About

The Leelanau Community Garden is located on Horn Road, approximately ½ mile north of M-204.  Use of the approximately one acre of land has been generously donated by long-time Suttons Bay residents, Dean and Cindy Robb. 

The garden was initiated in 1992 as a joint project between MSU Extension-Leelanau County and Family Court.  A  goal of the garden is to provide at-risk youth a safe place to learn about gardening, spend time with caring adults, all while giving back to the community by growing vegetables donated to the area’s needy.  

Today the amount of cultivated space at the garden has increased to the current 3,000 square feet (approximately).  In addition to providing fresh produce to the area’s needy, the garden also serves as an educational resource for the community.   Workshops on vegetable gardening are occasionally led at the garden.   Area residents are are invited to adopt gardening plots for their personal use, or volunteer with growing produce for the food pantry.  Gardening at a community garden, can be a wonderful way to learn more about growing food!

The garden is partly supported by Leelanau Family Court, but depends greatly on volunteers and community contributions.   Financial support for the garden is limited, and depends on donations and grants to purchase seedlings, compost, mulch, and replacement of irrigation equipment.  Anyone interested in learning more about the Leelanau Community Garden should contact Pam Schmidt Bardenhagen, MSU Extension Home Horticulturalist at 231-256-8323 or via email, schmi345@msu.edu.