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Blog

A Walk In The Woods... To School

Posted by andrewm on Jun 15th 2017

          Seven days before the Glen Lake Community School year ended, Colebrook, Hawthorn and I completed our annual walk to school.  I think this photo of our eleven year old taking a break at the Alligator Hill overlook perfectly captured this beautiful day and our world class commute. Colebrook looking over Lake Michigan. We happened to walk by Grammy’s house at the start of our walk.  We caught her in her pink bathrobe on her way to pick up her paper. Grammy, getti ...

2015 Cherry Republic A Year In Review

Posted by bob on Jan 7th 2016

We took a look back at what was a fantastic year here at Cherry Republic.  We had so much fun and accomplished so much, we just had to make a top eleven list of some of our favorite events and accomplishments of 2015. New labels and Packaging - Over the course of a 5 months, we’ve updated much of the packaging of our your favorite products.  This 2 year project brings a new look that better fits the earthy, trendy and colorful company we’ve become. Summer Shear Storm - Ugh.  Ugh.  Devast ...

Bob's Cherry Republic Plunge

Posted by bob on Nov 6th 2015

I had resigned myself to be done - that after 15 years of jumping in Lake Michigan every month of the year, that my run of invigorating dives were over.  And so, I began telling people that this October would be the first month in 188 that I did not jump in.  I felt a deep loss saying it.  And the more I said it the more painful it became.  But, I reminded myself, the last two years were the coldest in 40 years and made my fun hobby feel like work.  In February of 2013, I dove into Lake Mich ...

Stronger Than the Storm

Posted by bob on Aug 20th 2015

My favorite tree - a giant Black Walnut - was so strong thru the great summer shear storm two weeks ago that it didn't even loose a leaf.  This tree lives on the Barratt farm on Port Oneida.  It stands over every tree in the county and towers over Lake Michigan. Two grand maples act as a gateway to Pyramid Point on Port Oneida road. This favorite white birch tree also withstood the storm. I almost didn't want to post this tree as I call it my secret tree. A free Big Three gift ...

Bob's Story of the Storm

Posted by bob on Aug 6th 2015

4 pm ~ 8/3/15 I am sitting outdoors under a great white oak.  It is one of the proud survivors that stand among his fallen brothers.  Both oak and I are stunned at the severity of this storm and Glen Arbor’s great white oaks are the ones that took the brunt of this bewildering storm of August 2nd, 2015. Hawthorn is hacking at white pine branches with a hatchet.  All day he has watched men with chainsaws cutting into the tremendous swath of fallen trees.  And finally it is his turn to show hi ...

Summer Storm Photos 2015

Posted by bob on Aug 6th 2015

Here are three of the most poignant sky photos we have come across. They are beautiful images that bring you back to the time of Greek Gods and Moses. People say beauty before beast. And the beast landed hard and fast. Being first in line as the storm came across Lake Michigan, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore received much of the fury of this storm. Look at Alligator Hill after the storm hit. Sections of this massive old growth forest was mowed down by what seemed ...

Our Staff Stories of the 2015 Glen Arbor Storm

Posted by bob on Aug 6th 2015

We are still serving food on the grill. I came to the store right as they opened on Monday, people’s baskets were full of product and they had smiles on their faces. Everyone just seemed to be so grateful we were open. We pulled out the old cash registers and credit card machines - things people had not seen or used in years! Who would have thought you could pay for things with cash? Then we started serving hot dogs and brats for lunch and the cafe was filled with people, so glad to have a h ...

Hide & Go Seek - Ready or Not...

Posted by bob on Jul 15th 2015

Here is everything you need to know to win products and have a great morning of fun playing hide and seek with Cherry Republic: First delivery teams leave at 8 am from the warehouse. Look for groups of two wearing red tees. At 11 am, all seven teams will be out making deliveries so that is the best chance to capture some goodies. All you have to do is walk up to them and say, “I’m intercepting your hide and seek delivery.” Be sure to check in often to our Facebook and Instagram and loo ...

Spring in Northern Michigan

Posted by bob on Mar 19th 2015

Ice formations on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Sleeping Bear Bay After a long, cold winter, spring is coming to northern Michigan! While there is still a chill in the air and doubtlessly more snow before summer, the sun is noticeably warmer and the piles of snow and ice are melting. If you picture spring in northern Michigan, you probably imagine blue skies, cherry blossoms, and tulips and daffodils. We're a long way from any of that right now. While we've had some beautiful, sunny days ...

A Skate to School Across Glen Lake

Posted by bob on Jan 28th 2015

Setting off on the annual hike to school Somehow, the stars aligned to make the whimsical and uniting annual Sutherland family walk to school happen in the middle of winter. We hiked on Tuesday and planned to take a shortcut across Big Glen Lake. I excitedly thought we would set a new record time for this seven-mile trek. And our secret would be skateable ice on Big Glen Lake. Colebrook, Hawthorn, and I did it as a threesome last year and the year before. This year, we had a new partic ...

Hockey on Little Glen Lake

Posted by bob on Dec 5th 2014

As we have been driving back and forth between our Glen Arbor HQ and our Empire Warehouse fulfilling orders, our staff has been driving by perfect ice on Little Glen Lake. The ice has been smooth as glass and hard as diamonds across the entire lake. We knew it wouldn't be thick, but we thought it was time to kick off a beloved winter activity -- ice skating. So yesterday, a few of us pulled away from work early and I grabbed my boys and Steph and we skated in the wind protected lee of the Sleepi ...

Hiking Beautiful Alligator Hill

Posted by bob on Oct 22nd 2014

The breathtaking Islands Lookout on Alligator Hill affords a spectacular view of Sleeping Bear Bay, the Manitou Islands, and South Fox Island. Alligator Hill is an often overlooked jewel in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Its nine miles of hiking trails loop their way through some of the most beautiful landscapes in northern Michigan. Located smack in the middle of Glen Arbor, Alligator Hill has been driven past by almost every up north visitor. Driven over the Glen Lake Narro ...

Hiking the Bay to Bay Trail

Posted by bob on Oct 16th 2014

Breaking trail for the Bay to Bay Hiking and Kayaking Trail. Here Bob and the team hike through the dunes in Platte Bay with Empire Bluffs and Sleeping Bear Point in the distance. It's an epic hike. From south to north across the entire Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, hiking the Bay to Bay Trail will be an amazing experience. When we first heard about the proposed Bay to Bay Hiking and Kayak Trail we were excited. The trail's planned route ran from the south of the park all the wa ...

Summer Photo Challenge Round One

Posted by bob on Jul 17th 2014

Each day, we strive to live and work by our motto Life, Liberty, Beaches and Pie. It means something special to each and every person so we set out to capture its essence in a Summer Photo Challenge. Does your definition include crystal blue water and an endless sand beach? Maybe it's a golden sunset. Maybe it's sharing a moment with family and friends on a dock. Or maybe it's watching a Bald Eagle soar over the hills and valleys of northern Michigan. No matter what it is, all that matters is ...

Escape the Fourth of July Crowds in Northern Michigan

Posted by bob on Jul 2nd 2014

Local Fourth of July fireworks display over Glen Lake, 2013. The Fourth of July weekend is one of the busiest weekends all summer in northern Michigan. Visitors from around the country flood the soft beaches, crystal blue waters, and energized towns to enjoy true American freedom. All those people can be a great amount of fun -- what's a parade without a big happy crowd. Sometimes though, we need a little peace and quiet. If you are looking to escape the crowds this Fourth of July week ...