tell you about them and which are best for whatever types you like.

As for the ultimate in taste, there is nothing better than U-pick fruit

picked right from the tree. The fruits we find in supermarkets are picked well before they are fully ripe and shipped to warehouses for storage before being delivered to stores. As fruits mature and ripen on the tree, that’s when they reach their peak of flavor and sweetness.

Crane’s also offers a huge pump kin patch for families to search for and harvest that perfect Halloween pumpkin. Likewise, a bounty of winter squashes and gourds are avail able at the stand in the center of the orchard.

But, the experience at Gary Crane’s U-Pick Orchard isn’t just about fruit; it’s about spending a beautiful day, in the fresh, crisp, autumn air and sunshine strolling this charming or chard. It’s all about sitting on a grassy hillside overlooking a truly scenic vista with the kids and eating a “real” apple or peach—a lasting memory if there ever was one.

Come for the day, and bring your family, friends, and camera for a truly

enjoyable Michigan venture. If you’re not up to wandering the orchard on a hike, the orchard provides free rides on their shuttle golf carts to the per fect spot to find what you’re looking for – and, yes, bring you back as well. There’s plenty of free parking and family pets, on a leash, are welcome.

To learn what’s in season, variety availability, and hours, call Gary Crane’s Orchard information update line any time (269) 561-5126.

Yes, autumn is a favorite time for so many people and there’s no better place to feel its ambience, see fall color, smell its alluring fragrance, taste delicious fruit, listen to the sounds of nature blending with the sound of pure happiness as people enjoy a good time, and to fully take in this magnificent season than at Gary Crane’s U-Pick Orchard.

Story & Photos by James D. Coppinger

Sun printing is the magical and harmonious union between art and science. This photographic technique originated in 1842 and is credited to the British chemist and astronomer, Sir John Hershel. With numerous attempts he discovered a way to reproduce his mathematical tables, notes and diagrams that lead to his invention of the cyanotype process. History will also honor the first fe male photographer, scientific botanist Anna Atkins, as the most famous artist associated with this type of printing. She produced a series of book illustrations using this blueprint effect to document her botanical

studies by creating what she called “cyanotype impressions.” 180 years later, this blue and white alternative photographic style is still popular today with contemporary photogra phers and artists alike. I would like to share an introductory version with you that streamlines this method… and I promise, no chemistry sets involved!

Supplies needed: sun print kit . tray . water tub . plexiglass . paper towel . botanicals

Step 1. Purchase a ready-made sun print kit from a local art store or from an online source. Once you have the kit, the fun begins! Go on

a nature walk adventure seeking out items that you think have interesting shapes and that will appeal to you when printed in silhouette form.

Step 2. In a room with subdued lighting, remove one sheet of paper from the kit and place the blue side up on a tray or piece of sturdy cardboard. The paper is light sensi tive so it will immediately begin to expose. Quickly arrange your found objects and cover with plexiglass. This will aid in keeping your items from shifting in order to create sharp edges by ensuring no light gets underneath. If by chance plexiglass wasn’t in cluded in your kit, borrow glass from

a picture frame to use for the same purpose.

Step 3. Place the tray in direct sunlight outdoors. Exposure times will vary anywhere from 2-12 min utes. When you see most of the color disappear from the paper, your print has been fully exposed. This process can also be done on an overcast day by keeping the paper outside for up to an hour. As another alterna tive, stay indoors and use a UV light source or a room with a large win dow.

Step 4. Remove objects and place your paper in a cool water bath. This will stop the exposure and wash off the chemicals. Watch with fascina tion as now what was blue will turn white and what was white will turn blue. To achieve the signature deep blue hue, leave your paper in the water for 5 minutes. Finally, lay your sun print paper flat on paper towel or newspaper and allow it to dry fully for 24 hours.

Who knew a marriage between art and science could be so beautifully curated. This activity is hands-on fun for anyone and would make a fan tastic group project. Now it’s time to discover your inner Sir John Hershel or Anna Atkins and let the magic begin! xo - Bridget

Email: bridgetfoxkzoo@gmail.com

Social: https://www.instagram.com/ bridgetfoxkzoo

Gathered around the table, stories are told, memories are created, and love is abundantly grown. – Author Unknown

It was Veteran’s Day 2020 when Hope Has a Cold Nose was officially published. On this day a special event was held through Gonzaga Univer sity where I had not only earned my MA. It was at this university I would meet the first veteran and his service dog which would plant the seed for HHCN to become an idea, then three stories. Then ultimately the reason we were gathered for this special event.

