I apologize to those of you who have subscribed for a direct feed and this duplicate floats into your Reader. It isn't your Reader's fault, it's just me bumbling around over here.
I suspect that most gardeners and farmers have at one time or another pondered their generous harvest, and wondered what they could do with the surplus they were unable to handle, use, or give away. I know I have been there.
Do your friends and neighbors shy away from you for fear you will press another zucchini on them, or green beans they would have to cook from scratch, or tomatoes just when they think they are about to turn into one because they have eaten so many you gave them?
My first experience with too much bounty was cherry tomatoes. This year it is pumpkins. With the tomatoes, I washed them well and took them to our town's soup kitchen, the Hope Center. I will probably do the same with some of the pumpkins.
But I want to spread the word about a website that was brought to my attention this week. www.thefarmersgarden.com is a place where people who are looking for fresh, locally grown food can scan ads and see what is available in their area. It is a free service and all one has to do is enter their zip code into the search form, and click. If there are any ads in that area, they will be listed. Lookers need not register.
For gardeners and farmers wanting to share their excess produce, they do have to register, but it is still a free service. This is something to think about.
Just spreading the word.
See logo in my side bar: The Farmer's Garden.
Click there. Spread the word.
See logo in my side bar: The Farmer's Garden.
Click there. Spread the word.
12 comments:
I wish I lived next door to you, Barbee, as I LOVE Tomatoes and Pumpkins, too!
Sharing seems to be a rural 'thing' in Australia. City-folk don't know it as well, I'm sure.
Cheers!
If you want to give it away, try free cycle. Love the pumpkins.
Hi Bob, that would be good then I could hand you a pumpkin. There are more takers for tomatoes than for pumpkins around here. Interesting observation on the sharing thing in Australia. Maybe the city-folk do not have enough growing to share with others. I bet they would if they had more than enough.
Debbi, thank you, and another good idea, folks.
Wow, Barbee', thanks for this great link and great idea! We're pumpkin-rich this year as well, thanks to a volunteer in our compost bin. Luckily they're small, so we'll be able to find them all good homes. But this is a fantastic service!
Hi Barbee', I've never had that many pumpkins growing at one time. But cherry tomatoes, yes! Till date, everyone loves to get them! Not everyone's into gardening so a little bit of home-grown produce is very much appreciated. Btw, your pumpkins look so good!!!
Hello, o.f.Ben, thanks for coming over to check on things here. I thought that link might be of good use to someone(s) who do not have other services or farmers' markets in their vicinity. I get the impression that she is just getting started with it, but I see a lot of potential there. Glad yours are the small pumpkins, they definitely are easier to find takers, and uses for, it seems to me.
Kanak Hagjer, Thank you. This has been an interesting experience with all those pumpkins. I know what you mean, and it is even more amazing, because they are all on one large, sprawling vine! This is the first time we have had large ones, before they were always the very small ornamental ones. Home-grown is a treat, isn't it. I didn't have any cherry tomatoes this year and I miss them. I hope these pumpkins have a good flavor. If they do not, it will be embarrassing. We have already given away one of them to a helper who worked here this summer. University is back in session and most of my summertime helpers are not working here any longer.
Barbee ! I wish I could have some of your pumpkins girl ! : )
I think that is a great way to share the bounty .. I think quite a few do it here in Kingston too .. I would if I had veggies growing .. it would seem such a waste not to ?
Joy
PS .. The Great Pumpkin might visit you on Halloween girl ! LOL
Hi Barbee; good to hear from you, thanks for the comment. Yes we too have this horn of plenty someimes. we share with our neighbours. Soaps against oranges, seedlings against grown crop etc. But most of the time just give aways. Here are many people they do not grow vegetables or fruit any more. Fruits and veggies grown without poison are sought after but one has to know the right people. Anyway there are always the chooks they never say no to a well grown tomato! Your pumpkins look like, no they are gold nuggets,
Kerri, thank you. You have no idea how often I envy you of your barns and sheds...and space, AND wide-open full sunshine... oh!, and cats! Not one squash! Oh, dear, what a disappointment. I remember one year the raccoons didn't let us have a single tomato. Needless to say we were disappointed about that. We have had plenty of rain this summer and everyone's lawns stayed green, which is unusual here in Bluegrass Country.
Titania, oh, I am so glad you liked seeing the pumpkin photos. Thank you for such an interesting comment. I understand. I frequently wish for chooks, but I have to feed it all to my boring composter.
Joy, I wish you could have some of these pumpkins, too. I am running behind with my replies to all these comments, but as of today (9/9/09) we have given away 3 of them. Yes, it would be a waste and a shame to not find people who would like to have them. You want to come sit in the pumpkin patch with me Halloween night? We have bats.
Hi Barbee,
Thanks for your many comments at my blog. Your concern helped me get well.I can feel the caring. Balisha
Balisha, it is sooooooo good to have you back.
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