Chances are, somewhere on your commute through Michiana, there is a building you pass by regularly and wonder, “what do they do there?”

You may have a favorite local coffee shop where you enjoy a treat that satisfies your sweet tooth so perfectly that you wonder, “who made this?”

If you are really curious, on a sweep through the produce aisle at the grocery store, you may pick up a vegetable and wonder, “what farm did this come from?”

In this year’s issue of Horizons — which is inside your newspapers today — we sought to answer many of these questions and more, focusing on all things “Made in Michiana.”

As you see on our cover, the definition of “made” is vast, and encompasses a wide range of trades. We tried to hit as many as we could.

Part of the fruit belt, southwest Michigan is rich in agriculture, with thousands of farms in Berrien and Cass counties. The hard work that starts on these farms translates into meals on our tables, wine in our glasses and food in our freezers. We featured many of the farmers who bust their backs to feed us.

Speaking of food, we filled our bellies talking to creative culinary experts such as the sisters who comprise The Dough Parlor, an up-and-coming edible cookie dough business, and also learned from soon-to-open Iron Shoe Distillery how to make bourbon.

In some of those buildings that may have drawn your curiosity, pieces of widgets that are used in products all over the world are made right here in southwest Michigan. As we prepared Horizons, we talked to many local industry leaders about what they make, and the impact they have, not only on the local economy, but globally as well.

Then, we talked to all sorts of artisans with a wide range of trades — from an 18th Century-style cooper to a locally famous tattoo artist to a Dowagiac man who makes art by burning wood. 

We learned that there is no end of “makers” in Michiana, and that these crafts have not only made a big impact in our communities, but come with great stories of connections made and people helped.

Take, for example, Mary Cramer, who volunteers her time to make mats for the homeless out of recycled grocery sacks, or Delta Machining, which helps pay tuition for aspiring machinists as they earn their degrees.

We heard star-studded stories of art impacting big names, like the musicians who have worn guitar straps made in Buchanan at Souldier (read: Aerosmith, Stone Temple Pilots, and so many more!). Local woodworker and knife maker Terry Truesdell once made a set of knives for his friend, Roger Ebert.

While we could not feature every local maker in the Michiana region, we did our best to share impactful stories of the hard work and perseverance it takes to hone a craft — and the fun anecdotes that come along the way. We hope that now, on your daily commute, you can share the answers to some of those questions you have pondered, and some fun stories to go with them!

 

Ambrosia Neldon is the general manager at Leader Publications. She can be reached by phone at (269) 687-7700 or by email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com