Home vegetable gardeners are asked to ‘grow a row’ for their local food pantry

By Kendra Wills, Michigan State University Extension

Feeding America believes that food insecurity impacts one in eight people in west and northern Michigan. To address this issue, Michigan State University Extension is encouraging home gardeners to consider “growing a row” of produce for donation to their local food pantry this season. Many northern Michigan pantries are seeking donations of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs.

All donations are welcome, but please consider popular items such as:

Peppers
Apples
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Green beans
Cabbage
Cherries
Cucumbers
Onions
Peaches
Carrots
Squash (winter and summer)
Pears
Radishes
Melons

Pantries ask that donated produce is clean, fresh, ripe, whole, uncut, undamaged and in separate packaging for different produce types. If using pesticides, make sure to follow the pesticide instructions. Please don’t donate produce that you wouldn’t buy for your own family.

Under terms of the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, donors are protected from liability, should the product donated in good faith later cause harm to the recipient. Be sure to check with your local pantry on the best days and times to bring in donated produce.

Michigan State University Extension provides support for home gardeners. Their vegetable gardening website provides an extensive list of resources, from finding the best location for a vegetable garden in your yard, planting techniques, to managing pests and diseases. MSU Extension Master Gardeners also staff a toll-free hotline during normal business hours in the growing season for gardening questions at 1-888-678-3464

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).