News
Visser Farms CSA at the Grand Haven Farmers Market
Visser Farms is introducing a new and improved CSA program!
Visser Farms
10791 Blair St., Zeeland, MI
(616) 875-8559
• Point-Based System!
• Use as many points as you like – anytime & anywhere!
• No worries if you forget to pick up shares or go on vacation – No Points are Lost!
• Quick & convenient!
• Members choose their own produce!
• Multiple pick-up times & locations to choose from!
PRICES:
Early Bird Special:
• Registrations before May 15 receive 5% off their total!
• FREE Visser Farms Tote Bag!
• Half Shares receive 15% Off and Full Shares receive 20% off Coupon for U-Pick Strawberries!
• Buy One Get One 1/2 OFF Hanging Basket Coupon! (Full shares receive 2)
Point Package Pricing:
Additional points may be purchased at any time throughout the 20 week program
• 400 points: $100.00
• 800 points: $200.00
• 1,200 points: $300.00
• 1,600 points: $400.00
Location in Grand Haven at the Grand Haven Farmers Market (Regular Market Hours Apply)
**Be sure to check the Visser Farms Facebook page throughout the summer for featured items and specials!
Winding Down Winter in Grand Haven
The holidays are over, but there’s still much to do in Grand Haven this winter. Although the tree has been put away and family has returned home, the days are getting longer, and (let’s hope) spring will be upon us in a matter of weeks. If you’re struggling to find things to keep busy during these cold times, consider some of these fun activities in the next few weeks:
February 8, Lemon Creek Winery is letting you meet the artists! Local talent Sheri Woodard & Lori Eslick will be the feature of this artist reception. Live music and hors d’oeuvres. On the 9th and 10th, they will also be having their 3rd annual Chocolate, Art, and Music. Come on in and check out the fun!
February 16, Rotary Club of Spring Lake will hold its second “Snow Jam” fundraising event at Central Park in Spring Lake. Featuring a Spring Lake vs. Grand Haven alumni hockey match, beer tent, and live music from Knicknacks and the Thirsty Perch, dart tournament, open skate and more. Free ice skates for children will be provided while they last.
March 23, the 2nd Annual Grand Pizza Fest will take place at the Community Center. Sample and celebrate delicious local pizza all afternoon. Pizza pie eating contest, and live music will be sure to keep everyone entertained.
If you’re into snowboarding or skiing, you have to check out Mulligan’s Hollow Ski Bowl behind the Tri-Cities YMCA. 8 downhill runs with rope tows. Fun for the whole family! Hemlock Crossing, Hofma Park, P.J. Hoffmaster Park, Pigeon Creek Park, and the North Ottawa Dunes all have cross country ski trails if downhill isn’t your thing. Hemlock, Pigeon Creek, and North Ottawa Dunes have more than 10k of trails! If you just want to bring the little ones to a relaxed sledding environment, Pigeon Creek and Hofma also have great sled hills. Get outside in the snow this winter!
If you haven’t taken advantage of Grand Haven’s art scene, there are plenty of galleries to keep your days filled during the cold days. C2C Gallery, and Gallery Uptown are both located on the Washington St. downtown. Both are great galleries featuring everything from painting to sculpture to woodwork. Definitely check out the local art in Gallery Uptown! Dreese Fine Art and Framing is the gallery of Christi Dreese and is definitely worth a visit. It’s located on N. Ferry Street. For a little different feel, check out the Fire Barn Gallery located at 5 N. 5th St. It focuses on work not typically represented in the community, both by local artists and by artists from outside the area.
If you’re sitting around, pick up some light reading from any of the great local bookstores! The winter is the perfect time to grab a book and curl up on the couch. Visit Booked For The Season, The Bookman, or just rent one from the Loutit Library.
Local breweries can lighten any night. Odd Side Ales is a nice place downtown Grand Haven next to Porto Bello. Go in and taste some of their constantly changing brews. Old Boys is a long time favorite, always great food and the house beer is phenomenal. If hard cider and donuts is what you desire, check out Vander Mill in Spring Lake for more than a half dozen house ciders. There’s definitely something for everyone.
Maybe you could take a cooking class and give your significant other something to rave about. Artisan Cooking School and Bekins Cooking School have classes for all levels, and you’re sure to leave with dinner plans.
Get fit with Jacki Sorensen’s Fitness Classes or check out the YMCA this winter. Start now, and you just might have that beach body by May! The Grand Haven 9 is always a more relaxed option for those looking to take it easy, or check out Comedy Night some Thursday at Jack’s right over the bridge in Spring Lake.
