Too Much Garden Bounty? Donate Extra Veggies to Your Local Food Pantry

So you've eaten, dried, and canned tons of vegetables from your garden this year, and it's still producing plenty of fresh produce. Often this bounty is wasted, either left to rot on the plant or harvested and left sitting in the fridge until you find it in the crisper, perhaps weeks later.

Avoid this waste and help local families in need by donating your excess garden produce to a local food pantry. AmpleHarvest.org, a non-profit organization, maintains a database of food pantries throughout the country, making it easy for gardeners to figure out where to donate excess vegetables. Often, food pantries are stocked with boxed and canned processed foods, and many jump at the chance to be able to provide fresh, healthy produce to families in need. You, as a gardener, can help by logging on to AmpleHarvest.org, finding a local food pantry, and donating your excess produce.

And, if you know of a food pantry in your area that needs assistance, log onto AmpleHarvest and create a profile for your pantry. A nice feature of AmpleHarvest is that pantries can update their listings, so if they have too much of one thing or are in desperate need of something, they can let potential donors know. In addition to know exactly what your local pantry needs, you can also get maps and driving directions, making it even easier to donate.

We work so hard to grow healthy food in our gardens. Let's share the bounty with our neighbors!