July is National Picnic Month (as well as National Ice Cream Month AND Michigan Craft Beer Month). Seems like a great reason to celebrate in #PureMichigan, don't you agree?

1. 15 ways
to
CELEBRATE
National Picnic Month
in Pure
Dianna Stampfler

2. PromoteMichigan.com
The summer in Michigan is all about beach
parties, camping and picnics with family and
friends – even if that is a simple bar-b-cue in
your own back yard on a hot summer day.
Did you know, some of your favorite picnic
foods and beverages are made right here in
the Great Lakes State? As the second-most
agriculturally-diverse state in the country,
and a leader in quality food production, it’s
no wonder that everything you need for a
Pure Michigan picnic can be found locally!
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

3. PromoteMichigan.com
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan
Fire up the grill and choose your
favorite sausages, brats or hot
dogs from Flint-based Koegel
Meats or Hamtramck-
based Kowalski, Hebrew National
beef franks (made in Quincy) or
cherry burger from Pleva’s in
Cedar (Leelanau Peninsula).

4. PromoteMichigan.com
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan
Throw your dogs, brats or
burgers on buns from Aunt
Millie’s (with bakeries
around the state). Then,
top them with mustard
from Brownwood Farms
(Traverse City), cherry
ketchup from Cherry
Republic (Glen Arbor)
and McClure’s Pickle
Relish (Detroit).

5. PromoteMichigan.com
Burgers, brats and dogs also need fresh
product for topping – like onions and
tomatoes! Each year, Michigan harvests
nearly 100 million pounds of onions and
44 million pounds of tomatoes for fresh
market.
And don’t forget the cheese – like
Pinconning Cheese and William Cheese,
both from Pinconning. Find a list of local
creameries from the Michigan Cheese
Makers Cooperative!
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

6. PromoteMichigan.com
Summer means fresh, so any picnic
should include trays of crunchy veggies
for nibbling – like celery, carrots,
cucumbers and asparagus.
Did you know? Kalamazoo is the
“birthplace” of commercially-grown
celery, thanks to Scotsman George
Taylor who first planted it in 1856.
Today, Michigan ranks 2nd in the
nation—harvesting nearly 100 million
pounds a year!
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

7. PromoteMichigan.com
Did you know that the average ear of
sweet corn has 800 kernels? Or, that in an
average year, Michigan produces nearly
more than 101.1 million pounds for fresh
market, worth more than $23 million
(2009)? That means plenty of ears for the
family picnic!
And, don’t forget the Butterball Butter,
from Grand Rapids!
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

8. PromoteMichigan.com
One of the top side picnic side dishes is
potato salad. Michigan ranks #7 in the
nation for potato production with more
than 90 growers harvesting 1.4 billion
pounds each year (and contributing
$164 million to the state’s economy,
annually). Find all kinds of potato
recipes at MiPotato.com.
Other key ingredients, like celery,
onions, eggs and mustard can also be
sourced locally.
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

9. PromoteMichigan.com
Michigan is the #1 grower of
potatoes for the production of
potato chips – with 70% of
Michigan potatoes (round
whites) turned into chips. Among
the favorite producers are Better
Made (Detroit), Great Lakes
Potato Chips (Traverse City) &
Downey’s Chips (Waterford).
And, don’t forget the Country
Fresh Chip Dip!
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

10. PromoteMichigan.com
Watermelon is thought to have
originated in the Kalahari
Desert of Africa, with the first
recorded watermelon harvest
nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
Forty-four states grown
watermelon, ranking the U.S.
fifth worldwide in production.
Here in Michigan, Premier
Melon Company in Schoolcraft
is a top grower.
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

11. PromoteMichigan.com
Strawberry Shortcake is one of
summer’s most mouth-watering
desserts! Michigan grows strawberries
for both fresh and processed uses. In
2011, Michigan produced 43,000 tons of
fresh strawberries and 3,000 tons of
processed strawberries. The combined
productions generated $4.8 million. The
strawberry season starts in early June
and can extend into mid July. Berrien,
Leelanau, and Van Buren are Michigan’s
largest strawberry producing counties. Photo Credit: http://speedbumpkitchen.com/
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

12. PromoteMichigan.com
When it comes to dessert, Grand
Traverse Pie Company (originated in
Traverse City, but now in more than a
dozen cities around Michigan) dishes
up some of the tastiest flavors and
with more than a dozen locations
statewide (along with distribution at
many Kroger stores), you’re sure to
find one that pleases you. Or, head to
Crane’s Pie Pantry in Fennville, just
miles from the Saugatuck/Douglas
area and the Lake Michigan shore.
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

13. PromoteMichigan.com
Whether served a la mode with your pie,
shortcake, or in a cone or dish, ice cream
is a must for any picnic. Hudsonville Ice
Cream in Holland just launched four
Naturals flavors—Strawberry,
Chocolate Cocoa Bean, Vanilla Bean
and Sea Salt Caramel. Of course,
other “Pure Michigan” inspired flavors
can also be found at retail outlets,
restaurants and scoop shops statewide!
BONUS: July is National Ice Cream Month!
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

14. PromoteMichigan.com
Of course, beverages are also part of
the picnic menu. Stop by the market
and pick up a variety of flavors
of Faygo and Town Club Soda (both
made in Detroit), Vernor’s Ginger Ale
(invented in Detroit and first sold in
1866, making it the oldest soda in
America) or Northwoods Soda (made
in Williamsburg, near Traverse City).
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

15. PromoteMichigan.com
Thirsty for water? Grab a bottle
from Absopure, one of the top
10 water companies in the
United States (headquartered in
Plymouth). Ice Mountain Water
is bottled by Nestle in
Standwood. Cool Artesian Water
is bottled in Crystal Falls in the
Upper Peninsula. Mill Brook
Spring Water is based in Mount
Pleasant.
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan

16. PromoteMichigan.com
Adults will also enjoy Michigan
craft beer, Michigan wine,
Michigan spirits and Michigan
cider and mead found
throughout both peninsulas.
Michigan is home to more than
155 breweries, nearly 120
wineries, 30-plus spirit tasting
rooms and dozens of meaderies
and cideries. BONUS: July is
Michigan Craft Beer Month!
15 ways to CELEBRATE National Picnic Month in Pure Michigan