Michigan Health Endowment Fund Visits Partridge Creek Farm
PCF Co-Interim Executive Directors Mary Antonia Andronis and Kate Argall (L) show Michelle Gagliardi and Veronica Marchese from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund (R) the produce cooler at the Community Farm
Partridge Creek Farm Co-Interim Executive Directors welcomed Michelle Gagliardi Program Officer, Nutrition and Healthy Kids and Veronica Marchese Program Officer, Community Health and Capacity Building from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to Ishpeming for a Partridge Creek Community Farm site visit.
Partridge Creek Farm staff were thrilled to welcome Michigan Health Endowment Fund Team Members to the Community Farm and showcase the progress that PCF has made thanks to the grant awarded in 2022 to shape the Farm into what it is today and will be in the future!
About The Visit
This site visit was due to the wrapping up of a Michigan Health Endowment Fund PCF received in 2022. Veronica and Michelle were eager to see the progress on the Community Farm from 2022-2025 during their visit, before the grant officially wraps up.
About The Grant
This grant was awarded to PCF in 2022 to
support re:Generate initiative to begin the transformation of a downtown Ishpeming brownfield into a living classroom and youth employment site focused on food access, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture.
PCF broke ground on the Community Farm in September of 2022. This grant was crucial in building the site into an intergenerational space and built an important foundation for PCF to continue to build onto the farm and grow food for their community!
This Award Allowed PCF To Provide:
Education & Youth Leadership
• 30+ FREE community skillshares were hosted
• This grant allowed PCF’s Farm Manager to mentor and teach students through the LIFT-UP curriculum
• Ishpeming Middle School Students host an annual Farm Stands in the Middle School Garden
Infrastructure & Accessibility
• Produce washing and packing station was brought to the site and hoophouse enhancements were made to help grow and wash food according to food safety standards.
Community Impact
• 2,500+ lbs of produce was grown and harvested in 2024
• 180+ youth participants participated in PCF events and activities
Workforce Development
• PCF paid 4 student interns to help with growing needs while also learning about food production and best growing practices.
• PCF’s Farm Manager and Garden Manager mentored these student interns throughout their internship.
The Future Of The Farm
While this grant did not directly fund the following programs it helped lay the essential foundation at the Community Farm to facilitate programming and grow food for the Ishpeming community.
In 2025 PCF launched the Horticulture CTE Program “Flipping The Food System”, students will utilize a section of the Community Farm as an outdoor classroom.
2024 marked the inaugural growing season at the Community Farm where PCF began growing food for the community. This included piloting growing food for the Ishpeming and Negaunee School Cafeterias in partnership with Northwoods Test Kitchen and Chartwells, funded by the Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub.
The Community Farm From 2022-2024
Community Farm | March 2022
Community Farm | November 2023
Community Farm | June 2024
Photo credit: 3 Farm drone photos taken by Lindsay Bean, two MHEF photos taken by PCF Marketing Coordinator Camden Kinnie, Farm Ground Breaking Photo and Community Day Photo taken by Fischer Genau and Jacob Lenderink, LIFT UP Potato Planting Photo taken by PCF Marketing Coordinator Camden Kinnie
