Market Farming

[Petersons family <petersns AT whidbey.com>]

Our food bank gratefully accepts fresh produce and especially values 
the organic greens we give them.  Check with several near you.
I also donate food at housing units that are designated for low-income 
elderly people.  Most of them have a meeting hall, a meal site, or at 
least a "free" table.  I've found that the people who are elderly now 
are very grateful and appreciative of fresh garden vegetables.  Unlike 
people who are young now, elders know where food comes from, are not 
confused by peas still in the pod, and know how to use and cook a 
variety of fresh vegetables.  This year our farmer's markets 
participated in both the Senior Farmer's Market Nutrition Program and 
the WIC program.  Most of the seniors with coupons knew what they 
wanted and had great fun picking out their  vegetables.  The young 
mothers were a bit more hesitant and almost always chose a fruit over a 
vegetable.  They took a lot more educating before they'd try out 
unfamiliar vegetables.
Molly Petersons (who works off farm at a Senior Center)
Molly's Island Garden
Whidbey Island, WA
On Jan 2, 2005, at 3:37 PM, David Tannen wrote:

> How does one go about donating fresh produce to the elderly or those 
> in need.  I was under the impression that food banks will not accept 
> fresh produce.
>
> David
> Primm Springs, TN
> In beautiful middle Tennessee