For something free to do, as you’re down on Washington this winter, stop in the Tri-Cities Historical Museum. Always displaying interesting exhibits, and some classic local history. Stay as long as you can keep the kids occupied.
Get a soda from the fountain at Pfaff’s Pharmacy, bring the kids to Craig’s Cruisers, or Starlight Lanes for a round of bowling. If you really want to get away, you might as well treat yourself to a nice massage or a new hairstyle at any of our infinite number or salons downtown.
I could do this all day, and you thought the winter was a slow time in Grand Haven. So get out there and have some fun. Really, this is the only time you can without dodging tourists for parking spots.
Fish On!
There are still some solid weeks ahead of fishing!
Captain Mike, from Nelson Charters runs his last Charters on October 24th, and says “October is a great month for steelhead, we still catch the 2 & 3 year old salmon as well”. He boasts a great season and lots of fun, stating “I would like to thank all my clients that I took out this past summer and looking forward to seeing them next season. And to the other captains for sharing some of there extra trips with Brent (first mate ) and remember to keep your rod up and tight lines to all!”
Follow Nelson Charters on Twitter | Follow Nelson Charters on Facebook
Captain Mike offers charters for 1-6 people on Third Wish, a 31 foot Tiara. The trips are fun and personable …and the fishing is great!
Nelson Charters, LLC
Jacki Sorensen’s Fitness Classes
Get Fit! Have Fun!
Join our Festival of Dance Spring Session
Workout with Jacki Sorensen’s Grand Haven Fitness Classes! We combine stretching & flexibility, corework, weight training and aerobic exercise into each class. Jacki’s Aerobic classes use upbeat and motivating music and you can participate at your own level. Enjoy Jacki’s safe, effective, Get-It-All-Together approach to fitness!
Join us – Get Fit Grand Haven!
St. Johns Episcopal Church
524 Washington St., Grand Haven
Classes are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:00AM, Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30PM, unlimited dance!
Register at first Class.
You can pay by the session, the month, or the class.
Questions? Call Kathy at (616) 402-4871
Best for Beaches
CNN voted Lake Michigan “Best for Beaches” in America’s Best Lake Vacations
All-American vacation fun continues long after summer ends.
[Photo Courtesy of The Inn at Bay Harbor – A Renaissance Golf Resort]
CNN voted Lake Michigan Best for Beaches: “With more than 1,600 miles of shoreline, Lake Michigan offers more beaches than any other American lake. But it’s not just quantity: there’s a beach for nearly every taste. The big-city strands that front Chicago, the wild rolling dunes of northern Indiana, the pastoral shores of Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula, and the carnival-like atmosphere along the Traverse City Boardwalk offer totally different sun-and-sand experiences on the same lake. You’ll pass that boardwalk on the scenic drive from Bay Harbor to Sleeping Bear Dunes.”
Read More on CNN
Grand Haven Annual Sidewalk Sales
Coast Guard Festival 2012 is over, August is upon us, and the back to school advertisements are everywhere. Let’s face it, Summer is coming to an end. Before it leaves, you’ve got one month to live it up, visit the beach, and enjoy the weather. Now is the perfect time for the Grand Haven Sidewalk Sales! Local businesses showcase some awesome products for even better prices. All of the best businesses downtown Grand Haven will have “almost end of Summer” deals on the gorgeous sidewalks of Washington St.
Need that last swimsuit to see the Summer off right? Check out Buffalo Bob’s selection, and the Surf Shop will have a ton of their products super cheap. Hair supplies from Donayle Nicole hair salon, food from Great Harvest Bread Company, Downtown Dogs, or get your sugar fix at Fortino’s. More notable businesses are Michigan Rag Co., BayberrieTree, Mac Kite, The Creative Fringe, Calico Cat, The Paper Place, and so many more.
Sales will be dirt cheap, and there will be music in the streets. Don’t miss this opportunity to get everything you’ve been keeping your eye on. How often do almost all downtown businesses have a street long clearance section? Come on down to Washington St. Friday August 17 9:00 am – 8:00 pm, or Saturday August 18 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. You’ll be glad you did.
Chicken Salad with a Kick
I am always looking for delicious and easy foods for camping, heading to a cottage, etc. My sister came up with this delish dish… Chick Salad with a Kick.
We don’t have an exact measured recipe… we each throw it together with a bit of variation!
