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Shop local. Eat local. Locally grown. We hear these phrases daily. And in Ottawa County, those phrases mean a huge variety of foods – strawberries, cranberries, black beans, apples, blueberries, cheese, eggs, pork, and chicken are just to name a few. All of these foods and many more are grown right here in Ottawa County by the farmers who are our neighbors. And on June 9, Ottawa County Farm Bureau will partner with The Shops at Westshore to put on an event where these farmers will greet the public, answering questions about where food comes from, how it is produced, and why it is produced that way. The families attending this free event will enjoy a huge variety of product samples, exhibits, live animals, and one on one chats with farmers. Kids can take a break with bounce houses, activities, and food trucks.

“Educating consumers about where their food comes is a something that is weaved through everything we do here at Ottawa County Farm Bureau,” commented event chair Joe Austin. Austin is the Assistant County Administrator for Ottawa County Farm Bureau and will be using his event planning skills learned during his time with Muskegon’s Summer Celebration to put together this inaugural event in Holland. “Ottawa County producers want to tell their story. They are proud of what they do and that they have the privilege to feed their neighbors.”