The agriculture industry has been experiencing significant growth in the four-county area since 2012. While USDA census data is nearly seven years old, the 2017 Census of Agriculture reported significant increases in land converted to agricultural use in all four counties, with Houghton showing the greatest growth.

According to the census, between 2012 and 2017, Houghton experienced an 18% growth, to 208 farms, with a market value of products sold of just over $6 million. The greatest number of farms (41%) were between 50 and 179 acres, with one encompassing more than 1,000. Land in farms totals just over 26,000 acres. The census also reports that 64% of the share of sale was in livestock, poultry and products, and 34% in crops.

Ontonagon County, the region’s next biggest producer, with 27,000 acres of land in farms, listed a marked value of products sold at $3 million. The largest percentage of farms comprises 50-179 acres, with crops making up 81% of share of sales and livestock, poultry and products comprising 19%.

Baraga County has also shown an significant increase, up 14%, with the number of farms totaling 65 in 2017. The Census of Agriculture reports that land in farms totaled 17,604 acres, with the average farm size at 271 acres. Farms range in size from 10 to 1,000 + acres, the majority of which are between 50 and 179 acres. Market value of products sold totaled $2,200,000, divided between crops (58%) and livestock, poultry and products (42%).

During the same period, the number of farms in Keweenaw County increased 50% to nine, totaling 240 acres. All nine farms are between 10 and 49 acres. According to the census, 35% of land in farm use are under crops, 29% are pastureland, with an additional 30% comprising woodland, and 6% listed as other. Market value of products sold from all farms totaled $2,000, with 100% of sales shares coming from crops.

While agriculture seems to be experiencing significant growth, horticulture has also shown a rapid growth in popularity. Many villages and cities have, in the past couple of years, reserved public property to community gardens.

Assisting gardeners in seeking, locating and identifying seeds, the number of public libraries that house seed libraries and seed exchanges continues to grow. Three of these, the Portage Lake Seed Library, the Ojibwa Community Seed Library and the Calumet Public Library Seed Exchange, are hosted by the Western U.P. Food Systems Collaborative.

Gardens are not limited to community blocks. The Food Systems Collaborative currently lists nine school gardens in the western U.P., along with two university gardens located at Michigan Tech, with five community gardens listed, not including Main Street Calumet’s community garden in the village of Calumet. There are also four garden clubs or organizations listed.

Among the community gardens listed is Fort Wilkins Gardens in Copper Harbor. The name of this garden is not by chance. It is truly a historic garden, dating to 1845, when fertile ground was located a mile west of the military post for the purpose of supplying the garrison with locally produced vegetables and grains.

Also rapidly growing in popularity are community farmers markets, with seven markets currently in Houghton County alone, and one in Keweenaw County. These have become so popular, in fact, that several of their organizers have begun searching for indoor commercial space to extend their sales through the winter.

The Daily Mining Gazette will be dedicating space to exploring the agricultural industry in the western Upper Peninsula, and also to garden growers. Included will be farm reports, interviews with growers and other stakeholders, along with organization and community leaders who promote food access, food sovereignty and healthier living.