For the second year, Ag Management instructor Dustin Farr is organizing the Rural Roots Harvest Food Drive, which focuses on the donation of fresh produce to food banks. Dustin and his wife started this initiative last year and hopes to see it expand this year.
“Last year we worked with the Calgary Food Bank only, and we had producers from Olds, Crossfield and Airdrie that donated 440 pounds of fresh garden produce,” Dustin explains. “This year, working with three different events, my goal is to raise at least 1000 pounds total.”
This year, the Food Drive will be working with the Mountainview Food Bank and Olds Farmers Market, the Airdrie Food Bank and Airdrie Farmers Market, and Calgary Food Bank and Calgary Farmers Market.
Dustin will be performing a free concert at each Farmer’s Market to help promote the food drive.
“I hope people at the market will buy some produce specifically to donate to the drive” Dustin explains. “We get donations from people who grow their own produce, but getting donations from people at the market would help us reach our goal.”
Anyone who has produce to donate can take their donations to any of the Farmers Markets on the following dates;
Airdrie Farmers Market - September 19
Olds Farmers Market - September 20
Calgary Farmers Market - September 29
If you can not attend any of the Farmers Markets on these dates can donate directly to the Food Bank, but please call ahead to find out the donation hours of your local Food Bank as some are volunteer operated.
Drive organizers are asking producers to follow a few guidelines to ensure the produce stays fresh;
- harvest as close to delivery as possible
- store in a cool, dry place before delivery
- do not wash the vegetables – leave the dirt on them
- package the vegetables in a cardboard box or paper bag
- package each type of produce separately
Anyone interested in volunteering can learn more by emailing Dustin at dfarr@oldscollege.ca.
