Legacies

By Barb Tholin

Ain’t none of us gonna be here forever. If lucky, we’ll live to see four or five generations come and go before we pass out of this world.What will our legacy be? Time was when not much changed over four generations, but that’s sure not the times we’re in now. Now, change comes faster, and in unpredictable ways. The current financial crisis exemplifies this, and serves as a reminder of the importance of sound local economy and a healthy farm base. Some industrial food giants, whose growth was fueled not only by easy credit but by the extractive nature of their agricultural practices, have been hit hard. Their troubles now expose the lie of cheap food, as the real costs to us all are brought to light. This gives us a fresh chance to think about our food systems, to visualize what we want to leave behind as our contribution to sustainable grower and consumer practices, and to take whatever action is needed to make it happen.

Excerpted from the Letter from the Editor, Edible Grande Traverse, Winter 2008.

You’ve Got Milk

By Gary L. Howe

It’s an early Friday morning and Forest Mullins, aka the Milk Maiden, has just pulled into the Oryana Natural Foods Market parking lot in Traverse City. Her minivan is adorned with decals of cow spots on the hood and signs announcing her alias on the doors. She has arrived for her weekly rendezvous with the delivery truck from Shetler Family Dairy of Kalkaska. On this day she meets with driver Rod Fuller for a quick exchange of fresh, glass-bottled milk and the empty bottles from the week before. And then she’s off on her rounds.

Mullins has over a dozen homes scheduled for delivery on this day. In addition to Shetler milk, she delivers brick-oven bread from Pleasanton Bakery and locally roasted coffee from Great Northern Roasting Company, both of Traverse City, and free-range eggs from Halpin Farms of Kaleva. Each week, her goal is to hit all the homes on her route before most have left for work. Although no one is depending on an early delivery, she likes to keep up a quick pace. “I love to deliver things,” she expresses mid-stride at one stop. “You get great exercise, and everyone loves to receive things.” She’ll often run into clients on their porch when their hair is still wrapped in a towel or their kids are still getting ready for school.

Mullins dreamed up the delivery job after working a seasonal stint with UPS and researching the tradition online. “I love nostalgia,” she admits. “My generation just doesn’t have anything like this.”

A half-century or so ago, many homes had their milk and other perishables brought right to their doorstep. Mullins trusts that there are others who share her enthusiasm for the past, and who also recognize the value and convenience of fresh, local products being delivered directly to their homes. Since November 2007, when she started delivering to a group of friends, Mullins has depended on word of mouth to attract new customers, but her commitment to the “character” of the Milk Maiden has also helped her business grow. Many of her current customers were initially drawn to her services after seeing her as a walking billboard dressed in her authentic delivery uniform.

When people ask her about her unique career choice, a huge smile spreads across her face. “There is nothing else I’d rather be doing,’ she answers.

To sign up for deliveries and view current products, visit the Milk Maiden at www.milkmaiden.net.

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