PCF Secures Community Garden Site with Community Support!

PCF staff excitedly celebrates the Community Garden purchase in front of the site in downtown Ishpeming

We are thrilled to announce the successful purchase of the Community Garden site, made possible by the generosity of our local community. During this past Giving Tuesday, we launched a fundraising campaign that raised an impressive $10,850, which ultimately allowed us to purchase and secure the site for our 24 community garden members. Now that the purchase is complete, PCF staff will use the remaining funds to enhance the garden with accessibility-friendly beds, perennial plants, new tools, and essential repairs and upgrades.

Due to the campaign’s success, the Giving Tuesday Organization reached out to us to learn more about our campaign and interviewed PCF’s Executive Director, Sara Johnson.

Thank YOU

This achievement was made possible through the support of community members who donated and helped spread the word, as well as an anonymous donor, and Velodrome, which collaborated with PCF and contributed to our campaign.

PCF extends special gratitude to Board President Phil Toutant for facilitating the sale and to Jay Clancy of Kognisjon Brewery, Ishpeming resident, and owner of the land the site sits on, for their generosity in selling the land to ensure the community’s continued stewardship and food production on the site.

PCF and PCC staff celebrating Giving Tuesday at Marquette Velodrome

A Lasting Impact

The Community Garden is more than a place to grow food. It’s a gathering space where community members of all ages connect, share knowledge, and improve their well-being. With 67% of members visiting more than four times a week, it has become a vital part of daily their life.

For many in Ishpeming, access to fresh food is a challenge, especially with limited options at the town’s only walkable grocery store. Nearly 58% of residents shop in neighboring towns, classifying Ishpeming as a food desert. The garden helps fill this gap, providing fresh produce and a way to preserve food for winter.

More than a source of nourishment, the garden fosters a sense of community. Members exchange gardening tips, share recipes, and work together to maintain the space—creating not just a garden, but a place of connection and support.

Partridge Creek Farm is grateful to all who contributed to this campaign to make this purchase a reality. With the community’s continued support, the garden will remain a place of growth, learning, and connection for many years to come!