Grateful to Our Growers
“Eyes light up when clients see the fresh garlic, leeks, chives, spinach,” says Cecile “CC” Culp, a volunteer in the produce section at the Brinnon Food Bank. “They feel the love.”
Our featured partner in this issue of the JCFBA Newsletter is the Food Bank Growers, a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) non-profit that grows, gathers, and gives away fresh, organic produce to improve food security and reduce food waste throughout Jefferson County. Today, there are 11 gardens and an orchard in the FBG network, tended by 100 volunteers, providing nutritionally dense fruits and vegetables to over 30 local organizations in Jefferson County, including food banks in Port Townsend, Tri-Area, Quilcene, and Brinnon.
Last year, the Food Bank Growers donated 40,000 pounds of fresh produce to area organizations of Jefferson County. At a time when 15% of the residents of Jefferson County are facing food insecurity, exacerbated by the reduction or elimination of SNAP benefits, this ongoing gift of fresh, whole foods, organically grown and lovingly harvested, is life-changing.
Garden Manager, Barbara Tusting.
Clients have been known to burst into applause when Garden Manager Barbara Tusting delivers fresh produce from the Quimper Grange Garden to the Port Townsend Food Bank. More often, it’s food bank volunteer Janice Camfield who stops by the Quimper Grange Garden to pick up the harvest. “Any excuse to spend time in the garden,” she says. “I like to see what’s growing, talk to the growers. I love the way people in this county take care of each other. It’s a circle of love and nutrition.”
Sometimes growers bring cut flower bouquets and beautiful starter plants to give away along with the week’s harvest. “When clients check in, I ask: ‘Would you like to adopt a well-behaved plant?’ And many of them do,” says Sonja Mathews, a greeter at the Port Townsend Food Bank and Vice President of the JCFBA Board. “Often it’s the children who urge their parents to adopt a plant, because they’ve learned about gardening as part of the school curriculum. They say, ‘Mom, we need this plant. I know how to grow it!’ One of the clients was so successful with his cucumber start that he brought in a basket of cucumbers to donate to the food bank later that summer.”
There are FBG gardens at Salish Coast Elementary, Blue Heron Middle School, and Port Townsend High School. Freshmen help tend the high school garden one morning a week, and all students have grazing privileges – they can help themselves to healthy snacks. According to Garden Manager Doug van Allen, the high school garden will produce 500 pounds of potatoes for the school’s culinary program this year, in addition to the food they send to the Food Banks and to the School District kitchen for school lunches.
FB Growers Board Member, Amber LangleyAs a line cook working in a popular restaurant in Seattle, Amber Langley was troubled by the food waste that was a by-product of the fine dining experience. Having grown up in rural Wisconsin, in a family and community that grew their own vegetables, she was moved to join an organization called Tilth (a Seattle-based non-profit dedicated to promoting organic gardening, sustainable agriculture, and environmental stewardship). Amber started talking with housemates in her intentional community about moving to a place where they could be closer to the land.
They chose the Quimper Peninsula and found their way to the Food Bank Growers. Amber began volunteering with Lys Burden, a founding member and leader of FBG, at Brian’s Garden, whose harvest goes to the Brinnon Food Bank. Eventually, Amber became co-manager of Brian’s Garden and secretary of the FBG Board of Directors. She works closely with CC Culp and other volunteers at the Brinnon Food Bank to prioritize growing what clients want to eat most. Clients were asked about their preferences, and corn, zucchini, beets, cucumbers, brussels sprouts, radishes, and broccoli were high on the list.
“First and foremost, this work is about food security and sustainability,” says Amber. “I enjoy being part of a community where people take care of each other. And there is something enjoyable about getting your hands in the soil, planting a seed, and watching it go through its life cycle. It’s pretty magical.”
Broccoli Wool Collar
Today, as co-manager of the Quimper Grange Garden, she’s responsible for deciding how to use the space in the 7,000-square-foot garden, which includes three hoop houses that make it possible to grow through the winter months and a recently donated greenhouse. Early in the season, she’s watching closely to make sure all the “little guys” are happy. The carrots have an insect-mesh covering over their beds to keep out carrot rust flies. The broccoli plants are wearing wool collars cut from an old wool coat. (Did you know you can deter snails, slugs, and cabbage root flies and climbing cutworms by putting wool collars around the stems of plants in the brassica family? Ask a gardener!)
