In Season

It’s hard to believe that June is here! The farmer’s markets are in full swing, and summer is basically upon us. The anticipation for morels, green garlic and Michigan Asparagus has been replaced by the anticipation for strawberries, snap peas and garlic scapes. Thanks to the incredibly warm weather we’ve been having, early season vegetables like radishes, spring onions, spinach, arugula and lettuce have been available sooner.

But the flipside of these earlier than usual hot temperatures is that the more tender, heat-sensitive crops like cilantro, spinach and lettuce will have shorter seasons. In addition, the early elevated temperatures have adversely impacted certain crops across the state – some more severely than others. For example, asparagus emerged early then froze in the ground, while tree fruits like cherries, apricots, peaches, apples and plums have had a difficult time getting started.

Overall, many plants are five or six weeks ahead of schedule, like those volunteer tomatoes that emerged in my community garden plot in April and all those garden weeds that are already more prolific this year than usual. (I’m sure all the backyard gardeners out there know what I mean about that one.) However, the impact of climate warming on the local environment is not just evident to backyard growers. In fact, I was recently asked by people visiting from Toronto if spring usually comes so early in Ypsi, and I told them not usually, but is this the new usual? In other words, climate change, anyone?

Either way, unseasonably warm weather in March encouraged many trees to bloom early and then freeze, leaving some Michigan orchards almost completely devoid of fruit. Specifically, the Michigan tart cherry crop took an extreme hit, losing an estimated 80% of the 2012 crop. Since Michigan produces about 75% of the tart cherries in the U.S., the loss of this year’s crop is a major setback for producers, distributors, processors and even consumers, as many in the cherry processing industry have turned to Poland, Hungary and elsewhere to meet the demand for products formerly made with Michigan-grown cherries.

Because of this tree fruit situation, our best bet for locally-grown fruit this summer will be fruits that are grown in the ground or on bushes, like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and melons. Luckily for us, strawberries will be here soon, and, on Saturday June 16, Ypsilanti even has its own official strawberry season kick-off this year! The Depot Town Strawberry Showcase, sponsored by Think Local First in conjunction with the Depot Town Farmer’s Market, Harvest Kitchen, the Ypsilanti Food Co-op and Corner Brewery, is a self-guided tour of four locations offering samples of food items featuring locally-grown strawberries. Starting at the Depot Town Farmer’s Market at 11 a.m. and ending at Corner Brewery at 2 p.m., people who visit all locations and have their strawberry “passport” stamped are entered to win a $25 gift certificate from each participating business!

And if that’s not enough strawberries for you, you will soon be able to find sweet, delicious and locally-grown berries of all kinds at the Downtown Ypsilanti Farmer’s Market, the Depot Town Ypsilanti Farmer’s Market and the Ypsilanti Food Co-op. At both markets, my top pick for berry vendors is Karpo Farms, with Down on the Farm taking a close second at the Downtown Tuesday Market (in an unofficial blind taste-test). But if you’d rather pick them yourself at a local berry farm, Rowe’s Produce Farm offers U-pick strawberries, raspberries (and also peas) at 10570 Martz Road in Ypsilanti. If your preference is for raspberries and blackberries in mid-summer instead, Makielski’s berry farm offers a pesticide-free U-pick option at 7130 Platt Road in Ypsilanti.

More information about these U-pick berry farms can be found online. More information about the Strawberry Showcase is available at the Think Local First website. And check out last month’s Adventures in Local Food for a full listing of our local farmer’s markets.