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Martha's Story


Northern Harvest: Twenty Michigan Women in Food and Farming
https://www.waynesupress.wayne.edu/books/detail/northern-harvest

MARTHA RYAN

Martha has done so many things in the food business that I found it almost impossible to decide into which of the different rubrics in my book to place her story.  Her biggest venture was to open her own restaurant in Suttons Bay, Martha’s Leelanau Table, which celebrated its tenth year in 2018.
About her experience serving as the food service director of Leland Public Schools where she had to be creative on a very small food budget and at the same time to push back against pre-prepared foods and/or government surplus, she gave this example:

“I had a sense that I should not be buying apples shipped in from Washington, when there were apples sitting in Leelanau County that were fresh and grown in Leelanau County.”

With respect to her own childhood experience with the kitchen, she said of her mother:

“She took a lot of pride in feeding us really good food.  My job was never to assist her with cooking.”

In spite of this—or maybe on account of this?—Martha’s career in each of its stages has been to prepare and to serve others with “really good food.” 

 To read more of Martha’s story and the stories of 19 other amazing women in the food business you can order the book directly from Wayne State University Press or online from your favorite bookstore. And think of it as a great Mother’s Day gift! Publication is May 5.

In this stressful and dangerous time of the pandemic Martha’s Leelanau Table is doing take out and delivery 7 nights/week from 4-8 p.m. To order call 231-271-2344 starting at 3 p.m. Look for the menu at

marthasleelanautable.com



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