Howdy, everyone! Well, what about this idea of getting together for a few days in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan in early October? I have done some preliminary work on a speaker via Michigan State University, but don't have anything firm yet. I have been waiting to see if more interest developed before trying harder for a speaker. We have a comfortable conference/retreat facility in Delta County (a beautiful ancestral house built in 1914, which we call This Rock) in which as many as ten people might comfortably stay and take meals, and there would be other housing available in the area if the group grew larger. Perhaps we could look at one or two conference days, and one or two tour days.
Besides a featured speaker we could offer
1. small group sessions led by Classroom at the Coop regulars
2. travel to area small-scale poultry facilities
3. travel to area antique shops, shopping, and dining
4. day trip to Door County, Wisconsin for dining, shopping, orchards, and antiques; and/or day trip to Mackinac Island for horse-drawn charm, shopping, and antiques
5. travel to beaches and parks on Lakes Superior and Michigan, and/or to state and national forest recreational areas
6. ample opportunities for restful conversation, camaraderie, and quality teas and coffees.
We would set up a schedule based on what people would request. Let me know if these possibilities interest you, or if other ideas come to mind. There is air service into Escanaba, and also into Marquette at Sawyer International Airport. This Rock is 30 miles south of Marquette, and 30 miles northwest of Escanaba. We would pick up anyone flying in to these airports and return you there for departure. Greyhound crosses the UP both ways on a daily schedule.
I would like to have a preliminary idea as to who might be interested by March 1, and we could set a final deadline a little later if enough people expressed initial interest.
Room and board at This Rock is comparable to room only at a Holiday Inn Express or Days Inn. Good motels, hotels, and restaurants are available within 30 miles. We would pool to cover modest transportation costs for day trips, and meals, tickets, etc. on those days would be Dutch treat.
If anyone is interested, please contact me directly via e-mail <smithhand@dreamscp.com> and put "chicken camp" in the subject line. I will limit what appears here to general interest items and announcements.

Dr. Smith, please, what is <Dutch treat>? (Couldn't you write in Flemisch rather than Dutch :-))
October would give me the opportunity to work over summer to pay for the fare. If I understand it right, I would have to fly to either Escabana or Marquette, both in Michigan? I will get information about possibilities and affordability. Anny

anny, Dutch Treat means everyone pays their own way, lunch, dinner, or whatever. (Don't ask how the expression began!--It is an old one!) NOW, if you can get to UP Michigan, you will have to find a way to also make it to the wild Western Montana! CJR

Jean, thank you. I don't promise but I'll work hard at it.
PS No wonder it is "Dutch" treat, we know why!

Dr. Bruce, what a wonderful idea! This is the first I've heard of it! Maybe I could somehow work it out to come, I'd love to meet all of you!

Hello Dr. Bruice Smith, I hope you will do a - tradition - for this happening. This year I can not be a member but may be in a near future. Bye, Johanne

If I wasn't so broke, I'd love to go. Perhaps in the future.

Hannah, and anyone else interested in trying to make it to the northwoods, would you please e-mail me so I have a return e-mail address for you? You can reach me at smithhand@dreamscp.com.
It looks like we may have enough people interested to make a small group. Let me hear from you soon!

Dr. Bruce,
like Johanne this year is impossible but I would just love to go in the future-I hope you get a group and can do this every year because I know it would be wonderful and maybe I could actually go some year. Good luck! Robin

Sounds like a wonderful event! This site has been such an AWESOME resource and the people on it so helpful I wouldn't want to miss it! My sister also may be interested. Do you have a particular date as she would need to get coverage for her horses, sheep, chickens, dogs, cats, ducks, etc. (me, I have a husband that is SO ATTACHED to our chickens that most mornings he beats me out the door to take care of them!)