Have Extra Produce? Join The Food Bank Garden Networkby Thea Davis The Food Bank Growers meeting drew a different crowd this year. In addition to the familiar faces of local farmers pledging what they can grow for the food bank, that growing band of dedicated backyard and community gardeners showed up. They included churches starting gardening ministries,elementary and high school garden projects, interested corporate office workers, and curious backyard gardeners. Everyone wanted to know how to grow produce for visitors to the Thurston County Food Bank. This growing interest in growing food is key. Derek Valley of the Kiwanis Club of Olympia noted the stark increase in food bank clients last year. While in 2007 food bank use increased by four percent, the use increased by 30 percent in 2008, including 4,000 first-time clients. The use in 2009 is expected to increase by a dramatic amount once again. "These people are not different from us," Don Leaf, another Kiwanis member, noted at the meeting. "They're people that need food, with kids that need food." This backyard gardening, or urban ag movement, hasn't gone unnoticed. The Food Bank recognized the need to coordinate with new gardeners and community gardens, so Director Robert Coit hired Sarah Swanson to coordinate gardeners with the needs of the food bank. "Coit made a smart move hiring Sarah to coordinate with the community," Valley said. "Swanson will be helpful in coordinating those who want to grow food with places to grow, what to grow, and how to deliver it. She'll work closely on matching gardeners, available land, and gardening resources." The Olympia Kiwanis club has been raising vegetables for the food bank for several years, so Leaf and Valley attended to explain the finer points of growing and delivering produce to the food bank. Because the food bank is operated by volunteers, Leaf pointed out that produce should be cleaned and trimmed, and be uniformly delivered in black, stackable crates, available through the Kiwanis Club. Or, deliver boxes in whatever sturdy boxes you have. Each box should contain only one kind of crop for easy storage. They suggested crops with longer shelf life, like cabbage, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, beets, onions, leeks, squash, tomatoes and peas would be best. Clearly, there's room to grow in this movement, as a gap exists between the amount of fresh produce available through the food bank and the growing number of those in need. This movement is easy to join...just plant a few extra rows in your garden this season, and get in touch with the food bank on how to deliver it. Please call ahead before bringing your produce to the Food Bank. To coordinate delivery and for general information, contact the Produce Manager, Sarah Swanson: 360-352-8597 x105 or email mailto:produce@thurstoncountyfoodbank.org For help and information on community, produce-growing projects and how you can raise fruits and vegetables in your back yard for the food bank, contact the Kiwanis Club:
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