Plant A Row
Growing vegetables for you and the hungry
By Master Gardener Rev. Dr. Sandy Bochonok, Assc. /LSSC
June 2005
Food, glorious food
Julia Childs was famous for saying: “you don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients.” A popular café signs reads: “Stay long, talk much, laugh often.” Food at its most basic meaning brings sustenance, comfort, and a sense of belonging, interconnectedness and symbolizes love and nurture.
Today I want to talk about growing vegetables for you and the hungry, plus provide some information about local, national, and global hunger needs. Hunger is a 7 and 24, 365 problem for every county, state and country in the world. A profound Chinese proverb reminds us that those with food have many problems; but those with no food have only one problem.
Globally, it’s estimated a billion people suffer from hunger. That huge number means 1 of every 7 people in the world, suffer from malnutrition and hunger every day. 1 in 10 households in the USA are hungry, my state (Washington) ranks 2nd highest in the nation with hunger concerns, and my county (Kitsap) has seen a 25% increase in food bank use over the past year.
Use your garden to change the world
Gardeners of all ages, shapes and sizes can help change the world. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed its’ the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Meade
Gardeners make a difference
By planting an extra row of vegetables in your garden, an extra plant, or by container gardening, no matter what the size, you can help feed the hungry. Through gardening, individuals, community organizations and businesses can help neighbors experiencing hunger and the threat of hunger.
Begin now
Many gardeners have winter and fall harvestables to donate: carrots, lettuce, spinach, chard, squash, potatoes and more that can be donated to local food banks.
Planning your garden makes it more enjoyable and productive. Depending on where you live, gardeners can plan for spring, summer and fall crops. Think about good storable vegetables to grow for your family and families without gardens and food. Beans, squash, and root crops store well. A Salvation Army cook said cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower are always appreciated.
PAR: Plant A Row for the Hungry
“Plant a Row for the Hungry is a people-helping-people program designed to assist in feeding the hungry in their own community. Launched in 1995, this national public service campaign was developed by the Garden Writers Association to encourage gardeners to grow a little extra and donate the produce to local soup kitchens and food banks that serve the homeless and hungry.” PAR began in Anchorage, AK, 1994 by garden columnist Jeff Lowenfels. In 2002, GWA established a supporting 501 ©(3) charity called the Garden Foundation to administer and expand the PAR program. (Web site: www.gardenwriters.org/par, and email: PAR@gwaa.org).
PAR strives to encourage over 70 million gardeners in the U.S. alone, many who plant more vegetables than they can consume, to plant a row for the hungry. When gardeners plant one extra row, surplus produce can be donated to food banks and soup kitchens, and other food agencies. This greatly helps those organizations have access to fresh vegetables, and redirect limited funds to other needed items.
PAR is endorsed by America’s Second Harvest, Master Gardeners, American Community Gardening Association, American Nursery and Landscape Association, National Gardening Associations, and by nurseries, seeds men and garden suppliers across the USA. Because it is a 501 ©(3) charitable organization, your produce contributions are tax deductible.
Plan your garden
Many gardeners keep notebooks of our gardening season experiences, recording what you like, what’s working, what needs help, making notes to try a new herb or veggie, or additional plants to attract birds, butterflies and beneficial insects, or to bring a new scent into the house or garden. These records allow us to plan valuable gardening space, and to provide planning for the next growing season.
Expand that gardening notebook to plan an extra row, an extra plant, an extra container garden or two, for the hungry. With every pound of fresh vegetables you donate, 3-4 servings go to needy people.
Because the United States of America’s federal government administration, congress slashed nutritional programs serving the poorest of the poor, and the most vulnerable in society. PAR is more important than ever.
Benefits of growing your own veggies
“Enjoying a sumptuous, elaborate meal with others is one of life’s greatest pleasures. As you dine, savor the sense of interconnectedness of all life: yourself, family and friends, those who grew, harvested, and prepared the food, and the food itself.” – Deborah Keston.
