Preserving
Traditions was begun in February, 2009 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as
a way to keep alive (and re-teach) "traditional" foodways,
including preserving and cooking food from scratch. As the economy
soured and gas prices soared, discussions on blogs and discussion
boards suggested that a group dedicated to preserving food and building
community would appeal to a lot of people in the area.
Montly classes are taught by a variety of local food experts. Some are professionals - millers, farmers, and chefs - and some are simply experienced neighbors willing to pass on knowledge to friends. Most workshops are very hands-on, and participants almost always leave with samples ready for the pantry or table. The group leaders also maintain a blog for announcing workshops and posting recipes and instructions. You can also subscribe to the group's Google-based calendar and see (and contribute!) photos to our Flickr group.
The group continues to expand, and now Preserving Traditions events
are held in Ann Arbor and West Bloomfield, Michigan. (See below
for details.) If you'd like to start a branch of Preserving Traditions,
contact Emily at 
.
Ann Arbor Group Details
The original Ann Arbor branch, led by founder Emily Springfield, meets at the Pittsfield Grange (map) on the second Sunday of most months. Grange members attend PT events free and get "first dibs" on events with limited enrollments, as well as special events such as canning work days and cider pressing, where we use group-owned equipment and share the work to process our ingredients.
West Bloomfield Group Details
The West Bloomfield branch, led by Mary Fox, meets at the Westacres Community Building (map) on the third Sunday of most months.
About money
Group funds, including donation fees and proceeds from the sale of “Yes. We Can.” merchandise are used to cover ingredients, facilities, and group-owned equipment. No one’s making a profit on this group!
We ask folks to throw a $5 donation into a coffee can at each event, but if that stretches your wallet too far, please attend anyway. We are committed to ensuring money is not barrier to joining the group. The group will maintain funds to cover hall rental and ingredients, and our speakers generously donate their time. So if that $5 is needed elsewhere, consider yourself “sponsored” for the event and don’t worry about it!
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