Michigan Dining invites you to Meet the Farmers
Do you want to meet the farmers who provide much of the local food to the University of Michigan Campus? Then attend Meet the Farmers event at South Quad on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Michigan Dining is sponsoring the event for students and faculty who want to know how sustainable food is produced and procured for all of University dining halls and restaurants.
The university aims to have 20 percent of the food served on campus provided by farmers within a 250 mile radius. More than 30 Michigan farmers and suppliers currently provide the university with meat, milk, eggs, fruits, vegetables and more.
Farmers attending the meet-and-greet event are:
● Zilke Vegetable Farm from Milan Vicki and Tom Zilke started a five-acre side project in 2008, and it has blossomed into into a 40-acre sustainable farming business that yields greens, zucchini, tomatoes, corn, green beans, cantaloupe and watermelon. In addition to supplying university kitchens, the Zilke’s sell their produce at Wolverine Tower, North Campus Research Complex and the University Hospital Courtyard.
● Lesser Farms from Dexter Dale Lesser’s grandfather bought the property in the early 1900s and the family has been farming it ever since. With over 1,200 acres of farmland, the Lessers grow corn, soybeans, pumpkins and apples. They also raise chickens for eggs and keep honeybees.
● Todosciuk Farms & Greenhouses from Howell Jim and Tina Todosciuk are devoted vegetable farmers who have been running their 45-acre farm for two decades. They deliver fresh produce (beans, broccoli, cucumbers and squash) to the University of Michigan Hospital and UM’s dining halls. They also run a Community Shared Agriculture program (CSA).
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