During this event, one of the guest speakers shared how she has five people she invites to her table. Figu ratively speaking. She shared how she has someone she calls when she needs a shoulder to cry on. Another when she needs “tough love”. I don’t

remember the purpose of the other three “table guests”. I remember most that I loved her sentiment about hav ing a personal council. The ones who unconditionally accepted her, sup ported her, encouraged her, challenged her to get out of her own way when she was stuck, celebrated with her, and offered a shoulder when needed. In the words of veterans. The ones who had her back!

On August 10 this year I had the opportunity to embark on an ad venture with eleven people when we began our first steps ascending what would become seventy-five miles of ascents and descents through the Cascade Mountains part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Some of the eleven were puzzle pieces snapped into place a year ago when we ascended Mount Adams to the summit. Some of the

eleven were puzzle pieces snapped into place years before when I was in the GU MA program. Others were new pieces for the picture of my life as we began hiking the PCT.

All now hold chairs around my table. Some already there merely needed to scootch their chairs slightly left or right to make room for the new ones joining. I am blessed to have an expansive council in which I know I am unconditionally accepted, supported, encouraged, challenged, celebrated, and if I need a shoulder. Well, I have twenty-two for sure that I can lean on. I know this because I experienced eleven people having my back for five days of wilderness, backpacking, switchbacks, 16000 feet elevation gain, and majestic horizons that whispered with a view like this there can be nothing sideways in the

world.

Our hiking team has been reflect ing on our individual and collective journey and what key themes we experienced. We’ve discussed many including unequivocal trust. The one that rises to the peak is unconditional love.

Nature reinforced this when on the still dark morning after our first night’s camping I awoke to witness a shooting star dance across the sky. Three mornings later, as we gathered in a circle to prepare for our last day’s hike starting at 3:00 a.m., I looked up to witness two shooting stars. Sym bolic of hope, good luck, good fortune. And love.

Christine Hassing Https://Christinehassing.com

Remember this one? The old nurs ery rhyme presents a picture of a tall, slim man standing next to a short, round woman, his wife. Well, Jack may have been thin but he certainly wasn’t healthy (neither was his wife for that matter.) I don’t know what nutritional element has the worse reputation, carbohydrates or fats, but I’ll wager it’s fat. For decades, the consumption of fatty foods had been linked to heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, resulting in an abundance of “low fat” diets and packaged foods. And the campaign to reduce dietary fat has worked. Fats as a portion of our diets decreased from 42 percent in 1970 to 34 percent today. However, dietary fat is making a nutritional comeback, but the focus now is on the type of fat. The Sep tember issue of Consumers Reports on Health discusses the necessity of consuming healthy fat. No, that’s not an oxymoron. Fats are a key compo nent in a healthy diet and some are even considered essential, meaning that your body can’t make them on its own. Among the benefits of fat are, making food taste better, making you feel full longer, helping your metabo lism, and helping your body absorb nutrients.

However, it turns out that the type of fat you eat is really important. All fats are a mixture of saturated,

monounsaturated, and polyunsatu rated fatty acids. The unsaturated fats are the healthiest. The highest levels are found in seafood and plant food, including nuts, avocados, and plant oils (olive and canola). Along with good fat, these foods also have fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats lowers heart disease risk by 17 to 25 percent.

So exactly how bad is the consump tion of saturated fats? Surprisingly the answer is controversial. Some scientists believe the heart risks asso ciated with saturated fat consumption dictate that they should be mini

mized. Others say the effects can be fully un derstood only when you consider the food it’s com ing from. So until there is more definitive research,

wisdom says keep saturated fat to un der 10 percent of daily calories. That translates to about 20 grams a day for a 2,000 calorie per day diet. So read food labels!