Chicken Breasts, cubed
Mayonnaise
Colby Jack Shredded Cheese
Lawry’s Salt
Chili Powder
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
Pepper
Mix all the above together… and chill. Perfect to serve in a tortilla. Great to toss in the cooler for a beach snack as well!
Follow our Board on Pinterest for more “Camping” or “Vacation” recipes!
Outlook for Coast Guard Festival 2012
Birds are singing, it’s 70º, and the sun is shining. It couldn’t be a more perfect day for the kick off to Coast Guard Festival 2012! It looks like it will be sunny all day, and not dropping into the 60s until 10 p.m. Hundreds of runners pushing that last mile in the 10k bursting through the finish line, the Tot-Trot is booming and the bounce house is overflowing. It looks like everyone is having a great time. Except, perhaps, that girl who just dropped her ice cream cone.
The Kids Parade was a success as well this morning. Music and laughter filled the air. The Red Carpet Photos are busy as kids are lining up to get their pictures taken. It goes until 2:00 today so head down! Those of you who were lucky enough to be the first 750 into the free hotdog lunch from Lake Trust Credit Union…I envy you. Playing Out Loud is currently performing at the Waterfront Stadium. If you hurry, maybe you could catch a few acts. I hear a ton of applause and laughter, so it has to be good right? Don’t forget about Hometown Idol tonight at 7:30! The Waterfront Stadium will be booming with music and applause.
Tomorrow looks to be just as nice, but maybe a bit hotter with highs reaching the low 80s. Not much of a breeze can be expected either, but zero rain! We’ll start it off with the Cruise In Car Show on Downtown Washington St. at 7:30 a.m. Show up anytime before 3 to check out some of the coolest, oldest, and most unique cars around. Shortly after, the Coast Guard Festival Bicycle Tour begins at 8:00 with a 100 mile ride. Shorter rides begin at 9:30. Watch out for the bikers as you’re out finding a place to park. From 1:00-4:00, check out Coast Guard Park in Ferrysburg for the Community Picnic. There will be food, games, and music to keep everyone having a great time. Later, Worship on the Waterfront will be down at the Waterfront Stadium.
Monday looks great. Just as warm as Sunday, but with a little more cloud cover. Great day to welcome in the Coast Guard ships into Grand Haven Harbor. They’re expected to arrive around 1:00 p.m. with free tours from 6:00-8:00. Bring the family and check out these humungous vessels from top to bottom. Also, don’t miss Annabelle Road playing their mix of country and rock at Waterfront Stadium. Show starts at 7:30, tickets are $10.
Tuesday could be a little iffy due to a 30% chance of light, scattered showers. Nice and warm during the day however! Looks to be my favorite day! Starts out with Kids Day at the Tri-Cities YMCA at 10:00 a.m. Loads of games, entertainment, even a tractor race! Everything is free except for the food which is at nominal prices. Bring a bag of quarters! More ship tours from 6:00-8:00. Carnival will be set up and running strong starting at 6:00 as well. Scary big rides to tiny train size, all ages welcome and sure to have a blast. Grand City Skiers perform at Waterfront Stadium at 7:00 p.m. and you won’t want to miss it! Tickets are $5, but the show is worth so much more. Last, but certainly not least is the Street Dance! One of my favorite events all week. Soul’d Out will have Washington St. busting out all the dance moves again this year. It’s sure to be a riot!
Wednesday brings back nicer weather with a high of 83º and no rain. It’s Senior Day, and it’s sure to be a good one. Most events are at Mulligans Hollow next to the YMCA. Starts off with Pickle Ball at 8:00 followed by a living well expo, line dancing, lunch, and bingo. All events are free! Ship tours again from 6:00-8:00 p.m. while the Carnival runs 2:00-11:00 p.m.
If you haven’t found time to check out the Coast Guard ship tours, Thursday is the day to do it. Tours will run from 10:00-noon, 1:00-3:00 p.m, and 6:00-8:00 p.m. Right off the tours, the USO Band will be playing from 2:00-4:00. Come check out their jazz routine. Also, The Company Men will be performing at the Waterfront Stadium at 8:00 p.m. Come enjoy a show that brings the audience back to an older era. Tickets are $20. Carnival runs 2:00-11:00 p.m.
