Food is an important part of life in Northern Michigan. People live close to the earth and celebrate their harvests.

The National Cherry Festival, July 5 to 12 in Traverse City, is a week-long celebration of the area's bountiful harvest. It's among the biggest and oldest festivals in the nation. For more information, call 800-968-3380 or visit http://www.cherryfestival.org

April and May in Michigan mean morel hunting, scouring the dark, damp woodland floor in search of the sponge-like, delectable fungi. This is a tradition for thousands of Midwesterners that descend on the Wolverine State every spring.