I wrote an article some time back about the Keto diet which features high fat and lots of protein. I still see a lot of labels in stores featuring the term “Keto”. The question is does the diet work? The answer is yes, with qualifications. People tend to lose weight more on low carbohydrate diets than on low-fat diets, especially if their blood sugar is out of whack. It turns out that while “LDL” (the bad guy) cholesterol may rise, it’s likely to

be accompanied by a rise in “HDL” (the good guy.) However, with a low carbohydrate diet, you will miss out on the fiber and antioxidants in fruits and whole grains, which studies show lower heart disease, cancer, and diabetes risk . So, some health condi tions may warrant a Keto diet.

So how does one get enough healthy fat in one’s diet. Having to count fat grams is likely not a sus tainable strategy. The simple solution is to follow a whole-foods, plantbased diet and limit highly processed meats, sugars, and refined starches to a minimum, and, yes, you can have a piece of birthday cake at your party. This approach will naturally increase healthy fats and limit unhealthy ones. At the top of this article, I said the word “fat” has a bad connotation. Maybe it’s time to call it something else, like “Mary.” “Mary” can be the good fat and “Snipe” can be the bad fat. Nobody would be hesitant to say they’ve had more “Mary” this week. Mary and Snipe, I like that.

Remember to MAKE it a good day and be kind to everyone.

Till next time,

Ken Dettloff ACE

Certified Personal and Brain HealthTrainer

The Fountains as Bronson Place.

It seems like only yesterday that I first sat down (in front of a massive computer) to peck out my first food column, but time has been spinning as fast as the highest speed on my old Hobart KitchenAid it appears because I am hitting the twenty-year milestone this year. With well over a thousand food columns tapped out in the process, this year is bringing plenty of reason for me to celebrate life›s joys.

Food is a great source of joy. It›s flavorful, fascinating, engaging, and it’s always there to help us through all those tough times that life tends to bring, which we all endure as well.

Over the years, food has helped me connect with you, my fellow foodie fans, and you have taught me that while many of you do deal with the struggles of time or talent for cook ing, not a single one of you ever complain about getting your hands on a good recipe, which makes shar ing them something that enables us to pay it forward.

I, like many, was blessed to grow up with some amazing recipes my par ents got from their ancestors,  which sparked a conversation among my siblings (after the death of a second sister in as many years) that we need to make sure that the treasured fam ily recipes get preserved and continue to be handed down.

These thoughts collided with my

Happy Holidays! Community Expo & Cooking Show

major 20-year milestone, which got me to thinking that I should com bine the two, and create a memoir of my life as told through recipes.

Taking readers from the “old country” recipes of my childhood clear through to my award-winning recipes of this year (2022), my new est memoir/cookbook, “Midwest Morsels: Memorable Recipes and Reflections” is also sprinkled with childhood favorites from the Calu met Region and Chicago area, and include recipes I›ve come to savor from life in the Great Lakes Region of the Midwest and all over the world.

Tentatively set to be released at another milestone event for me this year, my the 5th annual “HAPPY HOLIDAYS” Cooking Show, which takes place on Sunday, November 6, 2022, there’s plenty of reason to mark this date on your calendar this year.

Going large, and by that I mean I am giving away over five thousand dollars ($5000) in prizes, which includes a $500 Meijer Shopping Spree courtesy of the Three Riv ers, MI., Meijer.  This event, which is FREE and open to the public, is a gift to the community thanks to the generous support of The Con stantine Area Fitness Center, the Constantine Township Library, and will include a special Community Expo featuring unique artisans, craft ers and local businesses to help you get a jump on your holiday gift list.   This year›s cooking show will shine

a spotlight on our Michigan growers and brands that pro duce high quality food items to help us elevate the flavors in treasured recipes while also helping to elevate our local and state economies, too. Feature on-stage food chal lenge opportunities for the audience, and plenty of de lightful samples and prizes, I have a special surprise tucked in there, too!

The expo will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will be followed promptly by the cooking show, which runs from approximately 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Both events are FREE ad mission and adjacent barrierfree parking at Constantine High School, located at 1 Falcon Dr. in Constantine, MI.

For more information, call 269-435-8900 or visit my Facebook page.

Here now is a recipe sam pling from this year’s “Happy Holidays” cooking show. Enjoy!

Laura Kurella is a nation ally award-winning recipe developer and food columnist who enjoys sharing recipes from her Michigan kitchen. She welcomes your comments at laurakurella@yahoo.com.

