Gardening for the Greater Good

Stuff We Love

Green thumbed folks know it’s the heyday of gardening season right now, and that’s certainly the case out at Maple Bay Farm. The property, part of the 452-acre Maple Bay Natural Area, is managed by the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. Most of us know Maple Bay as a beautiful beach spot, but there’s also a volunteer-run garden on-site, where at least 50 percent of the food grown is donated to local food pantries through a partnership with Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan. In 2022 alone, the garden supplied 3,360 pounds of food to the community! The 2023 planting is underway, with 200 broccoli, 100 cauliflower, 25 honeynut squash, 25 acorn squash, and 150 cabbage in the ground. (Next come the green beans and cucumbers.) The garden is set to provide fresh produce throughout the summer and fall, and they’ve also set goals to have a higher yield, less waste, and even tastier fruits of their labor.

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