Let's Grow KI

05/29/2026

Plant Swap Crawl May 30th!?
9:30-10AM St. Louis the King Catholic Church in Harvey - 264 Silver Creek Rd
11-12PM Gwinn Community Church - 85 N. Pine St.
2-3PM Lakeshore Depot - 560 Fern Place Marquette

05/25/2026

SPECIAL THANK YOU AND SHOUT OUT TO LEE POOLE Owner and operator of Cornerstone Property Services - and all of our volunteers for helping us break ground at Little Trout Lake!!!

For the last week we have been installing the first section of the KI Sawyer Sustainable Food Forest at Little Trout Lake on the new Silver Lead Creek Greenway! Via a DNR grant in partnership with Marquette County Planning Division and Marquette County Conservation District.

We hadn't planned on adding too many amendments down there but after receiving our soil test back from MSU Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center last week, it became clear that if we wanted our berries and apples to be successful- we likely had to.

Lee is a community member who heard the call for help and came out after a long day of manual labor with a mini excavator to break up the compacted ground and mix in the compost and peat moss into the soil.

Though many hands make light work, two dedicated hands with the right equipment saved many hands (and backs) from many hours and potential back aches!

+ He couldn't have been a kinder or more community oriented human, with a very aligned vision for our community- treating each other with respect & dignity and lifting each other up. He was as excited to be involved with what we are doing (planting perennial fruits for long term community sustainability through access to fresh nutritious fruit!) as we were for his last minute help with installation!

Cornerstone Property Services specializes in grating and drainage- check them out! https://cornerstoneserv.com/

05/17/2026

Call for Volunteers!!! https://forms.gle/Pv9DrpeaZy2SX4iP7
We have three days of Volunteer activities available for site preparation for the installation of the Blueberries, Strawberries, Honey Berries, Arctic Raspberries, Service Berries, Hazel nuts and Apple Trees at the Little Trout Lake Park Fruit Tree Guild Workshop on May 23rd 12-2PM!!!

Location: Little Trout Lake Park

Tuesday 5/19 2-8PM :
2-4PM Measuring and sighting locations of fence posts and marking locations with colored flags.
3-6PM Digging and setting 4X4 fence posts 3.5' deep with a post hole digger, muscles, a level, and a tamper stick. Driving T-posts and rebar with post drivers. Posts will also be carried or carted to flag locations.
6-8PM Sighting locations for amendments and identifying them with colored flags

Friday 5/22 12-8PM
For those interested in site preparation and upgrading our sand into soil, we will pause operations as desired to discuss which amendments we will be adding to the soil and why, based on the results of our soil test from MSUE!

We are looking for use of Rototillers and or a Backhoe or Skid Steer to help on Friday- please reach out!

Team A: Loading compost via shovels into wheel borrows to flagged planting locations (or using heavy machinery for easier work!). Then opening and Loading Peat Moss packages into wheel borrows and moving to the locations flagged for acidic soil amendments.
Team B: Rototilling and digging up the soil of the flagged planting locations and mixing the compost and other amendments arriving via wheel borrow and bucket into the existing sandy soil. Mixing peat moss and water additionally into the flagged acidic soil amendment locations.
Measurers: Will be overseeing and measuring amendments via a list into areas specified, to be worked into the soil as per each ingredients directions (some are top dressed and some are worked in).
Protect the soil!!! Following the completion of adding of the amendments to any area anyone please immediately cover that area with straw.

Saturday 2PM- done
For a short stint following the workshop, we will be adding and attaching the fence around the posts.

FAQ -
A diverse variety of snacks and refreshments will be available.
Youth are welcome with a guardian who is responsible for them.
Necessary tools will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own- bringing your own work or gardening gloves is recommended.
If it is lightly raining- we will work.
If it is lightning or pouring we will reschedule.
Dress accordingly to the weather (sun, bugs, rain).
These are community events meant to build community with one another, please be respectful to everyone regardless of personal differences of any type.
We are always open to teaching and explaining the process and learning from volunteers- please feel free to ask questions and comment at will!

05/15/2026

Join us May 23rd from 12-2pm to learn about how to cultivate a mini ecosystem to grow successful Fruit Trees through the Tree Guild System- while we establish the Little Trout Lake food forest as a community!