Spanning her 20 years as an award-win ning recipe developer and food columnist, “Midwest Morsels: Memorable Recipes and Reflections” is a unique memoir of Laura’s life told through recipes. Reaching back to ancestral roots in the “old country” and for ward to recent national recipe contest wins, this memoir is sprinkled with childhood favor ites from the Calumet Region and Chicago area and ones savored through adult life in the Great Lakes Region of the Midwest.

Book Cover Design/Photography: Laura Kurella

3 tablespoons EDEN Roasted Sesame Tahini

2 teaspoons EDEN Umeboshi Paste, or to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Yield: 45 - 50 Crackers

2-1/2 cups JIFFY Baking Mix

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon sugar, or sub

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup water

1 egg white

Parmesan cheese, shredded

sesame seeds

poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper or sprinkle lightly with flour.

For crackers, combine baking mix, salt, sugar, garlic, and cayenne pep

per. Add oil and water. Stir with fork until a soft dough forms. (It may be slightly sticky.)

Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll out each to a very thin rectangle. Place on a baking sheet.

Using a pizza cutter, cut into rect angles or desired shapes (optional).

To prevent puffing, pierce each piece 2 – 3 times with a fork.

Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle it with cheese, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes.

Optional Toppings: Cracked black pepper, chili powder, dried herbs, fen nel seeds, minced onion, and assorted cheeses.

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Place ingredients into a food proces sor or blender and puree. Add the bean cooking liquid (aquafaba) until dip is preferred consistency. Serve with sesame bread sticks, pita bread, or vegetables.

[Laura’s Alternate Method: Place all ingredients in a quart size freezer zipper storage bag. Remove air and seal then knead with hands (great for kids to help with) or roll with a roll ing pin, until smooth. Place the bag in the refrigerator until use.]

CRUDITE’

Fresh vegetables sliced (your favorites) assorted crackers

Food made from scratch is always more flavorful than its processed counterparts, but it’s made even more special when we use locallysourced, quality ingredients that not only enrich our palates, but also our local and state economies.

Photographer: Laura Kurella

Traverse City

Michigan Morsels!

Co.

Cherry Smash

Lemon Mint Leaves

Simple Syrup

Traverse City American Cherry Edi tion Whiskey

Traverse City Premium Cocktail Cherries

EDEN FOODS Organic Tart

Cherry Juice

In a mixing tin add 4 lemon wedges, 6-8 mint leaves, and 3/4 oz. simple

syrup. Muddle all ingredients together. Add 2oz of Traverse City American Cherry Edition whiskey and ice. Shake until all ingredients are mixed and chilled (approx. 10 seconds). Using a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer, Double strain cocktail into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a mint bouquet, Traverse City Cherries, and a lemon wedge.

Traverse City Whiskey Co.

Cherry Sparkler

Traverse City Premium Cocktail Cherries

Lemon Simple Syrup

Traverse City American Cherry Edi tion Bourbon Whiskey

Ice

Sparkling Wine

In a mixing tin, add 1 Traverse City cocktail cherry, with a bar spoon of the syrup, 1 lemon wedge, 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice, 1/2 oz. simple

syrup, 1 1/4 oz. Traverse City Amer ican Cherry. Add ice and shake until ingredients are mixing and properly chilled. Approximately 10 seconds.

Using a fine mesh and Hawthorne strainer, double strain the cocktail into a flute or coupe glass. Top with 3 oz. of sparkling wine. Garnish with a cherry and lemon twist.

"The Crossing Gates"

Remember the old adage: “Idle hands are the devil’s tools”? That idiom goes back much farther than our parents or grandparents. Chaucer, in the 12th century wrote, “Idleness is the root of mischief.” Idleness is akin to boredom.

We all love to hear and share child hood stories—the pranks, adventures, and shenanigans. When I began this column, I mentioned I would share a few such tales; so here’s the first installment.

I grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, blocks from the Saginaw River—a frequent playground in my middle school years. Along the river were warehouses, factories, junk yards, and grain elevators. Railroad tracks and a train yard ran along-side the river. The river was bisected by several draw bridges to accommodate ships that brought and carried away everything from grain to sand and coal. It was an enticing place to freely explore.