Growing fresh vegetables has many benefits – flavors and scents are more delicious. As gardeners, we’ve a kinship to the earth and appreciate where food comes from, and value the diligent work required growing nutritious, delicious fruits and vegetables.
We are what we eat. Good nutrition is critical to healing and good dietary habits can actually prevent or lessen certain diseases, and enhance learning ability, provide energy and improve intellect and memory.
New to gardening? Some helpful tips!
If you’re new to gardening, or have trouble keeping your plastic plants looking good, take heart. There are many easy to grow vegetables: beets, bush beans, collards, green onions, kale, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, radishes, peas, summer squash, swiss chard and turnips. They are fairly quick to mature and if you have children helping you garden, little hands sometimes have limited patience. It’s harder to grow cauliflower, celery, eggplant, lima beans, melons, okra, peppers and sweet potatoes.
Selecting a site with loose, well-drained soil, receiving 8 or more hours of sun daily is key. Good sun well drained soil, in a convenient location near good, easily accessible water supply is important. Your soil needs at least 5% of organic matter, soil amendments. If you do these things, you give the best possible start for your crops.
Plant veggies and fruit that travel well and are good keepers: broccoli, cabbage, carrots, peas, green beans, tomatoes, sweet peppers, summer squash including zucchini, winter squash, onions, beets, apples and pears.
Nutritional benefits and vegetable shelf life
Vegetables are full of nutritional benefits. Grow wisely when donating to food pantries. The best candidates based on shelf life and nutritional benefits are (ref: The Daily Herald, www.dailyherald.com/special/plantarow/story3_2004.asp):
(For a complete analysis of vegetables, including those not listed here, check the University of Illinois Extension web site at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies)
Water wisely
Mulch your beds, trees and shrubs. In dry and hot summers, this essential practice insulates plants from the heat and retains moisture. Moisture is essential for crop growth. Healthy plants are 75-90% water. The first two weeks of growth need adequate watering to build root systems. After that, one inch of water a week.
If you don’t have an irrigation system or soaker hoses, hand water at the roots and use the extra time as contemplative to enjoy your garden. Sprinkler systems can actually lose up to 50% water through evaporation. The extra physical activity can be part of an exercise program!
Some water wise vegetables – certain kinds of compact growing broccoli. Muskmelons, originally from Egypt and Iran were made to bake in the sun. Lemon cucumbers and New Zealand spinach are also low water vegetables.
Water needs depend on the plant and it’s growth season cycle. Many gardeners, as an example, over water their potatoes, tomatoes, and vine plants.
Contact your local food banks and community meal programs
Contact your local food banks. Some have limited refrigeration facilities and need vegetables that keep well: carrots, beets, onions, squash and potatoes. Food pantries and soup kitchens have some ethnic minorities who appreciate cultural foods (Asian, African American, Native American, Hispanic, etc). Be sure to wash your produce and bag it before taking it in.
All food banks offer volunteer opportunities of many kinds and lending a hand can be transforming when you see the face of local hunger. There are also community meal programs that use freshly grown, donated produce.
Intensive gardening techniques: ready, set, let’s grow!
Grow as many veggies in half the usual space by intensive gardening techniques. Soil preparation is key, and once done, you use half the space, and that equals half the time spent in weeding and watering. By planting beds in blocks, not rows, like cookie dough on a baking sheet, you can have an abundant harvest.
Here are four good ideas to maximize your gardening time and space:
Whatever you plant, remember to rotate your crops. Plant crops from the same planting families in different parts of the garden each year. This prevents soil born disease cycles. The pest populations can’t build up as easily.
And don’t forget container gardening. Plant containers dry quickly and may need daily watering. Remember to use lightweight potting soil and trellises. There are many attractive containers for windowsills, patios, balconies, and doorsteps. Vegetables that do great with little spaces – carrots, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and herbs.
