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Farmers Fill Franklin Community Center Food Pantry

September 26, 2017 By marketeditor

By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

 

Franklin Community Center’s Fresh Produce Day, photo by Pattie Garrett

Every Saturday at the end of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, volunteers collect some of the best of our local bounty: apples, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and maple syrup, among other items. These donated goods go from the farmers directly to the food pantry at the Franklin Community Center.

I began facilitating this project last fall, after the farmers’ market and food pantry established a partnership, and currently collect 75 to 125 pounds of locally grown or made goods every week.

“This partnership ensures that food is not wasted,” says Julie Slovic, Franklin center’s food program administration. “Our customers are very grateful and excited to have access to these products. It is a great opportunity to introduce produce they may not be familiar with and discuss the health benefits and simple and easy ways to prepare fresh vegetables.”

Farmers see the donations as an opportunity to help those in need. The project also ensures that highly perishable produce will not go to waste. This reduction of food waste is especially valuable at times of year when items such as nutritious salad greens are in plentiful supply at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market but often limited for food pantry clients.

How does the project work? At market’s end, farmers and I chat about their unsold goods and the pantry needs. They donate items if and when they can. I then take these donations to the pantry, where I weigh, sort, and label the items by name, farm, and “use by” dates. I store the items so they will remain fresh for three or four days – refrigerators for greens, apples, and fresh herbs; shelves away from direct sunlight for tomatoes, eggplants, and zucchini.

If the items are unusual – say tatsoi or kohlrabi – I create a cooking tip for volunteers who arrive Monday morning to pass on to customers.

Franklin Community Center’s garden harvest, photo by Pattie Garrett

Saratoga Farmers’ Market vendors also provide seedlings in the spring to support the Franklin Community Center’s garden, another source of fresh food for the pantry. The garden through the summer yielded zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, beans, and herbs. Now, as fall approaches, we are harvesting chard and kale, and looking forward to our first baby pumpkins.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at High Rock Park through October. You also can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Filed Under: Featured Article, News Tagged With: food donations, food pantries, Franklin Community Center, fresh produce, Friends of the Market, giving back to the community, Saratoga Farmers' Market, volunteers

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Let's celebrate the end of school and the beginnin Let's celebrate the end of school and the beginning of summer! Tomorrow, from 3-6 pm at High Rock Park, children and families are invited to a FREE concert by Jack & Steve Zucchini and lots of free, fun activities and food tastings. The Saratoga Springs Public Library will have a free butterfly craft. There will be free face painting by Artsy Fartsy Face Paint. Jodie Fitz will be here with her book Fidget Plants a pizza garden and kids can plant their own pizza garden at the POP Club tent! At POP Club, kids will receive a $2 POP coin and their first stamp on their POP Passport! It's our 7th season of POP Club and we are so grateful for the support from The Christopher Dailey Foundation. This event is rain or shine!
Schools out for the summer!! Stop by for some brea Schools out for the summer!! Stop by for some breakfast sandwiches and fun at our market tomorrow from 9-1pm. We’ll have live music by Matt Griffin and Rick Russo plus guests @headcountorg and @ccesaratoga Master Gardener!! Hope to see you there!!

Photos by: Pattie Garrett @mysaratogakitchentable 

#saratogasprings #saratogafarmersmarket #farmtotable #agriculture #shoplocal
Our Wednesday markets go from 3-6pm every week! St Our Wednesday markets go from 3-6pm every week! Stop by for some live music by LB Waller, activities with @northernriversfostercare, and @ccesaratoga. Hope to see you there! 💐

Photos by: Pattie Garrett @mysaratogakitchentable 

#saratogasprings #farmtotable #saratogafarmersmarket #summersolstice

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