Here's how you can get started
By Catherine Edman Daily Herald Staff Writer

Or planting a row of carrot seeds into your garden.

All it requires is this: an interest in helping feed some of our needier neighbors and a willingness to deliver that fresh, nutritious food to one of the 40-plus drop-off sites in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties.

Here are some tips to help get you started:

Pick one: Choose one vegetable plant in your garden, and designate it as a Plant a Row for the Hungry volunteer, then donate any produce from that plant. If you've got the room, plant an entire extra row: Some good late-season crops include carrots, radishes, lettuce and spinach.

Garden not necessary: If you don't have a garden, produce purchased at the store is just fine. Feel free to pick up some extra fruits or vegetables at the store and drop them off at a Plant a Row site. Everything's appreciated.

Pick and clean: Make sure you clean all fruits and vegetables picked from the garden before you drop them off for distribution. A little bit of dirt can make a big mess later on at the food pantry.

Any dirt will do:: Who says you need a house and yard to garden? Think deck. Or patio. Plenty of vegetables do well in containers - bush tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, carrots, radishes or any number of peppers.

Hide and seek: You can even participate if you tend to favor perennial flower beds. Just stick a few pepper or tomato plants between some of the blooming beauties. No one will even question those pretty, fernlike carrot tops.

Shelf life: Items that have the longest shelf life are: peas, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, eggplants, summer squash, zucchini, winter squash, onions, beets, pumpkins, apples, pears and other firm fruits. If you happen to grow something that's not on the list, remember, all contributions are welcome.

Herbs count, too: Herbs are a wonderful treat. If you've got more than enough, prepare the extras as donations, too.

Pat on the back: Above all else, keep in mind that you're doing something good for someone who needs a helping hand.

Questions? If you have any questions about Plant a Row for the Hungry, or drop-off requirements for the program, 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 - Catherine Edman