DATE: 9/8/05

CONTACT: Bob Polomski, (864) 656-2604

WRITER: Diane Palmer, (864) 656-4741

Master Gardeners continue to provide food for the hungry

CLEMSON – According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one in ten households in the United States experiences hunger or the risk of hunger. Many frequently skip meals or eat too little, sometimes going without food for an entire day. Approximately 25 million people, including 9.9 million children, have substandard diets or must resort to seeking emergency food because they cannot always afford the food they need.

Master Gardeners (MGs) in many counties in South Carolina have been working for several years to help combat this situation by planting and tending vegetable gardens just for this purpose. The project is called Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR).

PAR began in Anchorage, AK, in the garden of Jeff Lowenfels, former Garden Writers Association president, when he asked gardeners to plant a row of vegetables for Bean’s Cafe, an Anchorage soup kitchen. Since then, the program has grown across the country.

PAR’s success hinges on its people-helping-people approach. The concept is simple. Many gardeners plant vegetables and harvest more than they can consume. If every gardener plants one extra row of vegetables and donates their surplus to local food banks and soup kitchens, a significant impact can be made on reducing hunger. Food agencies will have access to fresh produce and funds earmarked for produce can be redirected to other needed items and the hungry of America will have more and better food than is presently available.

In 1999, members of the Greater Greenville MGs established the Project Host Soup Kitchen Garden. At the time, it was one of the first gardens in the United States actually located on the site of a soup kitchen. The garden was, and remains, a part of the PAR effort. All the vegetables are cooked and served in the soup kitchen. The mission of the soup kitchen garden is to supply year round fresh produce while educating MG volunteers in vegetable planting, growing and maintenance techniques.

In 2003, the garden provided more than 69,000 meals for approximately 200 people a day. This year, they provide produce for 250 people a day who come to the soup kitchen.

 Spartanburg County MG Program Director Joe Maple said they donated 32,715 pounds of fruits and vegetables to local shelters last year. They work out of their Boiling Springs PAR two-acre garden to provide food for the Second Presbyterian Soup Kitchen, Mobile Meals, Children’s Shelter, Safe Homes and Rape Crisis Center and Seniors of Spartanburg.

“I want to thank Cash Farms, Dick Purdue Fruit Farms, Fafard Inc., and Bonnie Plants of Spartanburg for their continued support of our project,” said Maple. The local businesses donated such things as peaches, onions and apples to plant materials.

The York County MGs PAR garden has produced so far this year 1,435 pounds of produce that was donated to the Unity Presbyterian Church in Fort Mill who in turn distributes to needy people in the community. Betsy McLean, who is coordinator of the garden, said the garden is still producing and they are still donating.

MGs acquire their training and expertise from training provided by Clemson Extension Service agents. After successfully completing the classroom portion, which involves passing a final exam, participants receive the title of Master Gardener. After graduation they must then donate at least 40 hours of service back to the community. Many will help answer phone calls in the local Extension office or help in a community gardening project such as PAR. Most go on far beyond their required 40 hours.

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