One of the most recent efforts of Michigan Land Trustees is to develop land use policies with conservation easements. This would be an easement that would allow conscientious farmers to keep their land from being used for the production of bio-fuels. Another possibility is for organic farmers to insure that no chemical fertilizers will be used on the land by subsequent owners. These ideas were initiated by Ken Dahlberg, retired Political Science prof and board chair, and are being considered by a committee consisting of Suzanne Klein, an attorney, Lisa Phillips, a hydrologist with a concern for land use, and Maynard Kaufman, retired Religion Prof. and organic farmer. Ken Dahlberg is also active in state-wide groups such as the Climate Action Council and Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance.

Ron Klein, an attorney and goat farmer, is following the developments nationwide on the possibility of selling raw, or unpasteurized, milk and keeps the board informed on what governmental agencies are doing.

Norm Bober, a retired librarian and organic homesteader, has been the lead organizer of the Southwest Michigan Community Harvest Festival and is currently planning for the sixth annual event to be held on September 21, 2008. Each year has seen more people attend this event which is located at Tillers International in the Kalamazoo area. In 2007 over 1200 people enjoyed local musical groups as well as visiting with and buying produce from some 55 exhibitors and local organic growers. See www.swmiharvestfest.org.

MLT member, Lori Evesque, who had also been a leader for the Harvest Festival, extended the connections between growers and eaters by creating a listserv on the Internet.
See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EatLocalSWMich/.

Jan Ryan, a plant inspector for the Michigan Department of Agriculture, keeps the board informed about exotic new insect pests and how to deal with them.

Maynard Kaufman has been meeting with the Van Buren County Greens and the South Haven Democratic Club who will co-sponsor a series of videos on peak oil and climate change. Maynard is selecting the videos and will introduce them when they will be shown at the South Haven campus of Lake Michigan College as a free community education course in Fall of 2008.
He has been giving talks on energy issues to local groups based on his book, Adapting to the
End of Oil: Toward an Earth-Centered Spirituality.

Jon Towne, Newsletter Editor, had made the arrangements for one of the first Permaculture courses offered in Michigan, in 1987, and continues as our permaculture advisor.

MLT supports local food projects with small grants when funds are available. A recent grant went to a group in Kalamazoo focused on helping school children learn gardening.

Maynard Kaufman
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