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05/23/2017 12:00 AMThe weather is getting warmer and members of the Guilford community are preparing to kick off the fourth annual Project Sustainability. Organized by the Guilford Veterinary Hospital and the North Guilford Nursery, the project aims to encourage residents to share some of the produce from their home vegetables gardens with the Guilford Food Bank by giving away free vegetable seedlings.
Barbara Kenney of the Guilford Veterinary Hospital said she and members of the North Guilford Nursery give out plants for free one day early in the growing season to start the project. Kenney said when people pick up their free plants; she will give instructions on how to return part of the produce.
“We hand out cucumber, tomato, and squash plants for free and we ask for 50 percent back in donations to be dropped off at the Guilford Veterinary Hospital during the week or before noon at the food bank on Fridays,” she said.
Over the years, Kenney said more than 1,500 pounds of fresh produce has been donated to the food bank. Depending on the weather, donations start rolling in by late June and continue through the season.
”The community has been amazing with this program and it has become a very successful program for the food bank,” she said. “In years past, people have donated produce that we don’t even give them plants for so it is catching on in the community. It is really nice.”
Kenney said that participants donating half of what they might grow also cuts down on waste, as plants may produce more than a family can immediately eat, possibly leading to discarded food. Kenney said all produce goes to the Guilford Food Bank unless there is an overflow of donations.
“Last year we did not have an overflow, but if there is an overflow, I take it to the senior centers and senior housing,” she said.
Plant pick up will be at the North Guilford Nursery farm stand on Route 77 on Saturday, May 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. During the pick-up window, food trucks will be on location along with live music.
To learn more about Project Sustainability, contact Barbara Kenney at 203-457-0299.