International hunger: 1 in 7
“The day that hunger is eradicated from the earth, there will be the greatest spiritual explosion the world has ever known. Humanity cannot imagine the joy that will burst into the world on the day of that great revolution.” - Federico Garcia Lorea
One billion people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition. Approximately 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes. Three-fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five.
Famine and wars cause about 10% of hunger deaths, although these are the ones you hear about most often. The majority of hunger deaths are caused by chronic malnutrition. “Families facing extreme poverty are simply unable to get enough food to eat.” (ref: The Hunger Site, www.hungersite.com)
According to the international United Nations World Food Programme (www.wfp.org), the world’s largest international hunger relief organization, one hunger related death occurs every 3.5 seconds. 14 million children die each year from hunger related causes, about 24 a minute, or one child dying every 7 seconds.
The good news is that the world has enough resources to feed every person in need – it’s a matter of distribution, politics and economics. Individually and collectively gardeners can make a difference.
1 in 10 households in the USA
“According to the 2002 USDA’s report, 33 million people in the USA, including 13 million children, live in households that experience hunger or the risk of hunger. From this group, 8.5 million frequently skip meals or eat too little, sometimes going without food an entire day.”
Each year, 26 million Americans receive food from food banks. They would fill Safeco Field more than 650 times. Our most vulnerable are children and elderly. One in four people in a soup kitchen line is a child (Hunger in America 2001)
In a recent report released by the National Student Campaign against Hunger and Homelessness, a 28% rise last year in emergency food assistance requests was noted. They surveyed 900 agencies in 32 states, and gathered information from urban and rural areas. About one-quarter of the emergency food providers said they had to turn away requests for food because of a lack of resources.
Food banks must fill in the gap since eligibility requirements for the US Food Stamp program changed in 1996, leaving millions without a place to turn to for food. For those eligible to apply for food stamps, it usually takes 2 visits and approximately 5 hours to do all the paperwork.
The United States government recently slashed nutritional programs for children, the working poor, and the elderly – the most frail and vulnerable in our society.
Summer Hunger and Children in the USA
Summer is an especially vulnerable time for child hunger. An estimated 90% of children who normally have school subsidized meals go without those meals during summer vacation. Their parents are often unaware or ashamed to seek summer food program assistance.
According to the Children’s Alliance, a voice for Washington’s Children, Youth and Families, here are some selected child facts on hunger and nutrition:
Children from food-insecure households show higher levels of aggressive, withdrawn and distressed behaviors as a consequence of hunger. Poor parents and their children spend less on and eat less food during cold weather and during budgetary shocks when they must choose between heat and food. Sixty four percent of Spokane County food bank clients report they have gone without food so their children can eat. Twenty thousand low-income children attend schools that do not operate a school lunch program. The US Department of Agriculture estimates that more than one in three Washington households eligible for the Food Stamp Program are not participating. 31% of single women with children suffered from food insecurity in 2000. Hungry children are sick more frequently and cannot learn as quickly as well nourished kids. Pregnant moms with food insufficiencies suffer more prenatal problems, and their in utero children suffer and experience more complications.
Encourage children to help other children
Encourage your own children, grandchildren and local neighborhood kids, Brownies, Cub Scouts, Boy and Girl Scouts to grow vegetables for the hungry. Some children participate in local community P-Patch gardens and they enjoy growing their own produce, find it delicious to eat, and love donating hundreds of pounds of freshly grown food to local food banks. Encourage and join them.
Selected Hunger Awareness Web Sites
International, national and state resources
Summary
About the author: The Rev. Dr. Sandra Bochonok is a labyrinth retreat and workshop facilitator. She earned her Doctor of Ministry degree at Wesley seminary in Washington, DC, while completing studies at the famous ecumenical Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Bethesda, Maryland. She is available for interfaith and ecumenical labyrinth pulpit supply, retreats and workshops. Email: revsandyb@aol.com for more information. Your comments and insights are deeply appreciated.
