We envision thriving communities connected to the environment and their food through work and play.
Gathering Ground cultivates community and learning in partnership with the generous earth through agriculture.
DonatePlanting for the Future
We envision thriving communities connected to the environment and their food through work and play.
Gathering Ground cultivates community and learning in partnership with the generous earth through agriculture.
DonateThank you for visiting our first virtual fundraiser! Since we couldn’t come together for Dinner in the Vineyard this year, we decided to host a fundraiser online. Despite the pandemic, many of our programs and plantings are moving forward with great success.
This year, we got past the rose chafers, started a community composting program, planted a garden to grow winter squash for the WI food pantry, and introduced sheep into the vineyard and orchards to add fertility and maintain weeds. We also planted over 200 trees, shrubs and vines with our 2020 interns, Alex and Izzy, as well as hosted our first annual Island Garden Tour!
Below you will find some of our continuing and upcoming projects that you can adopt — fully or in part. Gathering Ground was founded with the generosity of a few people with a vision, and our programs will continue because of the generosity of friends and supporters like you!
Double your gift! An anonymous donor has pledged to match all of the gifts given during our fundraiser. That means every dollar you give will be doubled — including the pledged yearly gifts of every new supporting member.
If you have questions, do not hesitate to email our executive director, Alessandra.
Become a supporting member of Gathering Ground with a monthly gift!
MATCHING DONOR ALERT! An anonymous donor has pledged to match the yearly gifts of every new supporting member that signs up before the end of the year! That means every dollar you pledge will be doubled!
Become a supporting member today and double your impact!
GOAL: $2,500
All gifts given toward our internship will be doubled! Help us provide our summer interns with an excellent learning experience! Learn more.
Between the Island School and Gathering Ground, students are working to create a path that will connect the two sites and provide space for forest education.
GOAL: $2,500
All gifts given toward our forest path will be doubled! Help us create a forest path. Learn more.
GOAL: $2,500
All gifts given toward our orchards will be doubled! Learn more about planting for the future with us.
Gather Round is our blog dedicated to sharing news about Gathering Ground’s activities, promoting sustainable agriculture and growing community on Washington Island!
Before becoming an intern with my sister Izzy at Gathering Ground, I was an Island regular. Every summer my family would drive up from our Illinois suburb to Washington Island, anticipating the euphoric moment when we would be driving down the curving road, alongside the lake to Gibson’s West Harbor Resort.
by Russell Rolffs, farm manager This year, Gathering Ground grazed six White Dorper sheep, rotating them through the vineyard June to August and then the young chestnut and fruit orchards the rest of the season. Combining livestock with crops is a sustainable practice because it creates a harmonious relationship between two agricultural pursuits wherein the … Continue reading Sheep at Gathering Ground
We seek to inspire ecologically-minded agriculture & partnership with land & people. Through our developing community orchard & vineyard, we aim to educate in sustainable agriculture while strengthening the health of people & the environment.
Founded in 2016, we have a 40+ acres, including a 5 acre vineyard and over 500 fruit and nut trees and shrubs. In 2018, we began to develop a low environmental impact management plan for the vineyard despite few blueprints for organic or biodynamic vineyards in the midwest. Every year, we have expanded our fruit and nut orchard, including our sweet chestnut. In 2020, we added sheep to help maintain weeds and fertilize the vineyards and orchards.
On the Grounds: Learn about all the aspects of our agroecosystem, including the challenges we face in managing our vineyard organically, how and why we are planting orchards, grazing sheep, and growing a small vegetable garden for our community. Interns will work in the vineyard & orchard providing routine care & management such as planting and mulching trees, vines and shrubs; moving, watering, and caring for the sheep; planting and caring for a vegetable garden.
Around the Island: Work with an Island farm or farm-to-table restaurant learning what’s it like in the day to day behind the scenes of a local food system through hands-on experience.
Weekly Seminars: Reading & Discussion on current issues in agriculture, environmental studies and food studies.
No experience is necessary, though a desire to work outside with plants and animals is a must. This is a very hands-on experience!
Got comments, questions, or stories? We’d love to hear from you. We are particularly looking for stories about farming on Washington Island. If you have any stories you’d like to share, please contact us!
You can email us at hello (at) gatheringgroundwi (dot) org or fill out this form.