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Partridge Creek Farm Expands Outreach and Production Through MDARDs Rural Development Fund Grant

Partridge Creek Farm (PCF), located in Ishpeming, is a non-profit organization that was established in 2013. They received funding in 2022 through the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (MDARD) Rural Development Fund Grant program.  The grant funding was used to initiate the build out of an Intergenerational Farm to educate and share information on gardening skills, plants, and cultural traditions allowing for educational opportunities with all age groups. The Partridge Creek Intergenerational Farm is a 3.75-acre farm that is in downtown Ishpeming. The long-term plan for the farm includes one full acre of production growing, a permanent washpack building, community building, outdoor classroom, two hoop houses, a geo-thermal hoop house, and more with the goal of being able to produce locally grown food year-round for the community.

PCF has spent the previous two years preparing the Intergenerational Farm for production, and 2024 was the first growing season. Prior to 2024, PCF exclusively grew food in their five community gardens which yielded about 2,000 pounds of food annually. With the introduction of the Intergenerational Farm, PCF is anticipating a yield of nearly 10,000 pounds of food for its inaugural growing season. PCF added four new employees to their team in 2024 and now has a total of seven full-time employees, a major increase from being a volunteer organization until 2020.

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Beyond the produce benefits for the community the Intergenerational Farm hosts a weekly Farmstand. PCF accepts a variety of food assistance programs and shoppers can attend free Skillshares. The hour-long Skillshares are hosted by community members and topics are related to health, wellness, and sustainability.

The main objective of building the Intergenerational Farm was to increase food growing capacity and PCF’s ability to create a hyper-local food system that serves the community and local institutions. With the lack of infrastructure in the Upper Peninsula, there are very strained supply chains and most of the small, diversified farms selling direct to consumers at markets, or to retail and wholesale outlets, leaving an inconsistent supply for local institutions. PCF is working to build a model to supply and provide local, nutrient dense food to local institutions by relying on other local partners, placing more investment in the community.

“Partridge Creek Farm is grateful to MDARD for investing in our Intergenerational Farm. Rural communities face unique challenges when it comes to food, agriculture, and supply chains. By choosing to support our efforts, MDARD is showing the important role that small, community farms play in providing food access to our communities," said Sara Johnson, Executive Director of Partridge Creek Farm.

Recently, PCF was awarded a Lake Michigan School Food Systems Innovation Hub grant sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will allow them to get the food grown on the Intergenerational Farm into local school cafeterias. The grant is administered by the Illinois Public Institute of Health with further support from Michigan State University's Center for Regional Food Systems. PCF is partnering with the chef at the Northwoods Test Kitchen, a project also funded by MDARD, and Chartwells who runs the cafeterias at the local schools in Ishpeming. PCF has a continued relationship with MDARD and recently hosted MDARD’s Director, Tim Boring, at the Intergenerational Farm to talk about the new Farm to Family Program under Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Since receiving the Rural Development Fund Grant, PCF has worked with the USDA, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, and Trust for Civic Life to continue their expansion, as well as receiving continued support from local organizations.