Gleaning Week Kick-Off! by Rachael Brugger
This past Saturday, a group of Girl Scouts and their families helped us kick off National Gleaning Week (Sept. 21 to 28) with a trip out to UK South Farm to glean tomatoes and peppers. As farmer Tiffany explained, UK South Farm wanted us to pick as many tomatoes and peppers as we could so they could make room for fall crops, like sweet potatoes and broccoli.
After receiving Tiffany’s instructions on which vegetables were ready to pick (only big peppers and juicy, ripe tomatoes), the girls, along with their moms, dads and siblings set to work. In just a half hour, the new members of our gleaning family were able to glean more than 400 pounds of vegetables—wow! We are so impressed and couldn’t have done it without you!
The recipient of Saturday’s tomatoes and peppers was our newest partner, Blue Grass Farms Charities, which serves families who work in the Thoroughbred industry. The girls helped Mary Lee-Butte, BGFC’s president and CEO, load up her car with bags of vegetables—they almost didn’t fit!—and she said the food would be distributed to families that night!
Thanks so much to everyone who came out to help us on Saturday, and to BGFC with helping get these tomatoes and peppers into hungry bellies! Enjoy a peek at the day’s fun below.