Friday’s weather looks a lot like Tuesday’s, so pack an umbrella just in case. The Coast Guard Craft Fair goes from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tons of local artists and craftsmen will have their tents out in Central Park for everyone to witness. There’s a National Guard Memorial Service to be held at 4:00 p.m. in Escanaba Park to honor those who have died in the line of duty. Ship tours run identically to yesterday’s schedule, as does the Carnival. Don Middlebrooke and Living Soul will be jamming at Waterfront Stadium around 8:00 p.m. He’ll have you swaying to the sounds of Jimmy Buffet until you have to go home and grab for the umbrella drinks. Tickets are $10.
Saturday, the big day, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Low 80s all day with a slight breeze. Should be a warmer night for the fireworks, only dipping slightly below 70. The Craft Fair, and ship tours hold schedules, while the USO band plays again from 3:00-5:00 p.m. and the Carnival runs an extra 1-2 hours later. The Meijer Grand Parade begins at 11:45 a.m. and what a sight it will be. Hundreds of floats, sirens, clowns, animals, beauty queens, and candy will be rolling through Grand Haven for all ages to enjoy. Make sure to arrive early to assure a place to sit. As the afternoon turns to evening, come see the USO Band one more time as they open for The Liberty Bells at Waterfront Stadium around 7:00 p.m. Following all the jazz and patriotism will be the famous Musical Fountain! One of the largest of its kind in the world, it’s a great colorful show to see. And the moment everyone has been waiting for, the Fireworks Extravaganza will begin at dark! This is a show you just cannot miss. For 72 years, this performance has been one of the largest and most popular in Michigan. Do yourself a favor and arrive early.
From the looks of it, I think this Coast Guard Festival has the potential to be one of the best yet. Great weather all week, and amazing performances planned all week at Waterfront Stadium. Enjoy your week, and have a blast. Celebrate responsibly, and remember to keep our gorgeous town litter free.
For more information on any of the events listed above (parade routes, show times, locations, etc.), visit coastguardfest.org.
West Michigan Blueberries
It’s 80º and what could be better than some homemade blueberry pie? Michigan is the number one state in highbush blueberry production with growers producing over 100 million pounds of blueberries every year. Why would you go to some grocery store and overpay for lesser quality berries when you can pick your own? With over 20 U-Pick blueberry farms in Ottawa county alone, there’s no reason to miss the opportunity. Not only do most farms in Ottawa county allow personal picking, but many have bushels already picked that are not only better quality than the grocery stores, but normally less expensive as well.
Some of my favorite farms are Reenders Blueberry Farm, Kenny Garden Farms, and Wa-Hu Blueberry Farm. Reenders Farm is located in West Olive (between Grand Haven and Holland), while Wa-Hu and Kenny Garden are right in Holland. Toni Perfect, lifelong Grand Haven local proclaims, “Our family has been picking at Reenders Farm annually for more years than I can count. Their blueberries are always the biggest, sweetest blueberries we’ve ever seen! Everyone there is so helpful and friendly.” Also in Downtown Grand Haven, Blueberry Haven has a wide selection of West michigan blueberry products that everyone can enjoy.
A lot of people tell me that they don’t know what to do with all the berries once they arrive home. That half of what they picked goes bad, or they can’t give away enough blueberry jam to justify it. One thing to think about is freezing them. I always freeze my berries in 1-3 pound bags so I can easily thaw out a batch when I need it for muffins, jam, pie, smoothies, even blueberry zucchini bread. It takes little effort to make sure the berries you picked can be enjoyed for months to come. So bring the whole family on an afternoon of picking and a picnic. Enjoy the outdoors with the kids, then bring them home and teach them how to cook using what they just picked. It’s a great way to teach kids about the way food was supposed to be enjoyed.
For more information on locations to pick your own berries, check out pickyourown.org. They have directions to tons of farms listed all around Michigan, as well as directions on how to correctly freeze your berries. Once you get them home, visit allrecipes.com for some delicious recipes the whole family is going to love. Eat some, freeze some, and gift some. There’s so many things to do with our West Michigan blueberries.
Jacki Sorensen’s Aerobic Dancing
Get Fit! Have Fun!
Workout with Jacki Sorensen’s Fitness Classes! We combine stretching & flexibility, corework, weight training and aerobic exercise into each class. Jacki’s Aerobic classes use upbeat and motivating music and you can participate at your own level. Enjoy Jacki’s safe, effective, Get-It-All-Together approach to fitness!
Join our Festival of Dance Spring Session!
St. Johns Episcopal Church
524 Washington St., Grand Haven
Classes are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:00AM, Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30PM, unlimited dance!
Register at first Class.
You can pay by the session, the month, or the class.
Babysitting is Available
Grand Haven, MI
