Seedy May discussed with Rachael Pressley and Dr. Michelle Seguin

The Portage Health Foundation Podcast is about to get to the roots of an incredible event series taking place this month with the title “Seedy May.” These four events are all free and open to the public starting May 12 and finishing up with a pair of events Memorial Day weekend. This Episode’s Guests - Rachael Pressley, Assistant Regional Planner for the Western U.P. Planning & Development Region - Dr. Michelle Seguin, Director of Community Health at Portage Health Foundation The podcasts starts by introducing listeners to the Western U.P. Food Systems Collaborative and the PHF Food Initiative. Dr. Michelle Seguin is involved with both, and said the efforts are complentary as the food culture in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan continues to strengthen. Pressley then explains the work that’s being done by Growing From the Heart, one of the many projects to come out of the colllaborative. “We believe food is a right,” she said. “Together we have committed to actively creating new processes, networks and infrastructure so that all the members of our community can access and enjoy the abundance of food offered by the land and water of the Western U.P.” Together with the Portage Lake Seed Library, they’ll be hosting the first event on the 12th at Porvoo Park. This episode was the second one where new Seed Library was discussed. Pressley is one of the organizers of it and said it’s now available free to all community members at the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton. Even those without a membership to the library. Additional Links - Seedy May Schedule, https://www.phfgive.org/news/seed-starting-and-plant-events-2021 - The Western UP Food Systems Collaborative website, https://www.wupfoodsystems.com - Information Growing From the Heart, https://www.wupfoodsystems.com/projects - PHF Food Initiative, https://www.phfgive.org/food (scroll down on the page to subscribe to our free quarterly email newsletter) - The Western UP Food Systems Collaboartive 2020 Annual Report, https://www.phfgive.org/news/western-up-food-systems-collaborative-highlights-2020-report