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Hi. I'm State Representative Terry Brown. Welcome to my weekly update, "Talking With Terry." 

We are blessed to live in a beautiful state, and each season has its own glories.  In autumn, though, the harvest and the changing of the colors each have their own magic.  There is something special about taking a walk in the woods when the air is as crisp as a freshly picked apple and the leaves are turning into colors that no artist can truly ever re-create. Each leaf is as unique as a snowflake.

And speaking of snow, many people look at fall as just a precursor to winter. But as the colors change and the leaves start to fall, we should remember to enjoy autumn while it's here. In fact, living in Michigan, we tend to take things like autumn for granted. We rarely stop to realize that most of our fellow Americans – in fact, most of the people around the world – have never experienced the richness of the changing of the seasons. It's hard to imagine missing out on that.

People from other states travel to Michigan to see – and feel – autumn for themselves. In October, besides the colors changing, we also see firsthand the harvest coming in. This gives us another reason to be grateful for living in this beautiful, bountiful state. It makes sense, then, that October is the month to combine tourism and agriculture, which are two of Michigan's three largest industries. October is Michigan Farm Market and Agricultural Tourism Month.

The Thumb has lots of great farmers markets, family farms, corn mazes and other spots to attract folks from around the state. We should all make sure to take advantage of these great resources around us, as well.

As the harvest comes in, trips to places like this in our community make great family outings that the kids will remember for years to come. Buying a locally grown pumpkin at the store is great, for example but taking the kids to the pumpkin patch for a hayride and some cider would be a wonderful family activity. Corn mazes are fun, too.

Visiting farmers markets or farms also provides fresh foods at a reasonable price, and it helps support our agricultural community. It's important that we buy local foods to protect jobs and grow our local economy. The Michigan Department of Agriculture has a one-stop online shop for finding fun food and agriculture-related events across the state. Visit Michigan.gov/agtourism.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

You can call me, toll-free, at (888) 254-5284. Or, you can e-mail me at terrybrown@house.mi.gov. I am here to serve you and your family.

Thank you for listening to "Talking with Terry."  Make it a great day!