Rumor has it there is lots of celery growing in West Michigan. I am not sure exactly where this celery is, but I believe it’s here because the locals keep telling me about it. When I got the invitation to check out the Celery Flatts in Portage, Mich., I thought I had struck gold, and I did.

Just northeast of Centre Street and South Westnedge Avenue in Portage discovered a place called the Celery Flatts. In my mind I envisioned something similar to the rice fields of northern California with a wide-open sunny farm fields with a walking path through the fields of celery. There was one problem with this self portrait of the local version because undisturbed land in Michigan looks like a forest with underbrush so thick sound is the only indicator of what’s happening beyond the eye’s view and the sun part is more like dappled shade.

So off I went. I met at the Portage Public Library which is about a quarter mile from the Celery Flatts connected by this great slightly winding paved path, the in-line skaters dream, and one that is biker, walker, runner and stroller friendly.

The trail head is easy to find and immediately I am immersed into the chirping of birds and humming of bees among the summer flower blossoms and lots of trees along the path. If this is not an enjoyable enough experience, it leads to the actual Celery Flatts: a park-like area with historic buildings, the Barn Theatre and an outdoor amphitheater for summer plays and events. It is very well maintained with beautiful flower gardens and lots of ample shade with open areas for Frisbee or picnics.

I found out this is where the locals LOVE to hang out. I ran into a gentleman and his grandson who were on their way back from a bike ride and had stopped to enjoy the same creek I did after my run on the Flatts. The young boy told me his loved hanging out here, plus he and his grandpa always went for ice cream afterwords. (Everyone in Michigan needs ice cream in the summer.)

Celery not included.