Community Names Baby Giraffe Born at Binder Park Zoo “Dhoruba”

The results from Binder Park Zoo’s “Name the Baby Giraffe” contest are in! The community voted on four names for the youngster and the clear-cut winner was “Dhoruba” which means “Storm” in Swahili. Guests who visited Binder Park Zoo over the last few weeks could vote for their favorite name by dropping change, dollar bills, or Binder Park Zoo tokens into a tube corresponding with the name that they liked. All of the donations from the naming contest go toward the feeding and hand raising of the baby giraffe. Friends of the Zoo could also cast a vote online via Binder Park Zoo’s Facebook page through the Causes application. Four separate “Causes” were set up, one for each of the possible names. Voting was as simple as joining the Cause that corresponded with one of the names. After joining a Cause, members could invite their friends to join and had the option to make an additional donation, which would be added to the total for their favorite name.

Dhoruba has gained over 50 pounds since he was born and has grown to over 6 feet tall. He was 117 lbs at birth and was 5’6” tall. Gesi, the first baby giraffe born at Binder Park Zoo, can now be seen on exhibit with his mother, Jasiri. Since Dhoruba is being hand raised, he will be kept off exhibit where keepers can provide the best possible care for him.

For more information about Binder Park Zoo and the new giraffe go to www.binderparkzoo.org.

A Sweet and Savorty End to the Chef Series at the Holland Farmers Market.

Chef Angie K. Anderson, from up and coming Blue House Bistro in Holland, MI, will be presenting a sweet and savory end to the Chef Series at the Holland Farmers Market. She will be using common produce found at the Market in the fall to create some fabulous dishes. Combining two universally fall ingredients, Angie will make sweet potato doughnuts with an apple cider glaze. She’ll then follow up with a savory end of summer quiche.

Blue House Bistro, a new restaurant opening shortly in Holland, will feature a cozy bistro and garden patio for lunch, dinner and late-night dining. Combining local ingredients, seasonal specials, sommelier style drinks and superb service is at the heart of the Blue House Bistro mission.

Chef Angie K. began her culinary ambitions upon arriving in New Orleans in 1997. She spent the next nine years perfecting her craft at some of the finest restaurants in the area. When hurricane Katrina hit, Chef Angie K. found herself in Holland, MI, ready to draw upon her multitudes of culinary knowledge to bring a unique dining experience to its residents.

The Chef Series is held each Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Farmers Market from May 16 through September 12. The Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from mid-May to mid-December rain or shine. The City of Holland’s Department of Leisure and Cultural Services hosts the Market at the Eighth Street Marketplace in Downtown Holland. Visit www.hollandfarmersmarket.com or contact Market Master Candy Todd at 616-355-1138 for more information. No pets of any kind are allowed at the Market.

The 2009 Chef Series at the Farmers Market is sponsored by Visser Farms, a family farm in Zeeland that has been in business since 1902. Visser Farms is proud to grow everything from Acorn Squash to Zucchini. Please visit them on the web at www.visserfamilyfarms.com.

Bumper apple crop in the making: Growers anticipating high yields, good quality

Cool temperatures and heavy summer rains have apple growers in Michigan anticipating one of the state’s best apple crops in over a decade.

On average, Michigan produces about 20 million bushels of apples, according to the USDA. This year’s projection is estimated to be 25 to 27 million bushels.

According to Michigan Apple Committee Executive Director Denise Donohue, the weather has been close to ideal with plentiful precipitation in most areas and a near absence of severe storms. Most trees are also carrying heavy loads of apples so yield will be high.

The 2009 anticipated bountiful harvest is especially good news having come off a year when apple production was down about 30 percent from average. Despite overall cooperation from Mother Nature this growing season, several growers in the state suffered a setback this past weekend when a storm with high winds and heavy rains hit isolated pockets of apple growing regions near Sparta and Kent City.

“It is extremely unfortunate for growers any time there is damage to the apples, especially the trees,” said Donohue. “Some orchards and individual blocks of apples on the Fruit Ridge were devastated and suffered major damage.”

Even so, Donohue added that statewide the outlook is very promising and Michigan remains on track for a bumper crop. MAC estimates that about 5 - 8 percent of the crop was lost due to the storms.

Harvest has already commenced in Southern Michigan with the picking of Paula Reds and Ginger Golds. The state produces over 20 different varieties of apples for the commercial market.

Michigan is the third-largest apple producing state in the nation.

The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded, nonprofit organization devoted to promotion, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption by consumers in Michigan and around the world. For more information, visit MichiganApples.com.