Published: July 01, 2008 07:03 pm            

Program connects festival, farm and fruit

Cherry Connection features orchard tour, exhibits and samples of cherry products

The National Cherry Festival and Michigan State University Extension invite you to escape to a 100-acre research farm in the heart of "Cherry Country."

Visit a productive orchard in Leelanau County, where fruit and festival come together at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station operated by Michigan State University Extension. Besides the guided orchard tours, there are exhibits and samples of the newest cherry products and technology inside the station. There are all sorts of "cherry" fun for the kids, including a petting zoo, hands-on experiments, kids poster coloring contest and many other activities.

Dates for the Cherry Connection are Monday, July 7- Friday, July 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cherry Connection offers BATA shuttles that will pick up visitors by the Traverse City Visitor's Center on Garland Street. Look for the Cherry Connection shuttle sign. The bus is scheduled to leave every half-hour from 9:30 a.m. until noon. The bus makes return trips back to Traverse City.

From the open space in Traverse City, go west on Grandview Parkway (1.5 miles) which becomes M-22. Continue on M-22 for 4.4 miles to Crain Hill Road; turn left for .7 miles. Turn right on County Road 633 (Center Highway) for 2.8 miles. The Northwest Michigan Research Station will be on the left. Total driving time is 15 minutes.

Cherry Connection is sponsored by Michigan Cherry Committee

        

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