The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians has joined founding organizations the Leelanau Conservation District, Leelanau Conservancy and Leelanau Enterprise in seeking to promote the beauty of Leelanau County at blossom time.
Horticulturalists within the cherry industry have helped select this year’s optimum blossom-viewing date, which is some six days later than the 2008 tour. The estimated 600 participants in 2008 rode tour buses or drove in their own cars along a mapped route provided by tour guide organizers. The one-hour route started and ended in Lake Leelanau.
Organizers have mapped out a new one-hour route for the 2009 tour that will again include two stops. Participants will be encouraged to exit buses for a first-hand experience at working cherry farms in the Omena area and in northern Suttons Bay Township. Cherry growers will be on hand to explain their work, and tour guides will offer explanations along the route of the history and importance of cherry farming for Leelanau County.
At the Eagles Ridge Conference Center, participants will be provided free cherry brats, cherry drinks and cherry cookies.
The day will begin with an opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m. at Eagles Ridge, with bus tours starting at 10 a.m. Musical entertainment will be provided from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The final bus will leave Peshawbestown at 2 p.m., and return approximately 3 p.m.
Tour maps will be available at area businesses and other outlets prior to the tour. As the tour grows near, maps will be posted in downloadable formats at the websites of the Leelanau Enterprise (Leelanaunews.com) and the Leelanau Conservancy (theconcervancy.com). Visitors and residents alike will be encouraged to visit the route at their convenience.
The route was selected to show a glimpse of the beautiful Leelanau County countryside as cherry blossoms reach their peak.
Leelanau has more tart cherry trees than any county in the nation. Our paved and well-maintained road system offers views of vistas with Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay backdrops to hillsides dominated in May by cherry blossoms. Visitors are encouraged to spend the weekend in the county, also stopping at our many fine shops, restaurants and wineries.
There is no charge for the Leelanau Cherry Blossom Tour. For more information, please view websites of the Leelanau Enterprise and Leelanau Conservancy, or call the Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce at (231) 271-9895.
I must say I’m absolutely sick of dairy farmer bashing. Yes we know there are a few bad eggs out there but for goodness sake they are in the vast minority. Where would this country be now if we didn’t have our dairy exports? How many jobs does this industry create both directly and indirectly? We are about to hit a recession not seen in a long long time and we are going to compete globally because we don’t rely on export of oil which is, as we know, running out and milk will not run out. Do you realize how much profit there really is in dairy? Farmers DO NOT have millions sitting in the bank doing nothing OK, every time an expense comes up farmers must borrow. Big expenses come up out of the blue all the time, sometimes from fines, but more often from something which has gone wrong (as happens constantly on farms.) If an effluent system breaks down, farmers must borrow money to get it fixed, if underground water moves in a big earthquake, farmers must borrow money to first find that water and then to tap a well into it. I’m all for a greener NZ but there needs to be a bit of give and take. Hold farmers to account by all means but please do understand that when it’s said “Dairy makes billions for this country” it’s not all sitting in farmer’s bank accounts, it’s being spent on research to improve efficiencies and at the local New World and Hammer Hardware etc. Lastly farmers pay more in GST and employees PAYE than most people pay in all their taxes put together.