Medical Marijuana Growing in Wakeshma Township

By Sue Moore

“We grow things here,” quipped Wakeshma Township Supervisor Jason Gatlin. “Corn, soy beans, pumpkins – and now medical marijuana.”

The township approved an ordinance last December to allow growing and processing marijuana, a possible testing facility and a transportation facility license within the township boundaries. It does not permit marijuana planting in fields. It can only be grown in indoor facilities, Gatlin said.

Nobody has broken ground yet. Gatlin said the township has received approximately $30,000 in application fees from outside entities. “I’ve received calls from interested parties from as far away as Texas, New York, California, Colorado and Washington state. We have the right space and the right place.”

The state will come in to do inspections of each facility licensed for levels of 500, 1,000 or 1500 plants. Licenses may be stacked, so there are opportunities for growers to expand their business in the future. Stacking is at the township’s discretion. The application fee is $5,000 per year per license for a grower, paid to the township. No dispensaries will be allowed. “There is a lot to the whole thing. Farming is what we do out here, so we feel this an appropriate area for growing” Gatlin said.

“Our plan is to use the marijuana licensing fees for township betterment.” To this end, the approximate $30,000 has been spent on taking down some dilapidated buildings in the township that are dangerous, having been condemned many years ago. There have been objections to this from the owners,” Gatlin pointed out.

“The land here is vast and our population is small; the 2010 census showed 1,414 residents. Investors may come in and buy or lease. Those who are quicker to get into this new market will likely make more money. That’s what is bringing the interest in so fast,” Supervisor Gatlin said.

A resident voiced some concerns about the passage of the medical marijuana ordinance in the township. Facilities are regulated and controlled by the state, she was told. The state has special software for the facilities and cameras will see everything from sales to measuring to growing. The number of licenses was uncapped to allow license stacking in order for growers to have the opportunity to develop a long-term relationship with the township and the community.

Dispensaries were brought up during a recent presentation at one of the township Board meetings. The Board voted to uphold the decision for no dispensary licenses to be issued within the township. Even though they are not permitted in the township currently, the Board could always change that in the future if they feel it is beneficial for the residents, Gatlin pointed out.

Harvest Festival Shows Vicksburg’s Agricultural Heritage

Wagon rides through the village of Vicksburg will be a feature of the Harvest Festival for the many families attending the event.

Vendors will have fall harvest vegetables and fruit for sale.

By Sue Moore

Something for everyone will be on tap for visitors to the 10th annual Harvest Festival, sponsored by the Vicksburg Historical Society on Sunday, Sept. 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Historic Village on N. Richardson Street. It is free.

Richard Barnes will be there with his sawmill demonstration. The West Michigan Wood Turners will be turning wood into beautiful objects. Rich Salvaggio will be making apple cider and providing samples to drink made from apples donated by Vicksburg Farmers’ Market vendor Nick Fox. Dale Sult and his group of merry men will have antique tractors on display.

A pie baking competition, a pumpkin decorating contest and a pumpkin weight guessing game will take place. A secret word and secret picture search will go on all day for the little people. A 50/50 drawing will be part of the Harvest Festival as a fundraiser for the Historical Society.

There will be animals to gawk at or pet. A free hayride wagon pulled by a team of horses will take families around the town. The Depot Museum’s Ford Model A car will be available for short rides to experience what riding in one of these early cars was like.

These activities and more have been organized by a team headed by Charlie Church as chair and assisted by past chairmen John Polasek and Don Wiertella. Together they have a strong band of community volunteers who have been helping with the festival since its inception. The initial idea for a Harvest Festival came from Pat Oswalt, whose family had had a large dairy farm on the outskirts of Vicksburg. She had been giving tours to school children for many years and recognized that the Historical Society could best feature this community’s agricultural roots in a celebration of the harvest.

That’s why vendors from the Farmers’ Market will be plying their wares as will makers of things, who will be on site to sell their work at the community pavilion.

The pumpkin decorating contest for children 5 to 12 years old requires entries to be delivered to the Depot Museum on Saturday, Sept. 29 between 1 and 6 p.m. The winners will be announced at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. The pie baking contest will take place on Sunday at 10:30 a.m., so entries must be there in the morning before that time. Winners will be announced at noon. Then the pies will be sliced and offered for sale at $2 each.

Applications for the pumpkin and pie baking contests will be available at the Church Insurance Agency at 125 E. Prairie St. and at the Depot Museum on Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. in September.

The buildings in the Historic Village will be open for tours with docents available to explain the history and contents of the print shop, general store, Doris Lee Sweet shop, school house, township hall, garage and farm house. The Historic Village continues to grow as part of the work of the Vicksburg Historical Society which is open during the fall on the weekends from 1-5 p.m. each day for researching and viewing the collection of artifacts at the Depot Museum and on the grounds of the Historic Village.

Wind + James Put on Boss Babe Expo in Schoolcraft

Gretchen Leguizamon, Deanna Nellenbach, Windy Clark, Molly Sell and Marci Frederickson have big plans for the first Boss Babe Expo to be held in Schoolcraft.

Chloe Nellenbach, Charli Clark, Megan Frederickson and Lila Nellenbach will welcome visitors to Wind + James Boss Babe Expo.

By Sue Moore

Hundreds of people are expected to descend upon Schoolcraft for the largest Wind + James event the business has sponsored since starting in business. It is called Boss Babe Expo and will take place on Saturday, September 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the new facility at 555 E. Eliza Street.

“We want to connect women entrepreneurs, so they can build and grow their businesses. Over 45 vendors have registered for this event that is all about women supporting women by working together,” said Windy Clark, the owner of Wind + James. “We will have crafters, bakers, beauty art, wellness, fitness, fashion and more.”

The Boss Babe Expo will feature favorite women-led brands and businesses, DIY workshops, fitness classes, influencers, craft cocktails, jams and bites. Clark said she was looking for and curating the best selection of boutiques, jewelers, artist, calligraphers, beauticians, crafters, designers, photographers, florist, bakers, caterers, baristas and more to be vendors at the event. Clark plans to make Boss Babe Expo the ultimate girls day out. “The goal is to bring customers the brightest and most ‘of the moment’” experiences for one epic event!”

It’s a free event for those who come to see what the vendors have to offer, according to Clark. There will be entertainment and an Organic Gypsy food truck. The Millennium Group is doing a mini taco station. Skylar Yoo is selling a T-shirt designed especially for the Boss Babe Expo that says, “Girls to the Front.” The whole thing will take place in the courtyard of the Wind + James facility, Clark said.

A fundraiser within the event is a Pointe Shoe Paint Party. The cost is $25 per shoe plus paint for people to unleash their creativity, said Clark. Proceeds benefit the Traveling Tutus, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing the joy of dance to children worldwide. They are also collecting gently used dancewear and recital costumes.