Notes From the Field
Read on to discover what we’ve been up to at Growing to Give.
Theda’s Farm Report – 5/30/20
Multiple gleanings this week resulted in 300 pounds of lettuce being sent out to our local food system. Boxes and individual bags for distribution are accompanied by a Growing to Give identification list. We came up with a checklist that explains what produce is being delivered and a simple explanation of how to store and use it. The tomatoes are going in! ... Click to read more.
Theda’s Farm Report – 5/23/20
This past week was spent organizing the seedling sale. We learned a lot and appreciated all the support with the sale and with the purchasing of plants. With careful record-keeping, I think we can do an even better job next year. I hope everyone is successful with their planting and enjoy the benefits of growing some of your own food. We had ... Click to read more.
Theda’s Farm Report – 5/16/20
Over 100 pounds of produce went out this week. Still harvesting lettuce, radishes, and our favorite sweet white turnips from the greenhouse. We hope to finish harvesting out of there this week. We need to turn it around to get in our early tomatoes and peppers. We have a tunnel full of lettuces about a week away from being gleaned and more in the fields. ... Click to read more.
Theda’s Farm Report – 5/9/20
Our week ended on the cancellation of our Saturday volunteer team. This is the third weekend we had to cancel due to inclement weather. Snow in the forecast, high winds, and low temperatures caused us to lay down more protective row cover, inside and out, to try to protect our plantings. On a positive note, two of our regular Saturday volunteers came on Friday to ... Click to read more.
In the News
“Children, Bowdoin students and community members joined in solidarity protest for climate”
“John Newlin, co-founder of Growing to Give, a local farm-based program dedicated to reducing food insecurity through climate-friendly farming, said that with the right practices, agriculture would not simply become a smaller part of the problem, but a part of the solution. He encouraged those gathered to shop and eat locally, but more importantly, to “use your voice and vote.”” (read more)
“Students ‘growing, giving and learning’ in new farm-based program”
“Organizers say the program will teach students about local solutions to hunger, healthy food, and climate-friendly agriculture.” (read more)
“Brunswick farm looks to expand, marks 30k in vegetable donations”
“In gifting half a ton of organic vegetables to 15 area food access organizations earlier this month, Growing to Give surpassed the 30,000-pound mark in total donations since 2017.” (read more)
“Spotlight: Theda Lyden” (Merrymeeting Food Council Summer 2019 Newsletter)
A fun interview with Theda Leyden, Growing to Give’s Farm Manager, that features her work, her thoughts on the local and regional food system, and what one of her favorite summer meals is. (read more)
“Brunswick group grows fresh produce for food banks” by Steve Minich (WMTW, 7/26/19)
Steve Minich of Channel 8 in Portland (WMTW) honored Growing to Give as a “group” Community Champion on Friday, July 26, 2019! Watch the video. (Note: The lead-in is missing from the video: “It’s an organization out of Brunswick – called Growing to Give…”)
“Brunswick farm fights food insecurity with ‘Growing to Give'” by Elizabeth Clemente (The Forecaster, 6/8/18)
“It’s easy to miss Scatter Good Farm while driving along the winding East Coxon Road. But a food bank at the farm is attracting attention for helping several organizations fight food insecurity in Maine.” (read more)
Update: 17,000 lbs. were grown and donated in 2018, but the goal for 2019 has been revised to 18,000 lbs. The tentative goal for 2020 is 25,000 lbs.
“Growing to Give” by David Treadwell (The Times Record, 6/8/18)
“Great things can happen when good friends with big hearts and fine minds have a good idea. Growing to Give stands as a shining example.” (read more)
Article featuring Growing to Give volunteer Robin Knight (L.L.Bean intranet, October 2018)
Newsletters
Newsletter – Summer/Fall 2019
Check out our most recent newsletter to take a journey through the growing season this year. The newsletter is rich with photos, Farm Reports, gratitude, and updates. To read it, click here.
Newsletter – Spring 2019
Growing to Give's spring newsletter includes: an Update from Patty a Farm Report a Funder Highlight a Call for Volunteers and more! To read the newsletter, click here.
Newsletter – Fall 2018
With fall vegetables still being harvested, and preparations well underway for early spring harvest, things are still busy at Growing to Give. But as Thanksgiving Day approaches, we hope you’ll join us in taking a few moments today to reflect on the true spirit of thanksgiving days - a spirit that countless humans have celebrated on special days over the millennia. It’s an overused phrase, ... Click to read more.