Homegrown Festival : All posts

photo gallery: Scenes from HomeGrown Festival 2012

The HomeGrown Festival, an annual celebration of local food and drink, returned to the Ann Arbor Farmers Market on Saturday.

Photographer Joseph Tobianski captured these images. The festival continues through 10 p.m. Saturday.

the farmers marketer

food & grocery: Ann Arbor's fifth annual HomeGrown Festival Sept. 8 entertains and informs with all-Michigan food, drinks, music and fun

The first HomeGrown Festival in 2008 almost floated away when a much-needed rainstorm deluged the field where the tents were set up and the chefs were cooking. Rather than dampening spirits, if anything, the warm summer shower inspired fun as some festival-goers frolicked in the puddles while musicians played from the shelter of a big, striped awning. I know because I was there as one of the organizers who has helped every year, and even that first year, we welcomed what would turn out to be nearly 1,000 people.

More after the jump…

photo gallery: Homegrown Festival draws crowd for celebration of local food and drink

The first night football game at the Big House wasn't the only party in town Saturday night. The Homegrown Festival returned to the Ann Arbor Farmers Market for this year's edition of what has quickly become a popular celebration of locally-sourced food and drink.

Photographer Chris Asadian captured these images from the event. For more background, see the Homegrown Festival website.

Food & Drink: Saturday's Homegrown Festival to celebrate area food, farms and community

Twelve local chefs cooking food from local farms; 12 Michigan beer and wine vendors; four local bands, 35 local food and artisan vendors; 50 heirloom tomato varieties for tasting. The fourth annual Homegrown Festival is shaping up to be a no-holds barred celebration of all things local.

Taking place Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011 from 6-11 p.m. at the Farmers Market pavilion at 315 Detroit St. in Ann Arbor, the Homegrown Festival is a grassroots concern, organized and staffed entirely by volunteers. Last year's festival drew more than 6,000 attendees.

More after the jump…

the farmers marketer

Food & Drink: George Washington Carver saw agriculture as a path toward 'health, beauty and prosperity for all'

Beyond his relationship with the peanut, I didn't know much about the indomitable George Washington Carver before I attended the George Washington Carver Symposium hosted by the Henry Ford Museum in January this year.

He was truly a remarkable human being — a scientist, an inventor, a teacher, and a humanitarian far ahead of his time. Chicago's Field Museum says, "Carver’s famous peanut research was just one of many different scientific endeavors designed to realize his 'Mighty Vision' —  health, beauty, and prosperity for all."

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Food & Drink: Third Annual Homegrown Festival: a smashing success

The first HomeGrown Festival took place at the Community High School in the rain. Few braved the puddles - giving me the chance to corner Mayor Hieftje for a five-minute conversation about his work on the Michigan Climate Action Council, his vision for Ann Arbor’s green energy usage, solar panels and new streetlights for downtown. Last year the Festival moved to Kerrytown and was a booming success, so much so that now, three years later, I was unable to have a five-minute conversation with anyone this past Saturday night.

Food, wine, beer, information, smiles, hugs, laughter, and great music swelled around Kerrytown - a glorious celebration of the all that is homegrown in southeast Michigan.

As John Harnois, of Harnois Farm, shared with me, “This is my first festival, and it took me forever to get from one end to the other - hours - because everyone is here - people I know, people I don’t know - people are quick to start up conversations.”

More after the jump…

slideshow: Images from the third annual Homegrown Festival held at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market

Hundreds of people gathered at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market on Saturday evening, despite the wet and dreary weather, to check out what local food and drink vendors had to offer at the third Homegrown Festival.

The Ann Arbor Market Vendor News: The Homegrown Festival is coming; The Oral History Project returns

The Ann Arbor Farmers Market produces a regular online newsletter, and the newly released September issue is available now. More after the jump…

food & drink: HomeGrown Festival this Saturday

This article was corrected to include accurate pricing/payment methods for food and beverages:

Last year more than 1000 people braved a steady downpour to celebrate local food and community at Ann Arbor’s first HomeGrown Festival. In spite of the weather, they enjoyed specially-prepared local cuisine, moved to a variety of soul-stirring music and learned about the many benefits of supporting locally- and sustainably-grown foods.

This year’s Festival will keep the weather at bay under cover of the Ann Arbor
Farmers’ Market Pavilion, from 5-10 PM on Saturday, September 12.

More after the jump…

Wildcrafting - The HomeGrown Festival

People talking about sustainability and slow food, organic farmers, wildcrafters, locavores. People choosing local stores, locally produced goods. What are the common elements? Awareness of where food comes from. Thoughtfulness about the environment and what we consume. Understanding the need to nurture and foster community.

These are serious life-changing and world preserving concepts. On September 12 you can discover the fun, joyful, playful and indulgent side of local food, local products and things “homegrown” by attending the HomeGrown Festival after the Ann Arbor Farmers Market closes, from 5-10 at that same familiar location next to the Kerrytown Market Shops. Admission is free and open to all.

More after the jump…