Plant, Grow, Share a Row for those in need.
How often can you enjoy a favorite hobby and help others in your community at the same time? The Plant, Grow, Share a Row program is a fun way to do both. This program invites local gardeners to grow an extra row of vegetables for donation to Edmonton’s Food Bank.
How it works:
- Plant your seeds and nurture your garden. (See below for the best crops for donation.)
- At harvest, simply remove the majority of the garden dirt and take your produce to the Food Bank warehouse at 11508 120 Street.
- Pat yourself on the back for a making a wonderful contribution to your community!
What crops are best to donate?
Root vegetables are best, however, any produce that can be easily handled and stored, including broccoli, cabbage, carrots, peas, beans, tomatoes, radishes, parsnips, sweet peppers, and summer squash (including zucchini) are welcome. Your donation, whether it’s a handful of green beans, a bag of beets, or a truckload of zucchini, will be appreciated and put to good use.
Check out some of our Frequently Asked Questions below.
Root vegetables are best as they keep the longest.
Potatoes, carrots, and beets have a long shelf life and are easily stored.
Answer
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We ask that you remove most of the dirt from your crop, but you don't need to wash the vegetables. (In fact, if you wash them, they won't last as long.) In the case of vegetables with tops (like carrots) you can also remove the tops, which helps the vegetables last longer.
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Unfortunately, we don't accept crab apples but we can accept the larger eating apples. We encourage fruit growers to share their extra crab apples with neighbours and friends - they make good jelly and preserves! The Leftovers Foundation can help you learn more about what to do with your fruit.
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We don't have volunteers to do this and recommend people contact Fruits of Sherbrooke or Leftovers Home Harvest early in the season as these groups may be able to help.
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Due to Alberta Health Services regulations we can not accept home made preserves (jams, jellies, sauces, etc.) We encourage you to share with friends and family or maybe sell them to your neighbours and make a monetary donation to the food bank instead.
FAQs
Do I need to clean or prepare my garden vegetables before donating?
We ask that you remove most of the dirt from your crop, but you don't need to wash the vegetables. (In fact, if you wash them, they won't last as long.) In the case of vegetables with tops (like carrots) you can also remove the tops, which helps the vegetables last longer.
Do you accept crab apples?
Unfortunately, we don't accept crab apples but we can accept the larger eating apples. We encourage fruit growers to share their extra crab apples with neighbours and friends - they make good jelly and preserves! The Leftovers Foundation can help you learn more about what to do with your fruit.
I can't pick all the fruit from my tree, can you send someone out to help and take the fruit for the Food Bank?
We don't have volunteers to do this and recommend people contact Fruits of Sherbrooke or Leftovers Home Harvest early in the season as these groups may be able to help.
Can I donate my homemade preserves?
Due to Alberta Health Services regulations we can not accept home made preserves (jams, jellies, sauces, etc.) We encourage you to share with friends and family or maybe sell them to your neighbours and make a monetary donation to the food bank instead.
