Here's a primer for participants

Getting started with a plan to Plant a Row for the Hungry is easy.

You don't need 40 acres of farmland to participate. A patio tomato in a container garden will suffice.

Past participants in the campaign suggested a few ideas for those folks who don't have vast acres of farmland to harvest.

Pick One: Choose one vegetable plant in your garden, and designate it as a Plant a Row volunteer, then donate all produce from the plant. If you've got the room, feel free to grow an entire row of volunteers.

Late-season crops: Add some good late-season crops to your garden to fill in the gap when the tomatoes start to fade: winter squash, carrots, radishes, lettuce or spinach work well.

Try, try again: Can't plant? Feel free to purchase fruits and vegetable at the grocery and deliver those to a drop-off site. That's still an item not usually included in regular donations and it's a valid way to help. Offer to serve as the liaison with your church or community group; collect produce at your regular gatherings, and deliver it to the nearest drop-off site.

Spice of life: Herbs are wonderful to donate. Prepare them for delivery in refrigerate zippered bags, or pre-freeze them in small container.

The more the merrier: Team up with a friend and rent a plot in your local community garden, then take a portion of your harvest to a Plant a Row site. Does your child's Boy or Girl Scout troop, or Sunday School class, need a summer projects?

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

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

Every blooming thing: 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 the vibrant colors of Bright Lights swiss chard.

What to plant: Items that have the longest shelf life include: peas, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, eggplants, summer squash, zucchini, winter squash, onion, 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.

Still have questions about Plant a Row for the Hungry? 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.