Growing Vegetables for Others

by Sherry Lyons

At first I was hesitant to write about this subject, as I typically write about conservation concerns of one type or another, but I feel that as gardeners it is important not to look away from what is happening at the USDA. “Trump’s policies have affected the agency and the money it once provided to states for many necessary programs. Disruptions to food pantries and school nutrition programs are occurring due to significant cuts in federal funding, impacting farmers, local food purchasing programs, and food bank operations. These cuts threaten the ability of schools to buy local produce, as well as the food banks' ability to provide food to people in need. This also impacts the National School Lunch Program, which provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children.” 

“Reuters spoke with food banks in seven states who said cancellation and pauses of the programs meant they expected to offer less produce, meat, and other staples in the coming weeks and months, leaving scarcer food for those reliant on free supplies that helped stave off hunger.

One reason is fewer expected shipments from USDA's The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), one of the agency's core nutrition programs that buys food from farmers and sends it to food pantries, some of the organizations said.

Vince Hall, chief government relations officer for Feeding America, the nation's largest food bank network, said the USDA is reviewing the program and had paused half of TEFAP funding - $500 million - sourced from the Commodity Credit Corporation, which generally gives the department a broad discretionary funding pool for various programs.”

To me this means that as gardeners, we need to shift our focus. Instead of, or in addition to our lovely flower beds, we need to plant a larger vegetable garden than we usually do, if you choose to. If you have the money and the time, add a bed with the intention of donating the food that you grow to your local food bank. You can even plan on donating bunches of flowers if you wish, as nothing lifts the spirits like a beautiful bunch of flowers when you are feeling down.

Healthy Lincoln County is an organization that performs many functions for the health of our community, bringing them all together under one umbrella. The two that are pertinent to us as gardeners are their Grow-A- Row program and their sister organization Lincoln County Gleaners.

With Grow-A- Row, you simply decide what you want to donate from your garden, whether you have surplus crops or you dedicate one of your garden beds and donate whatever you grow in it. Then you bring the fresh, ripened vegetables or flowers to the Food Hub at Round Top Farm, behind the Coastal Rivers organization’s beautifully restored farmhouse. Call ahead to schedule a drop-off time; their phone number is 207-563-1330. There are several farms that help with both aspects of the program; I have received seeds, seedlings, and soil at the Food Hub that are donated by Veggies to Table and Morning Dew Farm, reducing the expense of getting started on growing veggies for others. For the past two years I have donated what I could from my garden, and I plan to donate more this year.

If you are interested in Lincoln County Gleaners, they are always looking for volunteers. Farms like Goranson Farm and Biscay Orchards may have excess produce that is not profitable to continue to harvest, or is too bountiful to keep up with, or even just donated out of the goodness of their hearts. They then call the gleaners, and they come and pick all the produce they can, sorting and processing it to be distributed to share tables all over the county. You may have seen those share tables in churches, libraries, hospitals and other organizations. The food is free for anyone in need. These organizations depend on the kind volunteers who devote their time and energy to helping out whenever and wherever they can. I loved gleaning with Boston Area Gleaners when I lived in Massachusetts. I have not yet gleaned here in Lincoln County, but I definitely plan to this summer. I hope that you will consider helping too.