Bike to Battle Hunger Video

The music isn't great. I need to learn to edit sound files. However, this isn't about my abilities. These riders kicked serious butt to ensure people can get access to fresh healthy food!

Hydrant...Progress

So, we have a hydrant at the big field at the church. There is no water hook up yet, but progress is progress. Here are some photos of the installation.

Cultivating So Much More

Yesterday I was blessed with a most wonderful experience. A local farmer I know had an abundance of kale, rainbow chard, turnip greens and lettuce. 38 bushels to be exact. She knew that I worked with Faith Feeds and could get it to those who needed it. This food would spoil before her next CSA distribution.

It was hard work. It was super hot yesterday and that is a huge amount of greens to harvest and pack. She and her crew worked for hours to GIVE IT AWAY FREE. I met them at the farm at two.

This is my van fully packed. It was a sight to behold. 

I was able to deliver these glorious organic greens to FOUR emergency food agencies here in Lexington. We have each one as much as they could handle. This one donation is going to feed HUNDREDS of people.

At each stop people marveled at this beautiful, fresh from the field, nutritious food.  They were overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of the donation.

 At my last stop, there were several men who receive services from the EFA helping me unload. One was crying. He was a big guy, bald and was covered in tattoos. Not a likely candidate for waterworks. He hadn't had fresh greens for years. He told me about how his grandmother used to have a small garden and those were the best greens he ever had. He offered to help the kitchen manager prepare them the way his grandmother did. The reaction of everyone who received this donation was awe and thankfulness. They could not believe that a farmer would give away that much food. 

 I kept being asked "Why didn't the farmer sell this?"

My answer was "Because it is for you." 

I can not put into words how blessed I was by being able to deliver this harvest to those who needed it most. All I did was drive it from the farm to the EFAs, but I was able to meet wonderful people and experience their joy. 

Busy Busy Busy

The rain stopped!

Kentucky didn't have a spring. We had monsoon season and then it got HOT!

Planting is going like crazy, so I have had no time to post.

Here is what we've been up to:

We've set sweet potatoes, onions, and more greens, planted okra, carrots and are receiving more transplants for the community garden today thanks to our wonderful KY farmers. Faith Feeds has been instrumental in getting the word out to farmers and making it possible to get plants and food that would otherwise be wasted into the hands of those who need it.

A plumber is coming today to set the frost free hydrant that is needed for irrigation of the big field. I will post pictures of the Bike to Battle Hunger event later, if it storms. I can't make any promises about today.

On the home front, we have put in cilantro, basil, peppers, tomatoes, carrots and pumpkins! The kids are really excited about the pumpkins. To be honest, I am too. I think it is my favorite plant this year because its potential for family fun.

The front yard is going to get some new beds this year. The landscaping close to the house has blackberry brambles that volunteered last year that I didn't have a chance to clear out, so I'm not going to clear them now. They are setting fruit! That area is such a mess right now, but I can't justify wasting food. I was going to replace the landscape plants with herbs, but I have transplants now and they can't wait. I have created a small circular bed in the front lawn for my basil and surrounded it with German Chamomile. They are both quite happy. I plan on creating more of these small beds for my herbs.

I have already been able to harvest basil and cilantro and today will be the first day for sugar snap peas. The rain really slowed them down. I hope to be able to get a few good harvests from them, but I am not optimistic. It is super hot here. I really wish we'd had a spring this year.

Speaking of hot, I must get to work now. It will be oppressively hot by 11am today. Chores beckon. I love my life! Next post will have pictures. Promise!!

Bike to battle hunger

Bringing it in the 05!

Yesterday the weather was absolutely gorgeous! We had planned a work day at the church and the focus was the grounds and the garden. I was afraid not many volunteers would show up. It was a perfect day to goof off! It has been so long since we had good weather.

We did end up having a great turn out. We cleared trash, down branches and weeds and also planted more greens, okra and squash.  We also planted several landscape plants that a friend had passed along. The new minister was there for a short while before he and his team departed for Ethiopia. I met some members of his leadership team and he had me explain aquaponics to them. They all seemed jazzed and ready to make it happen.

Good things are happening. It's about to bust lose in the '05! We are going City Farm scale and everyone will eat like kings!

All it takes is some salad and chard

Monday there was only a light mist. I had a meeting scheduled out at the church farm and noticed that the salad greens were ready for harvest. I wish I had taken a picture, they were beautiful!

I don't have any harvest baskets, I usually use empty baseball buckets that I steal from my husband my husband gives me. Monday I had not expected a harvest and did not come prepared. My daughter had left her sewing basket in my van so I used it. She was not pleased later when she found her sewing supplies stuffed in her brothers old backpack, but if t is left in my van I view it as community property.

The chard also was ready for a second cutting. I was so excited. I had checked everything on Saturday and I thought it wouldn't be ready for the Monday night meal that is served at the church. I love surprises and so do the kitchen workers!

When the kitchen workers arrived to prepare the meal Monday afternoon, they were greeted by a kitchen full of fresh from the garden produce. One of the ladies started to tear up at the sight of the greens.

She hadn't had fresh greens  in so long. The people who serve at the church are from the community. They face the same hardships as the people they serve. They truly demonstrate how to love one's neighbor, even if that neighbor threw a concrete block through their car window or stole their son's bike.

The woman told me as she was preparing the chard that it is good for people with diabetes. Her doctor had told her that in some animal studies that it was shown to help regulate sugar. I don't know if there really is science to back that claim up, but I know that good fresh veggies are good for everyone!

It truly is an honor to work in this community.