WE’RE PLANTING A KIWI ORCHARD
Our Next Liqueur and Infused Vodka Will be Quite Unique
Not all kiwi is from the tropics. Like us, you are probably surprised to learn that kiwi could be grown in Michigan at all. Turns out that there is a unique and hardy variety called “Michigan State kiwi” which have adapted to survive in harsher climates than the tropical fuzzy variety we are all more familiar with. As you can see from the above photo, they are smaller and less dense, a little juicier and have no fuzz. All of which makes them perfect for snacking, and we think for distilling!
We are thrilled to have obtained 200 of these hardy kiwi plants from an MSU alumni turned kiwi grower in Washington State. We are using his vines to start our own small orchard in Central Lake, and in two years we will have enough fruit to distill a kiwi liqueur and a kiwi-infused vodka.
Want to know more? The fascinating history of this little-known fruit, including where it originally came from, how it got its name and its ongoing connection to Michigan State University is far too long for this newsletter, but is a highly recommended read.