Garden project becomes a win-win situation
By Catherine Edman Daily Herald Staff Writer

A little exposure for the fledgling group wouldn’t be bad, either.

What better way to accomplish both those goals than by setting up a drop-off point for Plant a Row for the Hungry at a very public spot, club president Bob LaBarre figured.

Club members are staffing a donation table on Saturday mornings at the Bartlett farmers market. Residents are welcome to stop by and drop off their garden goodies while they shop for others that may not grow quite as well in their plots, or they can just deposit their produce.

Either way, the club will be there ready, willing and able to help get fruit and vegetables to an area food pantry for distribution.

LaBarre said club members thought the Saturday morning arrangement would give participants a badly needed weekend drop-off point and, at the same time, offer the club a chance to introduce itself.

It also raises awareness of the farmers market, LaBarre said. "I had the idea that we’d try to do this in hopes it would be a win-win-win for everyone," he said.

Now the club’s helping to distribute home-grown zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers and squash through the nearby Hanover Township food pantry.

Part of the beauty of Plant a Row for the Hungry is that it’s a campaign that can be highly personalized to fit in with any participant’s schedule. And Saturday mornings work best for the garden club’s members.

The campaign urges gardeners to plant extra vegetables and donate harvests from those plants — or any garden surplus — to area soup kitchens, food pantries and social service agencies.

Any time, energy and effort help the eventual recipients of the bounty — clients of participating agencies that help community residents in need.

In years past, club member Jill Fox said, she canned quite a few of her garden vegetables, then gave whatever "extra" to neighbors or friends.

She grows pumpkins in her Bartlett yard, along with peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce and herbs.

"I have a really small yard, so I just pack a lot in," Fox said.

This year she’s sharing her harvest with people she doesn’t know.

Some of those very zucchini and tomatoes from Fox’s garden wound up at the club’s Plant a Row drop-off site — and went on to Hanover Township residents.

That’s the biggest motivation for the club’s summer project.

"We just thought it was a great idea," Jill Fox said. "It’s a good way to help the community. It’s good for the club to be recognized, and more people get to know us."

If you have any questions about the program, or drop-off requirements, call our Plant A Row hotline at (847) 806-4277, Northern Illinois Food Bank at (630) 443-6910, or e-mail us at Plantarow@dailyherald.com.

The program collecting surplus vegetables for area food pantries and soup kitchens runs through Sept. 30.