Our trees are budding and young flowers are breaking through the earth: the last frost date is just weeks away, and we can officially greet spring in the Midwest. Goodbye winter, hello fresh produce season!
Aside from the excitement of packing away our heavy coats and snow boots, the warm temperatures of our spring days bring new life. We look forward to enjoying fresh, local produce, and reigniting our relationships with our farmers and growers. This year, Forage and Bloom, a new, local business based in Buchanan, is delighted to help you do just that. “We look forward to doing the foraging for you!”
Forage and Bloom will offer a convenient way to acquire local produce and flowers, with delivery available, and two locations for self pick up. “We will differentiate ourselves from traditional CSA and farmer’s markets by curating a crate of what’s in bloom from multiple farms throughout the season,” says owner Emily Koziel. The crates will be filled with a mixture of in-season fare: fruit, greens, herbs, and vegetables, “and also a small bouquet of flowers, just to help you smile.”
“My husband, Aaron, and I bought an old farm in Buchanan a few years ago,” says Emily. “Aaron’s Grandma, Jackie Stafford, congratulated us, and then told us the farm was originally a peach orchard, belonging to her Uncle John and Aunt Helen Paskiet. Jackie even remembers picking the peaches as a kid. We had no idea! We instantly felt more at home, and knew this was where we were supposed to be.”
Life gets busy; Aaron and Emily know firsthand! Both working, while raising two children, sometimes it’s difficult to find time to eat as healthy as you intend. “We weren’t even sure signing up for our local CSA would fit into our schedules– so Forage and Bloom was born.”
Their service will be offered through a subscription, and Union Coffee House & Cafe in Buchanan will be a pick-up location in Southwest Michigan, from June to October. Entering their thirteenth year of business, the coffeehouse features food made from scratch, and coffee roasted in Michigan, so local fare is appreciated, essential, and celebrated.
Provisions General Store + Lunch Counter in New Carlisle, IN will also present a Forage and Bloom pick-up location, and features four other small businesses on-site: Paladin Design House, Blue Soul Yoga, Local Roots Floral Design, and Referral Patterns.
Their website, localforageandbloom.com, offers a list of seasonal offerings for our gardening zone, letting you know exactly what delicious ingredients will be available, and when. You’ll also find an Events tab, where you can see where Emily and Aaron will be next! “Our goal is to help support our local businesses, offer convenience for healthy options, and make people smile. We forage what’s in bloom, for you.”
Congratulations, and welcome!
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