One lazy fall day—probably a Sunday—my friends (Rick and Brian) and I roamed the area and walked the tracks. It was definitely a boring day. We often put pennies or small

objects on the tracks as trains ap proached and retrieved the flattened item after they passed. No trains were moving that day but we looked for things to put on the tracks just in case.

Brian found a steel pipe about eight-foot long. He said, “Hey, how about this?” We laughed, “No way!” Brian tried it anyway, laying it parallel on the track. Being round, it was likely to roll off. It dawned on us that some thing this big could derail a train and we would be in serious trouble. So, Brian laid the pipe across both tracks. We were suddenly startled as the crossing gates on Bristol Street came down with flashing lights and warning bells. We jumped back from the tracks and looked for a coming train. No train. Then it dawned on us–it must be the pipe! We lifted the pipe and sure enough, the gates went up and the lights and dinging stopped. To test it again, we put the pipe back across the tracks. Yup, the gates came down again. We never pondered before what activated crossing gates; now we knew—it was an electrical connection at that spot along the rails.

This insight inspired us to contem

plate how best to apply our newly acquired knowledge. Close by, be tween the river and the tracks, along Niagara Street, stood St. Andrew’s High School’s football field. I don’t recall who, but one of us blurted out, “A football game!” “Yes, perfect!”—we all shouted, and hid the pipe under a bush.

Boredom had turned to excite ment. We needed a plan, a scheme. We knew football games were Friday night affairs and a neighborhood friend played on the team. We would casually as him when the next home game was but not tell him why we asked. We learned it was that coming Friday.

That evening, after dinner, Brian, Rick and I met up and headed to St. Andrew’s Field. It was a perfect night; the lights were on and the stadium packed with fans. It felt like the game lasted hours –in agonizing anticipa tion of pulling off our prank.

As the field’s game clock ticked down the last minutes of the game, we ran to our place along the tracks and retrieved the pipe. Cars slowly streamed out of the lot. As traffic

built, we laid the pipe across the tracks and the gates came down and traffic stopped “for the train.”

For several minutes, Rick, Brian and I watched with indulgent excitement our ability to controlled the world! Dozens of cars were under our total command.

Confident in our dominance of the situation, we orchestrated a few twists. We lifted the pipe and let some cars proceed—then, put it back again to wield our authority – safely hid den from discovery by darkness and bushes.

We recognized it’s wise to know when enough was enough; someone was either going to call the railroad, or worse, the cops.

We didn’t boast this tale with kids at school because it would surely find its way to the “wrong people.”

For year’s we gleefully retold the tale among the three of us and took plea sure just knowing we had our moment of greatness.

James D. Coppinger

Classes are in session, buses are full of excited students, and Chrome books are tucked into backpacks. One more critical accompaniment to the post-Labor Day hubbub? Apples! At least where I come from, apples are a necessary addition to any respectable packed lunch. In Michigan, mid-Sep tember begins the yearly harvest of one of our most profitable crops. The Michigan Apple Committee, which keeps track of such things, estimates that this year’s harvest will surpass 29 million bushels of apples – almost a twenty percent increase over the typical crop. That’s a lot of sauce, and cider, and everything else apple.

I can’t be the only one who ever happened upon an apple tree, only to be aghast at the awfulness of the apple I picked. Green, hard, and oh, so sour. No temptress ever led anyone astray with an apple like that! How can those at the grocery store be so differ ent? It all has to do with genetics.

Apples, and almost all the other fruits we purchase commercially or from the farmer’s market, are noth ing like their original ancestors. The specimens we value so highly result from elaborate and painstaking crossbreeding efforts. One would think (and many have tried) to take the seeds from the tastiest apple ever and

plant them in anticipation of a whole tree’s worth of goodness. But that is virtually never the result. The secret to the great flavor is in the fruit’s flesh (the ripened ovary, for biology nerds), and the seeds represent an entirely different ancestry. In agricultural sci ence, it is described as not “breeding true.” The offspring from the parents, the female tree bearing the fruit and the male tree providing the pollen, are hybrids. In nature, being a hybrid is an excellent thing. We in the science biz are all about diversity, and the combinations that result from crossbreeding two genetically different individuals tend, on the whole, to be hardier, less subject to pest infestation and disease, and may be less affected by climate fluctuations. Sometimes referred to as “hybrid vigor,” the reshuffling of their genes means that they are less like their parent’s stock in many aspects. Think about large families that you’ve known. Maybe the children look similar and resemble one of the parents, but frequently the offspring appear surprisingly different.