What is most rewarding about this work? “We love being in the garden,” says Barbara. “We’ve built a really strong network of friends here, so we look forward to seeing each other. We all love the idea of feeding other people. And we’re constantly learning. I can’t think of anything better than that. There are over a thousand families a week making use of our food banks. We can’t take care of the whole need, but we can help. Food bank clients shouldn’t have to settle for three-month-old potatoes, onions, and carrots.”
FBG President, Mary Hunt
Our featured partner in this issue of the JCFBA Newsletter is the Food Bank Growers, a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) non-profit that grows, gathers, and gives away fresh, organic produce to improve food security and reduce food waste throughout Jefferson County. Today, there are 11 gardens and an orchard in the FBG network, tended by 100 volunteers, providing nutritionally dense fruits and vegetables to over 30 local organizations in Jefferson County, including food banks in Port Townsend, Tri-Area, Quilcene, and Brinnon.
Last year, the Food Bank Growers donated 40,000 pounds of fresh produce to area organizations of Jefferson County. At a time when 15% of the residents of Jefferson County are facing food insecurity, exacerbated by the reduction or elimination of SNAP benefits, this ongoing gift of fresh, whole foods, organically grown and lovingly harvested, is life-changing.
Garden Manager, Barbara Tusting.Sometimes growers bring cut flower bouquets and beautiful starter plants to give away along with the week’s harvest. “When clients check in, I ask: ‘Would you like to adopt a well-behaved plant?’ And many of them do,” says Sonja Mathews, a greeter at the Port Townsend Food Bank and Vice President of the JCFBA Board. “Often it’s the children who urge their parents to adopt a plant, because they’ve learned about gardening as part of the school curriculum. They say, ‘Mom, we need this plant. I know how to grow it!’ One of the clients was so successful with his cucumber start that he brought in a basket of cucumbers to donate to the food bank later that summer.”
There are FBG gardens at Salish Coast Elementary, Blue Heron Middle School, and Port Townsend High School. Freshmen help tend the high school garden one morning a week, and all students have grazing privileges – they can help themselves to healthy snacks. According to Garden Manager Doug van Allen, the high school garden will produce 500 pounds of potatoes for the school’s culinary program this year, in addition to the food they send to the Food Banks and to the School District kitchen for school lunches.
Called to Action
FB Growers Board Member, Amber LangleyThey chose the Quimper Peninsula and found their way to the Food Bank Growers. Amber began volunteering with Lys Burden, a founding member and leader of FBG, at Brian’s Garden, whose harvest goes to the Brinnon Food Bank. Eventually, Amber became co-manager of Brian’s Garden and secretary of the FBG Board of Directors. She works closely with CC Culp and other volunteers at the Brinnon Food Bank to prioritize growing what clients want to eat most. Clients were asked about their preferences, and corn, zucchini, beets, cucumbers, brussels sprouts, radishes, and broccoli were high on the list.
“First and foremost, this work is about food security and sustainability,” says Amber. “I enjoy being part of a community where people take care of each other. And there is something enjoyable about getting your hands in the soil, planting a seed, and watching it go through its life cycle. It’s pretty magical.”
Growing Groceries
Barbara Tusting was planning to enroll in the WSU Master Gardeners program when she retired from Habitat for Humanity and started volunteering at Quimper Grange, but a friend thought she’d prefer the Growing Groceries class. “They were right,” says Barbara. “I took it three times!” Working with Jo Yount, a co-founder of the Quimper Grange Garden, and Kathy Ryan, a past president of FBG, she discovered she loved growing vegetables.Broccoli Wool CollarWhat is most rewarding about this work? “We love being in the garden,” says Barbara. “We’ve built a really strong network of friends here, so we look forward to seeing each other. We all love the idea of feeding other people. And we’re constantly learning. I can’t think of anything better than that. There are over a thousand families a week making use of our food banks. We can’t take care of the whole need, but we can help. Food bank clients shouldn’t have to settle for three-month-old potatoes, onions, and carrots.”
Growing Together
FBG President, Mary Hunt