Road Reports

Michigan Foodways Exhibition and Website Paired with Key Ingredients

The Michigan Humanities Council collaborated with the Michigan State University Museum to develop Michigan Foodways, a special exhibition that explores the state's rich food traditions. The council has also developed a detailed companion website, www.michiganfoodways.org, that offers visitors additional resources for research on Michigan foods. The exhibition will travel to each of the host sites for Key Ingredients: America by Food in Michigan.

Visitors at the McKune Memorial Library in Chelsea, Michigan enjoy Michigan Foodways

Maryland Opens Key Ingredients With Great Fanfare

With the Rohrersville Band entertaining the crowd on a summer afternoon, the Maryland Humanities Council kicked-off its tour of Key Ingredients: America by Food at the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum in Boonsboro. More than 125 guests enjoyed the band's beautiful music and took in the Key Ingredients exhibition and the museum's special collection of local aprons. Visitors took a hayride around the museum complex and gathered for presentations on 19th century cooking in Maryland's Cumberland Valley and on the museum's new heirloom garden.

At the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum, the Rohrersville Band performs for guests at the Maryland debut of Key Ingredients: America by Food.

Museum docent Sally Waltz demonstrates cooking techniques for reception guests.

Alabama Welcomes Between Fences Coordinators

In beautiful Birmingham, Alabama, coordinators and scholars from the six 2008 and 2009 host states for Between Fences met to learn more about the exhibition and to report on planning for their respective tours. Each state has wonderful plans for Between Fences. Museum on Main Street's great friends at the Alabama Humanities Foundation gave the group a tremendous welcome. The group was greeted with a fantastic reception while visiting the exhibition in West Blocton. Participants were flattered to be welcomed guests at the Birmingham Kiwanis Club's July luncheon. And, the group took time to take in the beautiful views of Birmingham from the top of Red Mountain in the city's Vulcan Park.

Coordinators from Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, South Dakota enjoy Vulcan Park with friends from the Alabama Humanities Foundation.