Have a carrot!
Organizers with Central Vermont Community Harvest announced recently their volunteers have gleaned a ton and a half of carrots Dec. 3 alone. All told for the year, the group has gathered 137,000 pounds, or 68.5 tons of surplus food.
Gleaning is the process of picking up food from farm fields after the farmers have finished their regular harvest, according to their website communityharvestvt.org. The types of food they glean includes carrots, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and apples. There is plenty of food after farmers harvest their land, according to the organization. “In Vermont each growing season, research shows there are 14.3 million pounds of edible vegetables and berries grown that are not sold by farms. There is about 1 million pounds of surplus in Washington County that could be gleaned for people to eat,” states information on communityharvestvt.org. Central Vermont Community Harvest is just one of many such groups.
Volunteers are used to get the fresh produce and deliver to disadvantaged members of the community. Such participants include people of all ages. Donation recipients include individuals, food shelves, after-school and early-childhood programs, community meals, and schools with free-meal programs. Some of the funding for the program is provided by grants, but the organization is seeking additional funds from the community.
Now through December 31, sustaining donors may have their 2021 donations tripled by Rabble-Rouser Diversity Preservation Society. The Society will give up to $6,000 to match new sustaining donors.
Potential donors can give as little as $5 a month, and Central Vermont Community Harvest will receive a total $180 for the year when that donation is tripled as part of this challenge. Please be sure to select the MONTHLY option when you donate.
Or if a one-time gift is better for you, remember that under the CARES Act, donations made before December 31 are tax-deductible up to $300, even if you plan to take the standard deduction.
For more information, contact Allison Levin, executive director of Community Harvest of Central Vermont. Email CommunityHarvestVT@gmail.com or call 802-229-4281. The website is CommunityHarvestVT.org
“Help everyone eat local — Glean!”
