Grow an extra row and help share the bounty
Toolbox
By COLLEEN TEEVIN - Published: April 18, 2010
Are you dusting off your knee pads and cleaning up your garden trowels? Many of us are tearing open new seed packets, starting seedlings, transplanting and hoping for a fruitful produce season. As you get started on this year's harvest, large or small, consider growing a row for Vermont's neighbors in need.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Vermont ranks as the sixth hungriest state in the nation. Most hunger relief sites handle primarily nonperishable items, which are easier to stock for distribution. But much of this food represents the worst of our country's industrial food system — highly processed and packaged items with minimal nutritional benefits, laden with sugar, salts, and fats. Depending on these types of foods can lead to the health problems associated with an unbalanced diet.
As families in Vermont struggle with hunger and malnutrition, farms in Vermont are producing some of the most delicious, high-quality food in the nation. How can we eliminate food waste and make sure that everyone has access to healthy, nutritious diets? Groups across the state are organizing in many ways to close this gap.
In central Vermont the grassroots organization Food Works at Two Rivers Center has been operating a hands-on food and agricultural education center for more than 20 years. Food Works connects area farmers to under-served populations, including schools, senior meals sites, health care facilities and early childhood education centers. The 5-acre organic Foodbank Farm at the Two Rivers Center grows carrots, potatoes, onions and tomatoes exclusively for member agencies of the Vermont Foodbank.
In Rutland County the Rutland Area Farm and Food Link has developed a local grow-a-row program, based on the model practiced across the country. Gardeners and farmers are asked to grow a little extra food to share with their neighbors, colleagues and co-workers. Vermont's statewide program began two years ago, when the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Vermont Foodbank and WCAX.com began asking people to grow extra food.
Bill Clark, a vegetable farmer and sugar maker in Pawlet, was impressed by the simplicity of the idea. Clark agreed not only to grow extra food on his own farm specifically for donation, but to organize farmers and volunteers to grow the longest extra row that Rutland County had ever seen. Clark also asked the Rutland Area Farm and Food Link to organize a local program for redistributing the food to the greater Rutland area.
This year marks the second season of RAFFL's grow-a-row program. "Creating systems that expand access to and affordability of local farm products is integral to our organization's mission," explains Tara Kelly, RAFFL's executive director. "So when Bill contacted us, we didn't think twice about jumping in and making it work."
Last year RAFFL collected and redistributed over 10,000 pounds of fresh produce and cheese, meat and eggs to 14 nonprofit organizations in the area. This year's goal is to double that amount.
Sue Bassett of the Rutland Community Cupboard commented: "Our families love the fresh produce. It makes our volunteers feel great, too. So much of what we distribute is processed food. This helped balance that a bit. We all ooh and aah over the veggies as they arrive."
The program works this way: Farmers and gardeners are asked to plant a little extra specifically for donation. Any produce is welcome, including staples such as onions and potatoes. Eggs and meat are also solicited. Growers can bring their items to the Thursday farmers market in Poultney or the Saturday farmers market in Rutland, where volunteers accept the donations. Volunteers can also pick the products up at the farm or even glean directly from the field. The volunteers record all the donated items and then drive the products to agencies in Rutland, Poultney and surrounding areas.
Redistributing fresh, local food presents some challenges. One is storage — most nonprofits who receive the food aren't open on weekends. Food collected at the Saturday's farmers market is stored for two days and distributed on Monday. Thomas Dairy in Rutland offers free storage space for fresh produce collected on weekends.
Storage of delivered food is also problematic. Many agencies don't have adequate refrigerator or freezer space to store food. RAFFL is investigating how organizations can share storage space and is looking into various grant possibilities.
Food processing is another issue. While some products like salad greens must be eaten immediately, many others — squash, tomatoes and berries — can be processed and stored for fall and winter months. But many agencies do not have the equipment or staff to process. RAFFL and Green Mountain College have recently been awarded joint access to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture's transportable flash freezer. This mobile unit will allow RAFFL to process donated food for long-term storage.
Another challenge in redistributing food is that many recipients don't know how to prepare it. RAFFL is working with partner organizations through the Rutland County Nutrition Coalition to educate recipients about easy, healthy ways to prepare produce. One step has been to record simple-to-prepare cooking shows called "What's Cookin' Rutland" on PEG-TV (the local community cable access channel).
Volunteers are encouraged to participate, including those who benefit from the donated food. Those who participate get exposed to their food source, learn about farming and gardening and become involved with their larger community.
Last year's summer intern Meadow Squier reflected on her experience as a volunteer: "This was one of the most rewarding projects I've ever been a part of. I looked forward to every market, every gleaning and every delivery. The generosity the farmers showed in their donations was paralleled by the incredible gratitude I found from the recipients ... The impact this project has had on the community has been great. It made me realize how little you have to do to make a big difference."
Colleen Teevin lives in Poultney and is the local food link coordinator for the Rutland Area Farm and Food Link and Green Mountain College. To volunteer for this program, contact Colleen at 287-2940 or growarow@rutlandfarmandfood.org. Corinne Almquist also contributed to this article.
ON THE NET
Rutland Area Farm and Food Link
www.rutlandfarmandfood.org/
Food Works at Two Rivers Center
http://foodworksvermont.org/
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