Press Release

Washington Island, WI. Gathering Ground announced this week its $1.1 million Planting for the Future fundraising campaign to support expansion of its programs. These programs build on Washington Island’s rich agricultural history and promote a thriving local food system that engages and connects learners of all ages to nature, community, and healthy food. Through the generous support of lead donors the Planting for the Future campaign has already raised over $700,000 of the campaign’s goal.  

The funds raised will help expand current programs and new programs to put Gathering Ground’s mission in action. Expanded existing programs include: Ground School, a 10-week summer internship, the Community Garden, Forest Trails, the Washington Island Farmers Market and other educational events hosted throughout the summer. New programs include: the collaboration with Door County Food Pantry Coalition, where 1,500 pounds of fresh produce from Gathering Ground’s Aznoe Farm was delivered on Oct. 7, for distribution to the 10 food pantries in Door County and Farm-Tober Fest where kids and their families enjoyed a day on the farm, carving pumpkins, learning about winter squash and sharing recipes. As well as upcoming breadmaking classes and environmental book club. All of these programs help bring Gathering Ground’s mission to action. 

Ground School Intern Cole de Bruin shared about his experience of Gathering Ground’s mission this summer. “There were days where I’d cross paths with a deer who stared at me like I was out of place. Foxes moved with confidence, like they belonged,” said de Bruin, a 20-year-old business major from UW Eau Claire. “Over time, I started to feel like I belonged too. That’s what Ground School gave me. Not just new skills, but a deeper connection to the land, to others, and to myself.” 

The Planting for the Future program expansion will help Gathering Ground connect more people with transformational experiences like Cole’s, increase support of food security in Door County, and provide more hands-on experiences for kids and their families, experiences tied to growing food, creating community and tending the earth. 

Looking ahead, areas of comprehensive program expansion include:

• Practicing sustainable agriculture. Gathering Ground will increase the acreage it has under cultivation and work toward organic certification, using sustainable agriculture practices such as alleycropping, silvopasture and windbreaks. Gathering Ground will also offer support to regional farmers by researching & demonstrating feasibility of climate-smart agroforestry farm practices.
• Expanding education programs. Gathering Ground will use the housing and hosting capacity of the Aznoe Road farmhouse to expand Ground School, its internship for college-age students exploring careers in agriculture & conservation.  Gathering Ground will provide new opportunities to K-12 students & teachers from Door County to learn about sustainable agriculture through field trips & work-study programs. Gathering Ground will also create an apprenticeship program to train people who want to embark on a farming career.
• Increasing access to healthy food for everyone. Gathering Ground will grow a variety of nutrient dense crops to supply our neighbors with healthy, local food, made available through its partnership with Door County Food Pantries Coalition, through its community garden, farmers market, and farm stand. Gathering Ground will also offer recipes and cooking and preservation classes to promote healthy eating.
• Reaching more people. To reach more visitors and residents of all ages, Gathering Ground will create a Folk School that offers regular workshops and activities throughout the year including workshops and seminars on agriculture and conservation, gardening, nature writing, and farm-to-table cooking. 

Contributions to the “Planting For The Future” campaign may be sent to Gathering Ground, PO Box 276, Washington Island, WI 54246 or online at gatheringgroundwi.org. If you want to contribute from your IRA disbursement, make a gift of stock or get more involved, please contact Alessandra Rolffs at alessandra@gatheringgroundwi.org or 323-633-7177. 

Folks interested in getting more involved are invited to sign up for the Gathering Ground newsletter, to attend an upcoming event, or join our Education and Outreach or Farming and Land Use committees. Upcoming events include two breadmaking classes on Oct 18 and Nov. 1, and our first environmental book club on Oct 25, 1-2:30. We will be reading and discussing Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson This will be a hybrid event, in-person at Aznoe Farm and on Zoom. Email Alessandra for the Zoom link. 

 About Gathering Ground

Gathering Ground, a 501(c)3 nonprofit started in 2016 by a group of community members to build on Washington Island’s rich agricultural history and support a thriving local food system that engages and connects learners of all ages to nature, community, and healthy food. We believe that connecting people to the land and where food comes from creates transformative experiences and inspires action. On our 74 acres, we have orchards, community gardens, vineyard, pollinator garden, community composting, and much more.