Donate your extra produce to those in need

Are you wealthy in terms of bountiful harvests of fruit and vegetables? Have you planted more zucchini than you can ever use? Perhaps your apple trees will yield a huge crop this year.

Share your living wealth with those less fortunate. Each year, many gardeners grow more produce than they can use. While some of our neighbors hope never to receive another zucchini, there are agencies hoping you will bring your extra vegetables and fruits to them to feed the hungry in our communities.

This spring, gardeners at the Carson City Community Garden on Beverly Drive each planted extra to donate. For many years there has been a movement across the country called "Plant a Row" where gardeners plant an extra row of each of their chosen vegetables and donate that extra to community food agencies.

When I called these agencies to find out if they accepted vegetable and fruit donations, each said, "Oh please, we really need food," sounding thrilled and grateful at the prospect.

The Ron Wood Family Resource Center provides a variety of parenting classes and other support to its clients including a Farmers Market every Thursday from 9-11a.m.

The participants are given script to use in payment, so no money is needed. They earn it by attending classes, meetings, etc. Ron Wood Center is located at 212 E. Winnie in Carson City.

The center prefers to receive donations on Wednesday afternoon or before 9 a.m. on Thursday so that the produce will be fresh for the Thursday market. The phone number is 884-2269.

Advocates to End Domestic Violence provides a crisis hotline, domestic violence response team and transitional housing with other support services. They will gladly accept food Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. to distribute to their clients.

Call them at 883-7654.

Friends in Service Helping, FISH, feeds the needy every day with its lunch program. They also have housing for individuals or families working to become self-sufficient.

FISH can put all produce to good use and welcomes donations at 138 East Long Street, Carson City. Their phone is 882-8448.

The Carson Valley Community Food Closet at 1255 Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville accepts and distributes food in Douglas County.

Food items can be dropped off there between 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. For more information, call 782-3711.

When your garden overflows with veggies and your trees produce more fruit than you can eat, think of others and share.

For more information, e-mail skellyj@unce.unr.edu or call me at 887-2252. You can "Ask a Master Gardener" by e-mailing mastergardeners@unce.unr.edu or call your local University of Nevada Cooperative Extension office. Check out many useful horticulture publications at www.unce.unr.edu.

- JoAnne Skelly is the Carson City/Storey County Extension educator for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.