Apple trees, like most other fruit species, are self-incompatible. The pollen of that tree can’t successfully fertilize its flowers. At least two trees are necessary to set fruit. To compli cate things further, those two must

be of different varieties. For example, Honeycrisp pollen couldn’t pollinate a Honeycrisp flower. But a Golden De licious pollen would work. The process also needs pollinators, primarily bees in the case of apples, to deliver pollen from the neighboring tree variety to the blossom for fertilization and fruit production to occur. Hybridization ensures that much-prized diversity is preserved in the seeds. Fortunately, the “mother” tree produces identical flesh, the tissue we eat, to surround these genetically diverse seeds. If planted, each seed would yield a tree with different characteristics, but the apple flesh we eat surrounding those seeds would be the same for any given tree, although it would undoubtedly be dif ferent from the tree that bore the seed.

The problem is that, as consumers, we don’t value diversity very much in our food stocks. We want to know that the bag of apples will all taste the same. We also want our apples to look symmetrical, be free of wormholes and bruises, possess smooth, shiny skin, and last a long time without refrigera tion. That is a tall order from a hybrid produced on a tree whose many blossoms have been pollinated by hundreds of bees carrying pollen from scores of different male apple blos soms. Our obsession with pretty, tasty

fruit suitable for multiple purposes is responsible for the wide variety of commonly available apple types. For example, in recent decades, we have come to prize crispness in eating apples. The tendency for an apple to be crunchy is related to the size of its cells. Larger cells hold more fluid and produce a pleasing burst of “juice” when we bite into the fruit. How ever, they make it more likely that the apple will bruise easily or have a shortened storage life. Apples with thick skins tend to travel better and store successfully for many months, but can become mealy, which is unat tractive for eating but not a problem for apple saucing. The possibilities of mixing and matching apple character istics are almost endless. This creates huge business opportunities.

How do we get a specific variety of apples if this is the case? How can we go to an orchard and pick from a Granny Smith tree or a Macintosh tree and get similar apples? The secret is that the tree’s fruit-bearing stem, or scion, is grafted onto a rootstock. A sharp incision is made, the stem is attached to the root base, and all other growing branches are removed. The wound heals, and the tree becomes a vast extension of one genetically identical bud. That bud determines the flesh of the fruit. The seeds that result from pollination will be encased in the fruit flesh but will not determine the variety of the apple. All apple trees of a type are, in fact, directly related to a single ancestral tree. All Red Deli cious apples come from a single tree propagated in Peru, Iowa, in 1893. All Red Delicious trees are descendants, through grafting, of that original. The same is true of all the varieties we purchase and enjoy. Many more exotic apples are in the pipeline, ready for future marketing.

Whatever variety of apples you enjoy, I hope you find them in abun dance this season. Each new apple tree takes almost a decade to bear fruit, so I’m eager to visit an orchard to try out its latest offerings. I’m hoping to find my personal favorite, an old-fashioned Winesap! Happy munching!

Cheryl Hach Retired Science Teacher Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center

Museum to Host March 6

FREE october Events

virtual

Through December Wonder Media: Ask the Ques tions, Kalamazoo Valley Museum

Through Sunday, October 2

Sounds of the Zoo, Bronson Park and a variety of venues

Saturdays, Oct. 1,8,15,22,29

Kalamazoo Farmers Market 7am-2pm, 1204 Bank St.

Saturdays, Oct. 1,8,15,22,29 Otsego Farmer’s Market 9am-2pm, 112 Kalamazoo St.

Saturday, October 1

WMU Symphony Orchestra W/Stulberg Competition Silver Medalist Jacques Forestier (violin) 7:30pm, Miller Auditorium

Sundays, Oct. 2,9,16,23,30

Portage Farmer’s Market, 9am-1pm, Portage City Hall

Mondays, Oct. 3,10,17,24,31

Parchment Update Interviews Parchmentlibrary.org

Tuesdays, Oct. 4,11

Kalamazoo Farmers Market, 8am-1pm, 1204 Bank St.

