Increasing Access to Fresh Produce
Farmshed has donated hundreds of pounds of produce directly from our garden and local farms in 2022. Thanks to our established relationships with local farms and the ability to expand our growing space, participants of the Badger Box program, Mobile Pantry, and the overall community was able to access organic, fresh, whole vegetables and herbs.
Farm, Fresh & Free
In 2023, Through the LFPA (Local Food Purchasing Assistance) program, Farmshed secured over $100,000 in locally grown fresh produce and provided them to community members in need.
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In February of 2024, Farmshed was awarded a Community Partner Grant (CPG) and has committed over $125,000 to purchase locally grown and minimally processed products. As part of this grant, we are providing fresh products to several food pantries in Portage, Waushara, Marquette, Wood and Bayfield Counties.
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Farmshed has hosted public distributions for community members who meet income guidelines TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program). Due to the weather this year, these distributions have not been regularly scheduled, however; keep an eye on our Facebook page for scheduled distribution dates and time.
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We are proud and excited to say that we have focused on culturally relevant products that includes halal meats. Please reach out to info@farmshed.org for further information on the Farm, Fresh & Free program.
In June of 2022, Farmshed became a distribution site for Badger State Boxes. Provided by the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, Badger State Boxes are a highly accessible supplemental nutrition boxes that source high quality foods exclusively from Wisconsin Farmers. With the support of volunteers, Farmshed is able to provide over 150 Badger boxes a month for the community. During the growing season, we also had produce available for program participants to choose from. The produce came from a combination of the newly expanded Farmshed garden, Giving Gardens, and local farmers.​
Mobile pantry of portage county
The Mobile Pantry is a non-profit organization that is run by volunteers who work to “enrich lives through the delivery of food to individuals and families with limited resources to access transportation to a food pantry.”
Central Rivers Farmshed partnered with the Mobile Pantry to enhance their contributions with locally grown, fresh produce. The Mobile Pantry receives donations of food and money for their deliveries, and our partnership best ensures that fresh produce is a part of that delivery. We have donated 336 paper grocery bags of local produce throughout 2022!