For the last five months we’ve followed a crop of seed potatoes that were planted and harvested at Fort Edmonton Park, and then packed and distributed in hampers for our clients.
In late May, students from Buffalo Head Prairie School in La Crete, Alberta planted over 227 kilograms of seed potatoes that were donated by The Little Potato Company in the Fort Garden.
As another busy summer passed us here the potatoes grew, and in early September volunteers from Suncor and other industries took part in the harvest. The Little Potato Company’s VP of Agriculture and Business Development, Sanford Gleddie, was on-site as well. When asked why The Little Potato Company organizes this unique experience Gleddie says, “It helps engage people in agriculture and actually growing the food that we need, rather than just buying the food.” Seeing younger people out in the garden harvesting is the best part according to Gleddie, because it is an opportunity to teach young kids about where food comes from, how to produce and grow food, and to involve them actively in the process.
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Val Mitchell, the Communications and Stakeholder Relations Manager at Suncor Energy was also there with several of her colleagues to help harvest the potatoes. Suncor Energy has been a tremendous partner for Edmonton’s Food Bank for a number of years. They have made donations, brought groups of employees to volunteer at our warehouse several times as part of their SunCares program, and have held several food drives. As a passionate volunteer for the Food Bank, Mitchell says this partnership is very important to Suncor and the people that were out in the Fort Garden; “I’m a firm believer of its like one box of macaroni and cheese at a time. So, I think what’s important about the Food Bank is that it’s not just giving out hampers and supplying food to those in need. You guys are also doing all sorts of other programs.”
After the potatoes were harvested, they came over to our main warehouse and were repackaged for easier distribution. Once on the Hamper Line, they’ll be ready to help feed people in need in Edmonton.
