On May 18th, Food for Others hosted its first farm stand of the summer, welcoming neighbors in need to enjoy fresh, seasonal produce.
Thanks to the efforts of our Food Resources and Nutrition Coordinator, Brittany T., along with summer interns and generous volunteers, farm stands are held on Mondays or Tuesdays. Throughout the growing season, the team utilizes each farm stand as an opportunity to share nutritional resources, offer guidance on growing vegetables at home, and exchange recipes with the community.
On farm stand days, clients check in at My Market as usual—but with a small add-on. At client intake, each person receives a clothespin that serves as their “entry ticket” to the farm stand. After choosing their groceries inside the market, clients head outside and are welcomed by a bright blue tent and a friendly team right in front of the FFO office.
The goal of the farm stand is simple: expand the access to nutritious foods and help fill a gap in grocery needs. Similarly to My Market, clients visiting the stand are encouraged to choose which food item works best for them, selecting from an array of greens and herbs. In the first farm stand alone, the team offered:
- Lettuce
- Kale (Dino, Purple, Green)
- Rainbow chard
- Collard greens
- Cucumber
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
- Green onion
- Bok choy
- Chive
- Mint
- Fennel
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Parsley
The farm stand all begins with Brittany and a team of volunteers visiting partnering farms at local farmers’ markets to glean unsold produce. Over the course of the week, they visit five markets and work with more than 25 partner farmers.
“In the last 30 minutes of the farmers markets, lead volunteers go in a loop dropping off their bins to all of our vendors that we have partnerships with, [farmers] then fill it up, and volunteers come back around to grab them,” Brittany explained.
Once produce is collected, it is transported back to the warehouse. There, volunteers weigh and sort each item. About one-third of the produce is set aside for upcoming farm stands, while the remainder is distributed to mobile and neighborhood sites.
As farm stand day approaches, Brittany works closely with interns Ryan and Sam to prepare and coordinate tasks. Sam, a Farm to Family & Nutrition Intern, organizes nutritional information on the produce and gathers client stories and recipes based on the produce they selected. Meanwhile, Ryan, a Farm to Family Intern, plays a key role in strengthening relationships with local vendors and engaging with visiting neighbors. He also coordinates volunteers, arranges produce displays, and shares helpful insights about the available items.
After organizing outgoing produce in flat boxes for display and deep boxes for restocking, the team gathers outside with the rest of the volunteers to finally set up the stand and welcome community members.
As clients browse the tables, questions about some of the unique produce items often arise and are navigated with the help of special guests. Thanks to the presence of Master Gardeners, visitors receive additional guidance, suggested recipes, and pamphlets about the benefits of different foods. Some even leave with seedlings, empowered to try growing their own fresh produce at home.
Brittany sees these educational opportunities as a way to connect with neighbors and share “as much as we possibly can that’s more than just food.”
“We’re just trying to learn from each other and provide information that might be helpful to others,” Brittany shared. As the farm stand continues to grow, the team is excited to explore new partnerships, introduce engaging ways to learn about current produce, and provide families with a more enjoyable, personalized experience.
Looking to become involved in our farm stands? Sign up to volunteer or visit our donations page to learn how you can give back.
