News - Growing to Give

Notes From the Field

Read on to discover what we’ve been up to at Growing to Give.

Theda’s Farm Report – 10/24/20
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Theda’s Farm Report – 10/24/20

Notes from the field

Theda’s Farm Report – 10/24/20

This was our last real big gleaning of the year. We will now harvest just once a week to finish up the last of the greens and turnips. This week we sent out a smaller variety but the bags and boxes were still full of healthy fresh organic produce. The Aronia bushes are turning red in their holding bed and the contrast of ... Click to read more.

October 26th, 2020|

Theda’s Farm Report – 10/17/20

Wow it was a busy week! Again over 700 hundred pounds of fresh organic produce was harvested by our gleaning partners. Rebecca and I calculated that we have about three more harvest days of food in the fields. We hope to have more that can be harvested from the tunnels towards the end of the month. Carol harvested our "secret" giant chard plant. ... Click to read more.

October 19th, 2020|

Theda’s Farm Report – 10/3/20
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Theda’s Farm Report – 10/3/20

Notes from the field

Theda’s Farm Report – 10/3/20

Wednesday was that crazy windy weather day. Sheets of rain fell on our hardy crew. Two of the Merrymeeting Gleaners, Carol and Trish, came to help harvest and deliver over 350 pounds of produce. We packed their cars and Carrie's car. Carrie was interested to see a destination of our food and volunteered to take a delivery to Freeport. Thanks everyone for braving the weather. ... Click to read more.

October 5th, 2020|

Theda’s Farm Report – 9/26/20
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Theda’s Farm Report – 9/26/20

Notes from the field

Theda’s Farm Report – 9/26/20

We made a big jump this week in our total poundage donated. Another 1,000 pounds bringing us up to 11,445 in year-to-date vegetables delivered. Fifteen different vegetables making up this total with Winter Squash starting to be in the mix. This is Robin's Koginut, a staff favorite. Very sweet, perfect for pies. We sent out 15 cases of beautiful assorted lettuces, as well ... Click to read more.

September 28th, 2020|

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In the News

Local organizations step up to help feed people in need during pandemic
“Growing to Give, a farm-based nonprofit in Brunswick, is ramping up production to help feed more people, while local farms and the Brunswick Topsham Land Trust are distributing seedlings to help people grow their own food.” (read more)

Maine Voices: Hungry Mainers need help from Washington to feed their families by John Newlin
“We need Sen. Collins to push the Republican majority to increase SNAP benefits in the next COVID bill. This is not a time to let perfect be the enemy of the legislative good. This is a time to feed Americans in need.” (read more)

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)

“Manufacturing’s Robin Knight knows a lot about working with her hands. After all, she’s a Bean Boot finisher skilled at crafting our most iconic product. And, on Saturdays, she uses her hands in a different way, as a volunteer at Scatter Good Farm’s, Growing to Give program.” (read more)