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Russell Akers (right) greets Bill Patterson and Karen Day outside his home Saturday.

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Farmers, gardeners sharing surplus food for community-oriented program

By Wanda Combs
Editor

It’s a Saturday afternoon in Floyd, and volunteers are making food deliveries. Today’s offerings include tomatoes, squash and fruit.
Portable Produce supplies surplus fresh, organic produce, baked goods and dairy products to local people without transportation in Floyd County.
There are several partners in this new venture, started in June, and McCabe Coolidge and Karen Day of Wildfire Pots are directing the program. Coolidge said inspiration came from the CHIP (Comprehensive Health Investment Project). “It just really took off. It’s like the farmers were waiting on it.”
“People farm because we want to feed people,” said Alison Wise of Full Circle Farm, one of the providers for Portable Produce. Wise, who also helped to organize farmers for Portable Produce, added farmers have a lot of food that is not usable or saleable, but can be given away, and to them it “feels great” to be able to share their surplus. In the spring, there are plenty of carrots, lettuce and greens. In the summer, tomatoes and corn are plentiful, and she said, “there are tons of squash.”
Other providers for the program include Five Penny Farm, Seven Springs Farm, Moon Indigo, Weathertop Farm, Sweet Providence Farm Market, Rosemary Searcy, Howard and Wes Wenger, Glenda George, Cynthia and Dick Luke, Horace and Nancy Moore, Sweetwater Bread, farmers at the Blacksburg Farmers Market, Abundant Dawn Community, and the home gardens of Ann Jones, Bernease Shortt, Rick Parrish, Kathleen Ingoldsby, Lee Henkel and Mary Stratton. New River Community Action is also a partner in the effort.
Several people in the community also help to deliver the food in the outlying areas as part of Portable Produce. There is even a crew of gleaners.
Deliveries are made twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Coolidge said at first deliveries were going to 15 homes; now there are 30 destinations.
The volunteers who deliver the food are greeted by smiles and gratitude, Coolidge remarked. Some of the recipients have even given “gifts” of appreciation, from their own surplus crops to gas money for the drivers.
“It reminds me of when I grew a garden,” said Ruth Poff, a Floyd resident who receives food from the program. Poff said she appreciates getting the food.
The project is a true community effort, Coolidge said. “Everybody is doing what neighbors would normally do for neighbors. We’ve just kind of extended the neighborhood.”
To deliver, donate food, or request delivery, please call Coolidge and Day at 540-357-5657 or email .