Fondy Farm in Port Participating in Contest to Win Fruit Orchard

Fondy Farm in Port Washington is in the running to win a free fruit orchard valued at $5,000 from Edy's Fruit Bars Communities Take Root program — but the farm will only win if it gets enough online votes.

There are 100 organizations nationwide participating in the contest, but only 17 sites will win. The Fondy Farm Project, an initiative of the Fondy Food Center, Milwaukee, had 2,657 votes as of Friday afternoon. Visit www.communitiestakeroot.com to vote; people can vote once per day. 

Fondy Farm is located on Highway P, adjacent to the Afterglow Farm in Port Washington, according to a press release from the organization. It is an 80-acre farm that offers "longterm farmland leases and agricultural and business support to predominantly low-income, immigrant farmers." Produce grown on the Port farm are sold at the Fondy Farmers Market, held weekly on Milwaukee’s north side.

"The Fondy Farm in Port Washington is an important part of our mission to connect Greater Milwaukee to local, healthy food — from the farm to the table," said Young Kim, Fondy Food Center’s Executive Director. "Winning this orchard will allow our farmers, most of whom are low-income, predominantly immigrant farmers, the opportunity to plant and grow fruit trees and shrubs using organic growing methods. And just as important, these farmers will turn around and sell this fruit to families on Milwaukee’s North Side at the Fondy Farmers Market.  Many of our Market shoppers have very little access to fresh, affordable, locally grown organic fruit in their neighborhoods."