Piled into a yellow school bus, two and three to a seat, we bounced in our seats and played tic-tac-toe on the window as if we were in elementary school again. As the bus trundled past towards the Indiana countryside, Chicago and the university receded into the distance. We were going apple picking and—for a few precious hours— nothing else mattered.

Did You Know?

• China is the world's largest producer of apples, followed by the United States.
• Using two or three kinds of apples gives apple pies and crisps more flavor.
• Apples are a good source of potassium, folic acid, Vitamin C, and fiber.

Find It!

• 59 farms from Manistee to the Mackinac Bridge sell apples. To find a farm, visit www.localdifference.org, click on "search now" in the "find a farm box," then click "apples" and the county you're interested in for a list of farms near you.

Try It!

• Sliced apples, cheddar cheese, and whole grain toast makes a hearty, simple lunch or snack. 
• Dip apple slices in locally made cream honey for a refreshing dessert.
• Apple Crisp

Wash and slice ten or twelve apples (use two or more varieties for best flavor) and put them in an ovenproof casserole dish with a squirt of lemon juice. Melt half a stick of butter. Stir together 11/4 cup oatmeal, ¾ cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves, then mix in the melted butter. Pour the topping over the apples and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.

• Spiced Apple Chutney, from How to be a Domestic Goddess
  1 pound apples (2-3 different varieties), peeled and coarsely chopped
  1 medium onion, finely chopped
  2 small red chilies, seeds removed and finely chopped
  11/4 cups sugar
  1 tsp allspice
  1 tsp cloves
  ½ tsp salt
  Black pepper
  1 heaping tbsp grated fresh ginger
  1 tsp turmeric
  11/2 cups cider vinegar
  
  Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 30-40 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Spoon into four clean 8-ounce jars and let them cool. Makes 1 quart and tastes great with meat, poultry, and chickpea dishes.

Taste the Local Difference is part of the Michigan Land Use Institute's Entrepreneurial Agriculture Project, which aims to grow jobs, save farmland, and build healthier communities with food that's thousands of miles fresher. Find more than 200 farms and fishers who sell fresh foods on their farms, in farmers markets, and to restaurants and stores at www.LocalDifference.org . TLD lead sponsors are Traverse City State Bank, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indian, and the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce.