Michigan
From hop to cranberries to mint: 10 surprising things that grow in Michigan
During your next trip for groceries at the local farmer’s market, stop to read where most of your produce comes from. You’ll find that diet staples like asparagus and mint are native to Michigan.
The Mitten State is a top producer in many of the following crops but some native plants are just being revived through small, local initiatives. Wild rice was once found in abundance along the shores of Lake Michigan and the state’s indigenous tribes are working to conserve and maintain what is left of Michigan’s wild rice fields.
More recently, hop farms grew in popularity in the early 2000s as farmers began to utilize the vines’ buds for flavoring alcohol during the distilling process, and wild purple flowers found in Michigan fields are the perfect addition to salads.
More: Michigan farmers enjoy state’s diverse agriculture
Wild rice
The Native American Anishinaabe Tribe called Michigan home before the Great Migration and sustained itself on the widely popular grain manoomin, or wild rice. The crop grew in abundance along the shores of Lake Superior, land now claimed by the Council of Three Fires, representing the Chippewa, Odawa, and Potawatomi.
In 2017, Michigan’s 12 federally recognized tribes worked with state officials to begin the Wild Rice Initiative — a 30-year plan to conserve the state’s wild rice fields and maintain their historical, and cultural importance.
Wild rice production decreased dramatically since the 1900s after the destruction of thousands of acres of wetlands to support farms, settlements, mining, and lodging.
Michigan apples: The harvest is expected to be a sweet bushel buster
Pawpaws
Filled with a sweet, creamy custard akin to the flavor of a banana or mango, pawpaws are native to Michigan and 25 other Midwestern states.
Michigan’s Village of Paw Paw, located halfway between Detroit and Chicago, according to its website, was named after the nearby river, which was named after the pawpaw fruit by the Indigenous population.
More: Fall is pawpaw season in Michigan: What to know about native fruit
On his farm in Ann Arbor, Marc Boone has an orchard of nearly 300 pawpaw trees.
When in season, and noting the three-day shelf life, Boone’s pawpaws can be found at Argus Farm Stop locations in Ann Arbor and the Agricole Farm Stop in Chelsea.
Michigan also has maple syrup: Haigh’s Maple Syrup farm in Bellevue has been producing for 45 years
Hops
Ever wonder what’s responsible for giving beer its bitterness and strong aroma? The secret is a small budding plant called hop, a plant of which Michigan was once a top producer.
Michigan’s hop production dropped from 720 acres harvested in 2017 to 380 acres in 2022 and 2023, according to the latest report from Hop Growers of America. Today, seven hop farms remain in operation across the state located across central and southern Michigan.
Rewind: Michigan grows to No. 1 in hops production outside Pacific Northwest
Cranberries
If you find yourself indulging in an Ocean Spray cranberry product, you’re likely enjoying the product of South Haven’s DeGrandchamp Farms.
Founded in 1958, DeGrandchamp’s family-owned farm has nearly 40 acres of cranberries and is the feature component in national favorites Ocean Spray and Naturipe. According to the Michigan Ag Council, the state has nearly 280 acres of cranberries in season from September to November.
The Michigan Cranberry Co., founded in 1991, is located in Cheboygan and harvests more than 3 million pounds of cranberries on more than 200 total acres. They account for three-fourths of the state’s cranberry production, making it the largest cranberry farm in the state.
Travel: Take a trip to Wisconsin’s cranberry marshes
Asparagus
During the early summer months, Michigan asparagus farmers produce about 20 million pounds of asparagus, according to the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board, making Michigan the second-largest producer in the country.
The long green vegetable rich in vitamins K and B contains cancer-fighting antioxidants and takes nearly three years to grow. Across the state, there are 10,000 acres dedicated to asparagus.
Asparagus enthusiasts should take a trip to Oceana County’s Hart for the 50th anniversary of the National Asparagus Festival. Celebrated the second week of June since 1974, event activities include the crowing of an Asparagus Queen, parade, arts and crafts show, and 5K run.
Wild flowers and mushrooms
Have you ever seen a plant so beautiful and delicate you just need to taste it? Well, if you’re on a hike in Michigan and looking in the right places, there’s an array of wild edible flowers and mushrooms to be found.
Located in shaded areas with moist soil in early summer, wild violet tastes best when the plant features five petals in a butterfly shape. The leaves taste like lettuce or sweet peas, making them great additions to a salad, with the flowers holding a sweet, floral taste.
Michigan has about nine edible mushrooms, according to the Michigan United Conservation Club, located in nearly every region of the state. On trees throughout the state, one can find Bear’s Head Tooth, which takes after the appearance of furry, white mold; and Hen of the Woods, which looks like a giant acorn.
Other edible mushrooms include the King Bolete and Golden Chanterelle, both found along the shores of northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. For those planning mushroom hunting, review Michigan’s 50 poisonous mushroom species.
Michigan morel mushroom season: Where to pick, what to know
Cactus
Eastern prickly pear, the cactus native to Lake Michigan’s shoreline, is spreading, with ecologists reporting the plant growing across the U.P.
For Subscribers: Michigan Tech student discovers cactus plant in mountains of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Michigan’s second native cactus, the fragile prickly pear, blooms a large yellow flower and faces extinction across the state, according to reports by Michigan State University.
Mint
Clinton County’s Crosby Mint Farm is the oldest operating mint farm in the country with roots dating to 1912.
By the turn of the century, 90% of the world’s supply of mint oil came from the 90-mile radius around Kalamazoo, according to Michigan State University.
After facing near foreclosure in 2006, the Crosby Mint Farm expanded to 6 acres in Tucson, Arizona, expanding into Arizona’s farmer’s markets. The farm is known for its spearmint and peppermint oils and an array of distilled oil products.
Sugar
More than 1 billion pounds of sugar is produced across Michigan’s nearly 900 sugar beet farms. The sugar beet is a root crop, which is sliced and processed down into sugar cane and molasses.
All of the state’s sugar beet growers send their yield to Michigan Sugar, the state’s only sugar producer and the third largest in the country. Michigan Sugar harvests 160,000 acres of sugar beets each year, amounting to nearly 1.2 billion pounds of processed sugar.
More: Residents upset about odor lose decision against Michigan Sugar
Blueberries
More than 500 family farms across the state of Michigan harvest more than 20,000 acres of blueberry fields each year, making Michigan one of the largest blueberry-producing states.
Lawsuit against Michigan blueberry farm alleges labor trafficking violations
While many Michigan blueberry farms are responsible for high-yield production, some maintain the tradition of self-picking during the berry’s ripening season from July to September. U-Pick farms can be found from Grand Haven to Detroit to Ann Arbor, find a full list here.
Michigan
Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status
Twenty-four thousand immigrants in Michigan have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), but a recent Supreme Court decision could put their protection in jeopardy.
TPS is a humanitarian protection granted to U.S. immigrants fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries, often from natural disasters or political instability. The status allows immigrants from the designated countries to live and work in the U.S.
The Supreme Court overturned those for 356,000 Haitians and Syrians in a recent decision. While the court’s decision directly impacted Haitian and Syrian immigrants, it also established that the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to determine TPS status without judicial review or input from the courts.
That means that the Secretary of Homeland Security can eliminate TPS for any immigrant group that is currently in the U.S. under protection. That puts 1.3 million immigrants in the U.S. at risk of deportation. In Florida, 113,000 healthcare workers with TPS are at risk of deportation. The Haitian population in Philadelphia is also expressing concerns about what comes next for them.
“The Supreme Court turned its back on our moral and legal commitments to people seeking safety,” said Christine Sauvé, manager of Policy and Communication at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “The decision eliminates legal protections for people fleeing danger and allows the Trump Administration to really advance its mass deportation agenda.”
Left without the ability to live or work in the U.S., these Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS now face deportation. But going back home could still be incredibly dangerous.
“It’s not really an option to go back to their home country,” said Melanie Goldberg, immigration attorney with the Institute of Metro Detroit. “In the case of Haiti, they don’t even have an airport in Port-au-Prince that’s operational. Yet they say it’s safe for these citizens to go back.”
In Michigan, immigrants with TPS have contributed $349 million to the state’s economy, a sign that they are deeply embedded in the community, according to Sauvé.
“Many TPS holders have been in our communities for a very long time,” Sauvé said. “They’ve really spent decades building their lives here in Michigan. We welcomed them here, only to see that completely ripped away with the stroke of a pen.”
The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center encourages Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS, as well as any immigrants in the U.S. with a TPS designation, to seek out a qualified legal service provider and review the “Know Your Rights” Materials on the MIRC’s website
Michigan
Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations
A former University of Michigan assistant whose relationship with ex-coach Sherrone Moore was under investigation is accusing university officials of refusing to provide records related to the probe.
Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in Washtenaw Circuit Court, claiming that U of M “arbitrarily and capriciously” violated the Michigan Freedom of Information Act by repeatedly denying her requests. Shiver and her legal team are seeking a court order requiring the university to disclose the records.
The lawsuit also alleges that throughout Shiver’s four-year employment with U of M, she was “discriminated against and subjected to a hostile work environment on the basis of her sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Michigan law including Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.”
“The lawsuit filed today demands transparency and accountability from the University of Michigan, President Grasso and the Board of Regents,” said Shiver’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth.
On Wednesday, CBS News Detroit reached out to U of M, which says it has no comment.
The investigation led to Moore’s firing in December 2025. At the time, it was determined that he was in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, who was later identified as Shiver.
Moore was arrested hours later after authorities said he went to Shiver’s home and threatened to harm himself. He was charged with third-degree felony home invasion, as well as misdemeanor counts of stalking and of breaking and entering. Moore was sentenced to 18 months’ probation after pleading no contest to the two misdemeanor charges.
According to the lawsuit, Shiver filed a FOIA request in February 2026 for audio, video and transcripts of interviews of herself, her father, Jeff Shiver, and Moore. The lawsuit alleges that the university denied her request, citing the ongoing investigation.
The lawsuit alleges that Shiver submitted a similar request months later, in June, but was told by the university that it was “overly broad and vague” and “does not describe a ‘public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.’”
The lawsuit claims that requests were submitted in March and May, respectively, for all emails sent to the law firm Jenner & Block (UMconcerns@jenner.com) and for recordings of Shiver’s meetings by the university through Jenner & Block. However, those requests were denied because the university cited that it had no responsive records, according to the lawsuit.
The law firm was hired by U of M to investigate Moore and Shiver’s relationship. The university later expanded the investigation to include the athletic department.
The lawsuit also claims that Shiver requested copies of emails between Moore and athletic director Warde Manuel that contained the words “affair,” “discipline,” “pregnancy,” “baby” and “abortion.” The university denied the request, citing the communication between U of M employees as “exempt information,” according to the lawsuit.
However, Shiver’s legal team argued that the university has not shown evidence that the emails are exempt.
“This public university paid Jenner & Block $12 million to investigate the Sherrone Moore scandal and the abuse, Title IX and Title VII violations within the athletic department and Schembechler Hall, yet now refuses to release the investigation’s findings. It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out,” Stroth said.
Shiver appeared on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in April to discuss her relationship with Moore. In the interview, she said she became pregnant by Moore and sought an abortion after medical complications were discovered about the pregnancy.
Note: The video above previously aired on April 14, 2026.
Michigan
‘Big Brother’ season 28 to premiere this week. One guest from Michigan
Meet the 3 New Jersey contestants on ‘Big Brother’ 28
Three New Jersey contestants are joining ‘Big Brother’ Season 28. Meet the Maplewood, Washington Township and Monroe Township houseguests.
Doors will to the “Big Brother” house will open soon, as season 28 premieres this week — and the cast list includes one guest from northern Michigan.
At 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, “Big Brother” season 28 will premiere on CBS to introduce the new guests in a 90-minute episode.
“This season’s cast includes an MMA fighter, rocket scientist, game show host, daughter of an ’80s pop star, and a DRAG RACE All Star, among others,” CBS said in a July 7 announcement. “This new group of Houseguests is stepping into a summer where nothing is as it seems, where every twist rewrites the rules, and where time becomes the ultimate twist.”
There is one Michigan guest, Rome Seymour, 28, who works as a professional pickleball coach from Traverse City.
“I would describe myself as bashful, extroverted and extremely excitable. To be on ‘Big Brother’ is a dream. I’ve never felt anything as exiting as this before,” Seymour said in the “Big Brother” July 7 live cast announcement video.
Seymour said he will use his inner nerdiness to befriend and protect guests who are perhaps similar.
“I see myself as hero, but I think a lot of people in the house are going to see me as a villain just because I’m so competitive that I want to win,” Seymour said.
After the 14 guests were revealed by CBS, the cast was said to be joined by long-time “Survivor” contestant Rick Devens, according to a July 7 Entertainment Weekly article.
Here’s more on the cast and how to tune in this week:
What is ‘Big Brother’ about? What is the theme for season 28?
“Big Brother,” is a reality TV show that follows a group of people living in a large house surrounded by 112 cameras and 113 microphones as an unfiltered 24-hour live feed to capture every interaction, strategic move and challenge.
A guest will be voted off each week, and the last remaining guest will win the grand prize of $750,000, according to CBS.
The theme for season 28 is called, “Time Trip,” according to Sneak Peak from Paramount+.
Is anyone from Michigan on ‘Big Brother’ season 28?
Yes. There is one guest from Michigan on season 28 of “Big Brother:” Rome Seymour, 28, is a professional pickleball coach from Traverse City, located in the northwest Lower Peninsula.
Full ‘Big Brother’ season 28 cast list
Here is the full guest list for “Big Brother” season 28:
- Rick Devens, 42: TV journalist and long-time “Survivor” contestant from Blacksburg, Virginia.
- Jason De Puy, 35: Drag Queen and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum from San Francisco, California.
- Ashley Trail, 24: Bartender from Alton, Illinois.
- Barrett Pfeiffer, 27: Jumbotron Engineer from Benton, Arkansas.
- Chuk Anyanwu, 27: Supply Chain Analyst from Dallas, Texas.
- Drew Campbell, 22: Surgical Dental Assistant from Temecula, California.
- Haley Thogmartin, 29: Telemedicine Executive from Neosho, Missouri.
- Rome Seymour, 28: Pickleball Coach from Traverse City, Michigan.
- Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk, 32: MMA Fighter from Phoenix, Arizona.
- LaTrice Verrett, 57: Boutique Salesperson from Kankakee, Illinois.
- Lyric Medeiros, 25: Attorney from Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Mallory Aurichio, 24: Rocket Scientist from Township of Washington, New Jersey.
- Melody Morris, 24: Corporate Game Show Host from Thornton, Colorado.
- Taylor Brown, 27: Elementary School Counselor from Deerfield Beach, Florida.
- Yash Patel, 24: Financial Analyst from Monroe Township, New Jersey.
What time does ‘Big Brother’ season 28 premiere?
The 90-minute “Big Brother” season 28 premiere is set to air at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 9.
“Big Brother: Unlocked,” will air at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, July 10, and a 90-minute episode will air at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 12.
Where can I stream the ‘Big Brother’ premiere this week?
“Big Brother” Season 28 will air on CBS and will be available on Paramount+ Premium, priced at $13.99 per month.
Paramount+ Essential subscribers will be able to catch the episode the day after it airs.
Following the season premiere this week, the series will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET, followed by hour-long shows on Thursdays, featuring live evictions, and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
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