Almanac

Every year the Conservancy sends out appeals for support to further our mission of protecting land, and every year we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the generosity of our donors. We have found that spending time writing simple yet personal “thank you” notes for our donors is a fantastic way to share our appreciation.

GTRLC will provide all materials for writing “thank you” notes, but please feel free to bring your own writing utensil if you prefer.

Directions: Please meet us at the Conservation Center at Mitchell Creek Meadows Nature Preserve. Park in any designated space and come in the front entrance. We’ll meet you there and put you to work!

The purpose of the East Bay Corners Farmers Market is to provide fresh and locally grown products, educate the public on the importance of farming best practices, promote local agriculturally based business development, forge partnerships with local farmers and community partners, and create a community gathering space at the Township Hall. East Bay Corners Farmers Market accepts SNAP/EBT benefits and also offers a Power of Produce program for kids ages 5-13. There is family-friendly programming throughout the summer including live music, food trucks, and family game nights. It is a great night out for the whole family.

The Market will open on June 5, 2025 and run until October 2, 2025. It will be held on Thursdays from 2:00pm to 6:00pm at the Township Hall at 1965 N. 3 Mile Road Traverse City, MI 49696. More information about the East Bay Corners Farmers Market and other Food Security programs can be found on the East Bay Township website by visiting: https://eastbaytwp.org/residents/food_security.php

PUPPET SHOWS * STORIES * CRAFTS * ACTIVITIES * PRIZES

Join us for fun with the always hilarious Benzonia Public Library Puppet Lab this summer. There will be fan favorites, along with a NEW friend that we are very excited to introduce to you!

You do NOT need to be a member to Benzonia Public Library to participate, all are welcome!
More details are available at www.benzonialibrary.org/summer-reading-program-2025.html

Fiddleheads presents: Artist in Residence Series with host, Sierra Cassidy.

The series kicks off on June 19th and is every other Thursday from 5:30-8pm through the summer (6/19-9/25). Local musician and host, Sierra Cassidy kicks off each concert with a 30 minute set to be followed by a rotating touring, but Michigan- based singer-songwriter.

The events are free, outdoors, and family-friendly. We are encouraging folks to come have dinner at Fiddleheads and enjoy a night of free music and community.

July 17th artist is Elizabeth Landry

This is rain or shine series!

Book Club meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm

Join us quarterly to discuss nonfiction books concerning mental and physical wellness. Facilitators for the discussions will be professional mental health providers courtesy of Head and Heart Therapeutic Services and Open Space Counseling.

This quarter's book is Wintering: The Power of Rest & Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

An intimate, revelatory book exploring the ways we can care for and repair ourselves when life knocks us down. Sometimes you slip through the cracks: unforeseen circumstances like an abrupt illness, the death of a loved one, a break up, or a job loss can derail a life.

These periods of dislocation can be lonely and unexpected. For May, her husband fell ill, her son stopped attending school, and her own medical issues led her to leave a demanding job. Wintering explores how she not only endured this painful time, but embraced the singular opportunities it offered. A moving personal narrative shot through with lessons from literature, mythology, and the natural world, May's story offers instruction on the transformative power of rest and retreat.

Illumination emerges from many sources: solstice celebrations and dormice hibernation, C.S. Lewis and Sylvia Plath, swimming in icy waters and sailing Arctic seas. Ultimately Wintering invites us to change how we relate to our own fallow times. May models an active acceptance of sadness and finds nourishment in deep retreat, joy in the hushed beauty of winter, and encouragement in understanding life as cyclical, not linear. A secular mystic, May forms a guiding philosophy for transforming the hardships that arise before the ushering in of a new season.

Join Solstice Ensemble for a special FREE performance at Oliver Art Center! 

The Solstice Ensemble plays everything from baroque to tango for the unusual combination of flute, violin, recorder, cello, and piano. These five musicians initially connected as members of the Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra, and now they play together as a chamber group.

Reserve tickets at : https://www.tickettailor.com/events/oliverart/1637245

Steve Stargardt, piano, Crispin Cambell, cellist, and Joe Wilson, guitar and dobro will offer a program at Church in the Hills, Bellaire on Thursday July 17^th at 7:00.

This concert will offer a wide variety of styles and has been received very well by past audiences.

Tickets will be available at the door. $20 Adults, $10 Students.

July 17, 7pm – Billy and the Kid – local bluegrass/roots

Just steps from the bonfire circle, guests can peer into the cosmos at Leelanau’s own Lanphier Observatory. Featuring a 14-foot Celestron telescope and guided by local expert Norm Wheeler and Leelanau faculty member Elizabeth Wolterink, these stargazing nights offer breathtaking views and constellation storytelling for curious minds of all ages.

Summer 2025 Schedule (10 PM–Midnight, weather permitting):

June: 25, 26

July: 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 30, 31

August: 6, 13, 14, 20, 21

Admission: Adults $5 | Students $4

Location & Access:
All guests may park in any Leelanau School lot and walk the scenic boardwalk across the Crystal River to reach the bonfire circle or Lanphier Observatory. Adventurous visitors may also walk in along the beach. The observatory is easily spotted nestled between the lakeshore and trees.