Stocking up for the fall/winter

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

I suspect but do not know for sure that excess cucumbers and the ubiquitous zucchini are as welcome to food banks as orange daylilies are to garden giveaways.

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What's the harm in asking someone actually at the food bank?

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

Exactly what fresh produce do they want?

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My understanding is that they chose leafy greens both because of the demand and because some of them have notoriously short shelf lives. They would not have gone to the trouble and expense of setting this up if they were only going to compost the results because no one wanted it.

This same food bank also does what are informally called "produce drops". They set up what is essentially a pop-up greens market in a food-desert part of town. Local recipients of food assistance are invited to attend. Many come by foot, bringing along the family. There are pallets of fruits and vegetables, some direct from farmers who work with the food bank and some "gleaned" from local supermarkets. Clients get to choose the produce they want, up to quantity limits determined by the size of their household (and, sometimes, by demand for a limited quantity of something).

I've worked these before. It is typical to clear four to six tons of produce in one afternoon. Damaged produce aside, none of it comes back on the truck. If nothing else, what remains is left at the site with a sign indicating it is free for anyone who wants it.

I suspect the demand for produce is regional, with some foods more popular than others. We have a lot of southeast Asians and eastern Africans in the metro; leafy greens are popular in those kitchens, more so than I'm aware of in, say, Mexican or Russian cooking (to pick two other cultural groups with some representation here). No idea why people in eastern Missouri don't want cucumbers and zucchini. I'd bet they "sell" here. But that would be a bit of a drive. :)

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Originally Posted by happystuff

What's the harm in asking someone actually at the food bank?

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you all do the work for me and i will drive the foodstuff to “the food bank” (of which there are many.)

Find a food bank within or contiguous to zip code 63104 that takes zuchiini and cukes —those very specific veggies—and that has convenient hours, although I can be flexible about this latter requirement.

Please know, I have 0 interest in researching this because I have been thru do gooder efforts so many many times over the years, those wailing about “food insecurity” but all Their efforts to distribute excess produce comes to naught. I am, not spending my life energy to shop these veggies around.
I am happy to donate veggies, just not happy to play the communication games.

let me know when and where I should deliver them.

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Originally Posted by JaneV2.0

I'm sad about your cucumbers; the zucchini, not so much.

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You need to be sad about those organic red grapes, ones we salvaged from the critters. I ate a fair amount, but still we had in the end 2 gallons. Gone now, they go fast, no takers on Nextdoor in one entire zip code.

someone did contact me yesterday, but too late, grapes over.

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

you all do the work for me and i will drive the foodstuff to “the food bank” (of which there are many.)

Find a food bank within or contiguous to zip code 63104 that takes zuchiini and cukes —those very specific veggies—and that has convenient hours, although I can be flexible about this latter requirement.

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Prophecy MB Church
2157 South Jefferson
314-932-5840
You can go tomorrow from 10am - 5pm. The gentleman said they would take what they need and then distribute the rest.

Still waiting for a couple other places to open.

Isaiah 58 Ministries
2149 South Grand
314-776-1410
They are actually closed for maintenance until the 31st, but if garden is still producing an abundance, a quick call next week might be worth it.

Dang, happy! :)

You are awesome Happy! I totally don’t understand making no effort to help others versus throwing it away. My sister is like that and I don’t understand it at all.

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Originally Posted by Teacher Terry

You are awesome Happy! I totally don’t understand making no effort to help others versus throwing it away. My sister is like that and I don’t understand it at all.

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You assume I have “made no effort.” You have no idea of the endless conversations I have had to sit thru over the years about excess produce.And excess iris. Proposed solutions! All of which take up my own time. Make no mistake I like giving things away. I will not give out my life energy on fruitlessly Pursuing avenues to get rid of the stuff.

But thanks to Happy stuff, I can just drop off the current load of zucchini and cukes. That church on Jefferson is very close to me. Thank you!

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

You need to be sad about those organic red grapes, ones we salvaged from the critters. I ate a fair amount, but still we had in the end 2 gallons. Gone now, they go fast, no takers on Nextdoor in one entire zip code.

someone did contact me yesterday, but too late, grapes over.

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Did you freeze some. They are wonderful eaten frozen, especially when it is hot out.

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Originally Posted by iris lilies

That church on Jefferson is very close to me. Thank you!

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You are welcome. :)