Who should attend? Anyone from anywhere interested in learning about how to grow fruit trees with the guild system. Residents who want to meet other cool neighbors while building infrastructure for food sustainability within our community!

KI Sawyer residents who attend from 12-2PM can receive a $20 gift card stipend from MCCD, mailed after the event. Fill out this survey to state interest and get on the list! https://forms.gle/zpVXc8QaZpNw9eEj9

04/22/2026

🌎Happy Earth Day!!! Winter has been long, but the LGKI team has been far from hibernating. Thanks to our wonderful supporters at the DNR, a partnership with Marquette County Planning Division and Marquette County Conservation District, everyone who took the survey about 'what they would like to harvest for free in KI Sawyer', and design meetings with the Food Forest Committee- we are moving towards planting the first section of the food forest at Little Trout Lake on May 23rd from 12-2PM!!!

Clear harvestable winners were Berries with 32 votes followed with a close 31 votes for apples! Join us to plant apple trees, service berries, blueberries, honey berries, arctic raspberries, strawberries and more- and learn about what components help to make a fruit tree guild a self supporting ecosystem!

Refreshments will be provided.

There is also an opportunity for a stipend for our KI neighbors. Please contact us or fill out our survey to hear more: https://forms.gle/zpVXc8QaZpNw9eEj9

Can't wait to get our hands in the soil with the community!🌱🌳🍎🍓

04/19/2026

Come out and get involved or save the date to attend! Little Trout Lake Park grand re-opening on the Silver Lead Creek Greenway!

Calling ALL vendors! Big or small, if you’ve got something to sell or information to tell, come join us for the Grand Re-Opening of Little Trout Lake Park on June 13th. FREE to participate. Apply by May 20th!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5FbnISDnmlAnbeZZVC5OUln53ikT1NMEAd-oXyZZwOBoKsg/viewform?usp=header

01/29/2026

Join Jordan, Katrina, and Grace with Let's Grow KI at the Gwinn Elementary Wellness Fair next week on Thursday, February 5th, and learn how to grow nutritious greens in your windowsill! Also, learn about how to get involved with the community orchard we are planning on the Silver Lead Creek Greenway! (This is a free event) 🍎🥗🌱

12/22/2025

***This survey closes on 12/31/25! ⏳***

What do you want to harvest in the KI Sawyer Sustainable Food Forest? Apples, berries, cherries, pears, grapes, herbs & teas, nuts, peaches, plums, wild flowers- or something else?

Comment below or let us know by taking the survey below!
https://forms.gle/u44jzZPeqiiq5YZv9

Your response will help lead decisions in tree and plant selections, and let us know how you may be interested in being involved!

12/09/2025

Thankful Tuesday! 🍲🙏

A huge thank you to Lakeshore Depot for donating and serving community members delicious soup last Tuesday (12/2) for the KI Sawyer Sustainable Food Forest community gathering, hosted at the KI Sawyer Elementary School.

All dishware was composted thanks to Partridge Creek Farm.

Lakeshore Depot is located at 560 Fern Place in Marquette and provides its community with access to local and regional foods and is a part of the Fresh Food Access Program, SNAP, and Double Up Food Bucks!

12/07/2025

If you haven't seen the latest with TV6 & FOX UP, we made it on the news!

https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/video/2025/12/03/ki-sawyer-food-forest-works-make-fresh-food-more-accessible/

We are very excited about the fresh food abundance coming soon courtesy of our fruit & nut trees, berries, and more!
The Marquette County Planning Division, Let's Grow KI, and Marquette County Conservation District are expanding sustainable food sources in KI Sawyer with an IRA UCF Grant from Michigan DNR and USDA Forest Service!

Below is the project timeline with information to get involved!

Survey Links:

Design & Plant the Food Forest: If you live in KI Sawyer and are interested in designing or adding input to which things we plant here, fill out this survey https://forms.gle/u44jzZPeqiiq5YZv9 or reach out to Jordan [email protected] to be a part of the Food Forest Committee!

If you live in KI Sawyer and are interested in receiving a $10/hour stipend for contributing to the community via the KI Sawyer Sustainable Food Forest project - fill out this survey https://forms.gle/1hi4NdBqwLcguhzM8