Delco Times, Delaware County, PA 08/07/2006 Harvest for Hunger: Rose Tree gardeners help community Stephanie Whalen, Of the Times Staff
When Bettie Krom of Haverford Township first started tending a 30- by 30-foot lot of soil at Rose Tree Parks community gardens, she admitted her greatest pleasure was seeing the seedlings she planted bloom into full-fledged, ready-to-eat products. As a young girl she fondly remembered watching her mother plant the family garden in a small space along Cobbs Creek Park to save money, at a time that most of the country was depending on food stamps during World War II. Those vegetables gave her family more than sustenance -- it left childhood memories that would last a lifetime in Kroms heart and mind. It was a memory and healthy-eating lifestyle she wanted to pass onto her own children and grandchildren, so she signed up on a long waiting list of gardeners hoping to grab a lot at Rose Tree Park 35 years ago. Since then, the 77-year-old has been able to pass on her mothers gardening legacy for nearly four decades. Its only been in the last two years that her garden has taken on a purpose other than her own enjoyment and her grandchildrens pleasure. Her tomatoes, peppers, beans, broccoli and lettuce will be feeding families who dont have the money or resources to grow their own gardens or feed their children fresh vegetables, as part of Philabundances Share the Harvest program. The program, which started in 1994, aims to get Delaware Valley residents personally involved in the fight against hunger with a few simple tools -- generosity, seeds and a garden to grow vegetables, said Philabundance Development Coordinator Lauren Pigeon. Unlike conventional hunger drives that collect canned goods donations, Pigeon said the Share the Harvest program afforded hungry families the opportunity to receive healthy, home-grown foods they wouldnt normally be able to afford, like eggplant and acorn squash. Gardeners from across the Delaware Valley donate thousands of vegetables left over in their gardens each year and drop them off at Philabundance donor locations, which are funneled to various area food banks and community organizations. "Ive donated canned goods to church drives before, so I know how much people need food," said Krom, who has become just as much a fixture at the community gardens as sunflowers and bean sprouts. "I just thought it was a great idea to donate my extra fresh vegetables. I end up having so much leftovers at the end of the season that I just give it all away anyway. At least this way I know Im helping someone." When a lot goes unused in Rose Tree Parks community garden in Upper Providence, a group of gardeners agree to chip in and contribute seeds that would eventually feed needy families participating in the program. By 11:30 a.m. last Saturday, local gardeners had donated four bags of freshly harvested food. But the broccoli, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers and string beans could feed at least four families for weeks. Pigeon said some of what the gardeners grow is also used for educational purposes. "Through our Community Kitchen, children are shown the different kinds of produce that is grown and what its nutritional value is to their everyday diet," said Pigeon. Rose Tree gardener and Philabundance donor Trish Buckley said most of the children benefiting from the program had no idea homegrown carrots came from the ground and peas grew in a pod. "You should see the look on their faces when you pull up a carrot from the ground," said Buckley. "They had no idea that these vegetables didnt come from a can." Perhaps it is because a can of peas costs less than buying fresh ones in bundles. At MacDade Malls Acme Market in Ridley Township, four pre-shucked and cut ears of corn, one red, green and yellow bell pepper and about 50 fresh string beans cost about $12 -- thats $6 more per week a needy family would have to spend for the same ingredients in canned form. In a month, that family would have paid about $50 for fresh fruits and vegetables compared to about $24 in cans. Thats why Share the Harvest made perfect sense in Delaware County, said Prospect Park resident Steve Dalton, more familiarly known as the "mayor" and "tiller man" to Rose Tree gardeners. Originally from Philadelphia, Dalton was accustomed to donating his vegetables to Philabundance every year and was shocked that nothing like it existed in Delco when he moved to the suburbs about three years ago. "I saw a lot of waste," said Dalton. "Gardeners ended up having more than enough vegetables by the end of the season. People were looking for others who would take their surplus." So he contacted Share the Harvest and it helped him set up a donation point at Rose Tree. In the programs first year last year, Dalton said gardeners and area residents who dropped off vegetables at Rose Tree Park donated more than 300 pounds of products for needy families. Of the 145 lots that exist at Rose Tree, he said about 95 percent donate regularly to the program. Last year gardeners also chipped in and designated one lot specifically for food donations. This year, four of those gardens exist at Rose Tree. He hopes the trend will continue for years to come. # ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
