Center Road Erosion on the Old Mission Peninsula | Kennedy Photo
Center Road Erosion on the Old Mission Peninsula | Kennedy Photo
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Here’s a roundup of OMP news and photos this week…

New Farm Stand Alert. My nephew, Nic Johnson (my brother Ward’s son), just opened a new farm stand on Center Road. If you’re heading north on Center, the cute red-and-white stand is on the left just before you get to the Smokey Hollow intersection. Everything is grown right on their farm, and he currently has small bags of peaches for $4 and $5, 1/2 bushel bags for $15, and sweet corn for .25 cents each. They’ve been selling out, so I recommend getting there early in the day.

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OMP News - Nic Johnson Farm Stand on Center Road, Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Nic Johnson’s Farm Stand on Center Road, Old Mission Peninsula | Carol Johnson Photo

Cigarette Boats in the Bay. Did you see or hear the cigarette boats in the bays today? I asked our readers on the Gazette Facebook page if anyone knew what the scoop was, and someone posted a story from the summer of 2020 about the first “Exotic Run,” organized by Rudy Torres, who owns Exotic Detailing in Traverse City. It’s unclear whether today was the second year of this event. If you know, tell us in the comments below. (Update: Rudy left a note on the Gazette Facebook page noting that this is the third year of the Exotic Run.)

Center Road Crumbles. In this week’s OMP Road Erosion News, Center Road is once again in the spotlight (last week, it was Center Road/the Hogsback and Bluff Road). This week, a large swath of the 9500 section of Center Road (between Montague Road and Gray Road) is crumbling. I talked with a resident there, who sent along a few pics from the bay side and noted that the legs to their stairs and the guardrail are just dangling there.

“The stairs are destroyed, and the road commission says it’s our responsibility and expense to rebuild, even though we repeatedly called and had them come out to inspect the erosion,” she notes. “The road commission was out one week prior to this telling me that erosion wasn’t a concern.” At this writing, there are traffic cones there; however, it’s unclear when this will be addressed.

Center Road Erosion on the Old Mission Peninsula | Kennedy Photo
Center Road Erosion on the Old Mission Peninsula | Kennedy Photo
Center Road Erosion on the Old Mission Peninsula | Kennedy Photo
Center Road Erosion on the Old Mission Peninsula | Kennedy Photo
Center Road Erosion on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Center Road Erosion on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo

Covid Memorial Tree. A special Covid Memorial Tree will be planted at Peninsula Community Library on Saturday, August 28, at 10 a.m. The tree, to be planted by the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society, will honor those who’ve lost their lives to the virus. If you’d like to submit the name of a loved one, or perhaps a brief anonymous message, fill out the form here. The Historical Society will place that information on a small, biodegradable card to be buried with the tree – symbolically becoming part of the life of the tree. A stone with a simple memorial plaque identifying the tree will be placed at its base.

Harvesting History. Also next weekend, on Sunday, August 29, the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society is hosting an event called “Harvesting History.” There are nine locations for the event, with different things happening at each one. Click here for more info.

Methodist Pastor Retires. Pastor Zelphia Mobley (known as “Pastor Z”) is retiring and moving back downstate where her family lives. A small farewell gathering was held at Bowers Harbor Park on Sunday, August 15. She has been serving Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church since July 1, 2019.

Pastor Zelphia Mobley at her farewell gathering, Bowers Harbor Park | Jane Boursaw Photo
Pastor Zelphia Mobley at her farewell gathering, Bowers Harbor Park | Jane Boursaw Photo
Pastor Zelphia Mobley at her farewell gathering, Bowers Harbor Park | Jane Boursaw Photo
Pastor Zelphia Mobley and pups at her farewell gathering, Bowers Harbor Park | Jane Boursaw Photo

Cherries Rescued. OMP farmers are always doing good things, and this week, they’re donating cherries for a great cause. Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan posted on their Instagram page yesterday: “We’re grateful for these rescued yellow tart cherries from Edmondson Orchards and Balaton cherries from Wunsch Farms. Here in the Cherry Capital of the World, we enjoy a bounty of beautiful, plump cherries, and lots of recipes to use them in. One of our favorites is this Cherry Cream Cheese Cake recipe from Dr Amy Lezzoni, a horticulture professor at Michigan State University.”

And also this: “Fun Fact: Dr. Lezzoni introduced Balaton cherries to the U.S. in the 1980s after discovering them in Hungary while searching for heartier tart cherry varieties that bloom later and might avoid the occasional Northern Michigan late freeze.”

Since 2008, Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan, a program of GoodWill, has collected soon-to-expire, fresh, healthy food and distributed it to the 70+ food pantries and community meal sites of the Northwest Food Coalition on the same day, at no cost to the pantries.

Rescued Cherries from Wunsch Farms | Food Rescue Photo
Rescued Cherries from Wunsch Farms | Food Rescue Photo

A NOTE FROM JANE: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper. Because the Gazette is mainly reader-supported, I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks my way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the OMP. Check out the donation page here. Thank you so much for your support. -jb

Bay View Insurance of Traverse City Michigan

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