Strengthening Community Connections: Buying Local at Dexter Mill This Holiday Season

Discover how Dexter Mill supports local farmers, artisans, and the community while offering thoughtful gifts and sustainable holiday essentials.

As the holiday season draws near, Dexter Mill reminds us of the importance of supporting local businesses. A fixture in the Dexter community, the Mill highlights how local shopping helps sustain economic growth, nurture the environment, and build a sense of place.

The Power of Local

Keri Bushaw, the owner of Dexter Mill, highlights the deeper impact of buying local: “It started with eggs. If you bought chicken feed from us, we would sell your eggs.” This simple model has since evolved into a thriving circular economy where the Mill supports local producers while providing customers with high-quality, traceable products.

A Cozy Holiday Breakfast to Remember

At the heart of the holiday season is the tradition of gathering around the table. Dexter Mill plays a role in creating these moments with its selection of locally sourced breakfast items. Eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, and other breakfast staples are sourced from local farms, Washtenaw Meats, and 4H and Chelsea fairs, with baked goods like fresh bread from LakeHouse Bakery. To complete the experience, treat everyone to creamy butter, rich eggnog, and fresh cream from Calder Dairy, paired with coffee from Coffee Express in Plymouth, Michigan, and topped with the sweet touch of Cares Family Maple Syrup.

These offerings not only make meals special but also reflect a commitment to supporting the community. The food you buy here carries the stories of local farmers and producers, offering a connection that goes beyond the plate.

By sourcing and selling locally, Dexter Mill helps reduce transportation costs and environmental impact while offering products that are easy to trace back to their origins. “Many people may not realize how big of a picture local food really is,” Bushaw explains. “If those farmers can sell their crops locally to us, for example, they save a lot on transportation costs. If we can buy it locally, we save on those transportation costs and still get them a good price.”

A Community Connected

The relationships Dexter Mill has cultivated with farmers and customers alike reflect the larger impact of buying local. “We know the farmers. A personal connection can form with the customers,” says purchasing agent Kelly Arnold. “There are photos of the producers and their families on our freezer. We know how they raise their animals, as opposed to a big box store where it could have come from anywhere.”

Gifts That Warm the Heart (and Paws!)

Beyond the essentials, Dexter Mill offers a range of thoughtful gifts for the holiday season. Dog and cat toys, handmade birdhouses, wild bird seed, and cozy winter clothing all reflect the Mill’s emphasis on practical, locally sourced items. For gardeners, gift cards to the Mill’s greenhouse offer the promise of vibrant spring blooms.

Each purchase not only supports local artisans and farmers but also helps sustain a broader network of small businesses.

A Season of Thoughtful Choices

The holiday season offers an opportunity to reflect on the ways our choices impact the world around us. By shopping at places like Dexter Mill, customers are supporting a local ecosystem of farms, artisans, and businesses. These connections help reduce environmental impacts, foster transparency, and build stronger community ties.

Whether buying holiday breakfast ingredients or selecting a unique gift, choosing local is a small act that resonates far beyond the season.

The Dexter Mill is located at 3515 Central St, Dexter