what is urban ag?
The National Association of Conservation District's Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) Grant Initiative is designed to enhance a districts’ urban agriculture conservation technical assistance activities in developed and developing areas of both urban and rural communities. Since 2016, NACD and NRCS have awarded over 5 million dollars to 122 different projects throughout the country, including twice to the Marquette County Conservation District, in 2019 and 2022.
Find details about each of our awarded projects below.
Find details about each of our awarded projects below.
Urban agriculture implementation grant 2022
PAIRING POLLINATORS WITH FOOD GARDENS In
MARQUETTE AND ALGER COUNTIES
The National Association of Conservation Districts has awarded The Marquette County Conservation District a 2022 Urban Agriculture Implementation Grant to increase agricultural education and crop yield in Marquette and Alger Counties. The Marquette County Conservation District will be partnering with Alger Conservation District to:
|
Teacher's guide to:
Teaching pollination in agriculture
WE CREATED THIS GUIDE TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, INCLUDING SLIDESHOWS, WORKSHEETS, GAMES, & ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS TO INCLUDE POLLINATOR AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THIER CLASSROOMS.
TEACHER'S GUIDE - Includes worksheets, games, activites, and additional resources. Pick and choose which materials are best for your classroom!
SLIDESHOWS - Download these pre-made slideshows to teach about pollinators in your classroom. Accompany them with the corresponding worksheets included in the Teacher's Guide!
SLIDESHOWS - Download these pre-made slideshows to teach about pollinators in your classroom. Accompany them with the corresponding worksheets included in the Teacher's Guide!
2022 WORKSHOP SERIES
FIND DETAILS ABOUT OUR WORKSHOPS BELOW, WE WILL HOLD 2 IN MARQUETTE COUNTY AND 2 IN ALGER COUNTY.
WORKSHOP #1: wILD ABOUT WILDFLOWERS
June 11th. 9:30am-12pm
|
workshop #2: Produce and Polliantors: what you need to know!
july 28th. 5:3opm.
|
workshop #3: Let's plant a garden!
september 9th, 5:30pm.
|
workshop #4: Seed start + Swap
April 22nd, 11am-1pm. Marquette Township hall.Join us to learn everything you need to know about growing native flowers and garden varieties from seed! With lengthy UP winters, it's essential to make the most out of our growing season. One way to do this is to start seeds indoors!
At this workshop, we will provide both native wildflower seeds and produce seeds. We also encourage participants to bring any of their extra seed that they are willing to swap and share! MCCD will provide soil, trays, seeds, and snacks! |
URBAN AGRICULTURE 2022
we gave away 50
pollinator gardens!
To increase crop yield in both counties we are distributing 50 pollinator gardens to landowners in the area! To qualify, you must have an existing food garden on your land. Landowners, schools, businesses, and other organizations with existing food gardens are welcome to apply! We will be prioritizing customers who have received an NRCS high tunnel kit in the past, and landowners willing to host future workshops!
The rubric to the right shows how we will be prioritizing applications received. The application period will run from June 1st-July 1st, and gardens will be awarded in time for a fall planting. Each garden will consist of one flat, 38 plants, selected for your yard and soil conditions, and a sign. |
THE APPLICATION PERIOD IS CLOSED.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAILS - AWARD WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED! |
GARDEN WINNERS HAVE BEEN SELECTED!
Recipients of our 50 pollinator gardens have been notified via email! If you were not selected and would like to see your rubric, please feel free to call or email us. We appreciate all who applied, and encourage everyone to continue their efforts toward increasing pollinator habitat!
Agripalooza 2022
Agripalooza, a farm field day for local 5th graders, was hosted on September 30th, 2022. Learn more here!
photos from our 2022 urban agriculture project
Urban Agriculture Implementation Grant 2019
In 2019, MCCD was awarded a National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant to enhance urban agricultural activities in our community. With the funds, we hosted a series of four interactive workshops covering topics on season extenders, urban livestock and composting, invasive and native plants and pollinators, and mushroom cultivation. New land use ordinances passed at that time in Marquette County allowed, for the first time, city residents to raise small livestock including bees, chickens, and rabbits, and allowed the construction of raised garden beds and season extension structures such as hoop houses. MCCD used this grant funding to support landowners looking to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the new ordinance. MCCD is dedicated to providing education and technical support to increase the growing potential of Marquette County residents. |
Press Releases
|
2019 Free Workshop Series
Throughout the 2019 growing season, MCCD offered a series of workshops that provided technical, hands-on assistance to city residents. Participants were given the opportunity to learn about:
|