Fall 2007 Michigan Apple Tour

(DeWitt, Mich.) – Sept 10, 2007
With autumn just around the corner, apple orchards across the state will soon be in full swing showcasing the many delicious apple varieties Michigan has to offer, as well as freshly pressed cider and homemade pies, donuts and other desserts.

For those wanting to experience some of the state’s finest apple country, a newly launched website – www.MichiganAppleTours.com – has turn-by-turn directions to take you from one outstanding orchard to the next.  Developed by Promote Michigan, the new site features three fun routes: Northwest Michigan, Southwest Michigan and Central West Michigan. 

“This is an excellent resource to have at the fingertips of tourists and apple fans alike,” said Denise Yockey, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee.  “People have been asking us for something like this for quite some time and now it’s readily available on the web.”

Some two dozen orchards are featured along the three main routes, with an additional 55 farms also listed.  Each trip includes directions, as well as maps, photographs and contact information – including website links whenever possible – for the featured properties.

“Narrowing down the list of featured farms was a challenge,” Promote Michigan’s Dianna Stampfler said.  “I selected those that offered fun family activities such as wagon rides, corn mazes, petting zoos and even nature trails.  I also looked for destinations that provided a large number of apple varieties, as well as other products such as cider, apple butter, jams and even crafts and home decorating items.”

The longest of the tours is the 131-mile southwest route, which begins and ends at the South Haven Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.  This trip takes tourists through Van Buren and Berrien counties with stops in Bangor, Coloma, Eau Claire, Niles, Baroda, Berrien Springs and St. Joseph.

The route through central west Michigan is about 68-miles long, starting at the Coopersville Farm Museum.  It travels through a heavily populated growing region known as “The Fruit Ridge,” which includes Conklin, Casnovia, Kent City, Sparta and Grand Rapids.

The 92-mile northwest route starts at the Traverse City Visitor’s Center and travels north through Williamsburg, Kewadin, Atwood/Ellsworth and Bellaire before heading back to town.  Side trips along the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas are also spotlighted. 

The goal is to add more tour routes to the site in the future, heading east across the state to other prime growing regions.

According to the Michigan Apple Committee, apples are Michigan’s most valuable fruit crop, with a value of about $100-miilion annually to the apple grower. There are more than 8 million apple trees in commercial production, covering 37,000 acres on 950 family-run farms throughout Michigan’s Lower Peninsula – making apples the largest fruit crop grown in Michigan.

See the attached Michigan Apple Fact Sheet for additional information. Or, for more about Michigan apples, log on to www.michiganapples.com Resources for this project were provided by the Michigan Apple Committee, Michigan Department of Agriculture, Travel Michigan and Michigan Use Institute.   

October 10th Michiana Chapter Fall Color Tour

The 2007 Fall Color Tour will begin at Robinettes Apple Haus (www.robinettes.com) at 3142 4 Mile Rd NE at the East Beltline (M44), just minutes north east of Grand Rapids, MI.  We will meet at 1:30 under the tent with the BMW logo and we will depart at 2:15. Look for special BMWCCA parking across the road in the orchard.  Please come early and enjoy lunch at the restaurant, take a horse drawn tour of the orchard or check out the cider press.  Robinettes also offers wine tasting for $3 per person or $5 per couple and shopping in their art gallery and gift shop.  We should mention the winding color tour route through Kent County will take in two historic covered bridges; the second bridge is one that you can drive on, so bring your camera for great photos!  In addition, the route will include a complete parade lap of the Grattan Raceway for everyone who has ever wanted to drive this great racetrack without stuffing a roll bar in your Bimmer.  Credit and thanks goes to the Alfa Romeo Detroit Club for coordinating this.  Dinner will be at 5:00 at the historic Bostwick Lake Inn (www.bostwicklakeinn.com) on Belding Road in Rockford. Cost is $10 per person due at the start of the event, which includes dinner!   Please RSVP to Matt Westgate by OCT 9th at (231) 856-7771 or matthewwestgate@hotmail.com

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