Potato gleaning at North River Farms in Mills River
By Candace McLaughlin
North River Farms in Mills River is proud to partner with Society of St. Andrew (SOSA), a nonprofit organization that brings people together to harvest and share healthy food, reduce food waste and build caring communities. For the past eight years, North River Farms and SOSA have joined forces for The Potato Project. With the help of many local volunteers, The Potato Project produces tons of white potatoes that are distributed to shelters and food banks across the region. “We enjoy participating in this project each year,” says Jason Davis of North River Farms. “We look forward to giving back to our community. It’s wonderful to know that we have made a difference and enriched a life. It’s just a great way to help those in need.”
The Potato Project begins in the spring. SOSA provides several hundred pounds of seed potatoes and North River Farms provides land, equipment and some supplemental labor. Volunteer crews help cut and plant the seed potatoes in late March. North River Farms then manages and cultivates the potato crop until harvest time, which usually lands around Labor Day. On harvest day, the farm staff plows out the potato crop with tractors and row plows. Then, hundreds of volunteers descend on the field, crawling on their hands and knees to gather thousands of pounds of potatoes. Much like bees working a hive or ants building a nest, the field is full of moving people with a desire to fight hunger. The potatoes are packed carefully into boxes and sacks and prepared for distribution.
Justine Redden, WNC glean coordinator for SOSA, says that gleaning crops is not only fun but makes a major impact in reducing food waste. “It’s a really rewarding experience to get to help coordinate volunteers, farmers and those in need to complete such an awesome process of fighting hunger across our region,” she says.
For more information about SOSA, visit EndHunger.org or email Justine at gleanwnc@endhunger.org. For more information about North River Farms, email northriverfarms3333@gmail.com.