Tuesday, October 4

Artbreak: Colleen Woolpert –Double Take, Noon Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Tuesday, October 4

Kalamazoo Composite Squad ron Presented by Civil Air Patrol Open House, 7 - 9pm 5243 Portage Rd., Portage

Tuesday, October 4

WMU Jazz Lab Band, 7:30pm Dalton Center Recital Hall

Wednesdays, Oct. 5,12,19

Lunch & Learn: The Aging Roadmap Bring your own lunch, Registration Required, 11:30am, Parchment Library

Thursdays, October 6

Kalamazoo Farmers Market, 8am-1pm, 1204 Bank St.

Thursdays, Oct. 6,13

Plainwell Farmers’ Market 3:30-6:30pm, 554 Allegan St.

Thursdays, Oct. 6,13,20,27

Open Mic on the Vine, 5:30-6:45pm

Satellite Records, Kalamazoo

Thursday, October 6

Adult Education: Retirement 101, 6-8pm, Richland Library

Thursdays, Oct. 6,13,20,27 Open Mic Night, 7-9pm Final Gravity Brewing, Kal.

Friday, October 7

Historic Walks: South Street Historic District, 8-9:30am Meet at Gazelle Sports

Friday, October 7

Art Hop, Downtown Kalamazoo & Vine Neighborhood, 5-8pm

Friday, October 7

Memory Café for people with mild Dementia & their care partners, Paw Paw Library, 10:30am-Noon

Saturday, October 8

Art Detectives: There’s a Ghost in This Museum! By Oliver Jeffers

10:30-Noon, ages 4-8, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Saturday, October 8

Mallmart + Zoo Flea Vintage & Handmade Marketplace, 12-7pm

Anna Whitten Hall Plaza, Kal.

Sunday, October 9

2nd Sundays Live Concert Series: Hazeltree, 2pm, Parchment Library

Monday, October 10

Greg Spiridopolos (trombone) Master Class 1pm, Guest Artist Recital, 7:30pm, Dalton Recital Hall

Monday, October 10

Parchment Book Group: Around the World in 80 Days, 6pm, Parchment Library

Tuesday, October 11

ARTbreak: Intersectionality 101 With OutFront Kzoo, Noon-1pm

Tuesday, October 11

Michigan author Anne Dueweke with Her new book, The Reckoning 6-7:30pm Richland Community Library

Wednesday, October 12

Birds & Coffee Chat on Zoom: Blackbirds, 10-11am, Register: birdsanctuary.kbs.msu. edu

Sat., Oct. 15 & Sun. Oct. 16th Arts and Eats – 9th Annual selfguided Multi-county backroads tour of artist Studios, pop-up gal leries, farms, Restaurants & more! 10am-5pm.

Monday, October 17

WMU Bands Showcase, 7pm Miller Auditorium

Tuesday, October 18

ARTbreak: The Gendering of Colors With Megan Maas, Noon-1pm Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Wednesday, October 19

Book Discussion: Pretty Boys 2-3pm, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Friday, October 21

Hostoric Walk: Westnedge Hill Neighborhood, 8-9:30am Meet at Crane Park

Saturday, October 22

Styrofoam & Electronics Recycling, 10am – 1pm Mayors Riverfront Park, Kal.

Saturday, October 22

Monster Mash: Monsters Inc. Trick or treating, inflatables, Hayrides & Much More! 3-7pm, Movie 5:30pm Ramona Park, Portage

Monday, October 24

Eclipse Talk by Richard Bell 6pm, Parchment Library

Tuesday, October 25

ARTbreak: Kalamazoo Public Library at 150, Noon – 1pm Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

Tuesday, October 25

WMU Guest Artist Recital: KSO 7:30pm, Dalton Recital Hall

Thursday, October 27

Team Trivia: Sports & Games, 7pm, Richland Library, register 629-9085

Thursday, October 27

WMU Faculty & Guest Recital Live Electronics Concert Dalton Center Recital Hall

Friday, October 28

After Hours Movie & Game Night, Ages 11-17, 5-9pm, Register: richlandlibrary.org

Friday, October 28

WMU Alumni Recital, 7:30pm Dalton Center Recital Hall

Sat., Oct. 29 – Sun., Oct 30

Stamp & Cover Show, Sat. -10-5, Sun.-10-3pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center

Sunday, October 30

WMU Choral Showcase, 3pm Dalton Center Recital Hall