Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn McCormick.
Hi Dawn, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For four years, my husband and I owned McCormick Farmz, a northern Michigan lavender farm with a surprisingly robust line of culinary lavender products. It was beautiful and wildly educational — and also a lot. The farm was four hours from our home, and over time the distance became overwhelming. As odd as it sounds, we found ourselves needing a break from lavender!
But that experience was transformative. From those seasons of tending the land and building products from what we grew, something in me clicked: a deep love for things that are grown and gathered close to home. I met so many farmers, producers, creators, and innovators during those years. My relationship with food shifted from simply enjoying it to understanding where, how, and why it comes to be.
Michigan is such a fun food landscape — shaped by diverse ethnic communities, Native American roots, and the way all those traditions meld and evolve. It felt like everyone had a story, and I couldn’t be the only person hungry to hear it.
That’s where Gather and Grow was born.
Our work now is rooted firmly in storytelling and taste. We’re a licensed Michigan caterer offering thoughtfully designed events and experiences that bring people together around good food and genuine moments. Every menu is built from Michigan’s seasonal abundance and shaped to reflect your story, your people, and your occasion.
One of the things I’m most excited about right now is our new Seasonal Tastings series. We’re partnering with library systems like Novi and Ann Arbor to bring interactive sessions, tastings, and simple DIY projects to the community — all centered around Michigan’s seasonal foods.
For example, in January we’re hosting Roots & Shoots: Winter Root Vegetable Adventure, a 1.5-hour tasting where guests sample fresh seasonal roots—carrots, radishes, turnips, kohlrabi—paired with crisp microgreens and a single, flavorful dip. Then they get hands-on and create their own quick-pickle jar to take home. It’s simple, sensory, and genuinely fun.
So that’s where we are today: telling the stories of food, celebrating the people who grow it, and creating experiences that help folks slow down, savor, and connect. Gather and Grow has become the place where all the pieces of our journey — farming, relationships, Michigan, flavor, and community — finally make sense together.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our journey definitely hasn’t been seamless. When we owned the lavender farm, the biggest challenge was simply geography. Our farm was four hours from home, and managing a property, production, markets, and a full product line from that distance was… a lot. Beautiful, yes — but also exhausting, expensive, and logistically overwhelming. Eventually we had to make the hard decision to step back, even though the work meant so much to us.
That transition was tough. Anytime you close a chapter you’ve poured yourself into, there’s a mix of grief, relief, and “okay… now what?”
But looking back, that period was really a recalibration. I had to figure out what parts of that life I loved enough to carry forward, and which parts I needed to release. What remained was the heart of it: the people, the food, the stories, the community. That clarity is what ultimately shaped Gather and Grow.
Even now, building something new comes with its own challenges — from navigating licensing and catering regulations to finding our rhythm between creativity and sustainability. And because we work so closely with Michigan’s seasonal availability, we’re constantly adapting and reshaping menus and experiences, which is equal parts thrilling and complicated.
But here’s the truth: the struggles have made the work better. Every misstep, detour, and “why on earth are we doing this?” moment has pushed us toward a business model that’s more grounded, more local, and more aligned with how we want to live and work.
We’re still learning, still growing — but we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Gather and Grow sits in this lovely little space where food, story, and connection overlap. Yes, we’re a licensed Michigan caterer, but what we do feels more like creating experiences than just preparing food. We build gatherings that help people pause, taste, learn something new, and enjoy being together.
Our work is all about seasonal, story-driven food. Every menu starts with what Michigan is offering right now and with the people behind it — the growers, the makers, the producers we’ve come to know over the years. That closeness to the source shows up in everything we do, whether it’s a cozy seasonal workshop, a custom menu for a celebration, or one of our new library-based tasting sessions.
People often tell us that our gatherings feel warm and sensory, like stepping into a moment where the world slows down a bit. That’s what we’re known for — creating experiences where guests aren’t just eating, but discovering. They taste carrots in a new way, smell herbs they’ve never mixed before, learn why a certain ingredient matters. It’s simple but really grounding, the kind of thing adults don’t get enough of.
What I’m most proud of is the way people feel when they leave. There’s this mix of comfort and curiosity — like they’ve reconnected with something familiar but also learned something brand new. I love watching strangers bond over a tasting or seeing someone absolutely light up when a flavor surprises them.
And I think that’s really what sets us apart. We lead with story and season, and we keep things very Michigan — rooted in the diversity, history, and constant creativity of the food culture here. Our events feel personal and intentional, because they are. We design them around the people in the room and the moment they’re celebrating.
At its core, Gather and Grow is about bringing people together around good food and genuine moments. It’s a simple idea, but it feels like exactly what so many of us need.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about Metro Detroit is the diversity, creativity, and community energy. The food scene alone is incredible — you can taste the whole world here. People are constantly blending traditions, sharing culture, and doing really interesting things with food. Beyond food, there’s this spirit of making and building; people show up for local businesses, they collaborate, and they take pride in their neighborhoods. And of course, I love that we get all four seasons — each one brings its own beauty and rhythm to life here.
If I’m being honest about what I like least…well, it’s also the four seasons, lol. Allergies in the spring, the first slap of cold in the fall, the mud of early spring, the deep freeze of winter — it’s not for the faint of heart. But even that has a way of keeping life dynamic, and it makes the warm, sunny days feel extra special.
All in all, Metro Detroit’s energy, creativity, and connection to community make it a place I’m happy to call home.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gather-and-grow.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growgather4/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580020824346
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mccormickconsulting/?viewAsMember=true
