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I'm inheriting leadership of a similar garden at our local Second Harvest Food Bank office. (It's in cooperation with Second Harvest, Master Gardeners/Coop Ext, and County Juvenile Probation.) It seems as if they have a few target crops then they fill with whatever seeds they happen to get. I'm looking to increase yield & nutrition value. Which veggies do you recommend?
I've grown veggies before, but in the context of a historical garden. I'm reading up while I'm asking elementary questions. I'm also hoping to use interplanting/companion planting as much as possible to get more out of less space.
a few afterthoughts:
> The location has a bit of a deer issue. Vine crops grown on fencing become deer fodder. Anything I can grow there they won't like but humans do? It just seems wrong having over 100 ft of mesh fence with no beans, peas, or grapes growing on it.
> Seed donations welcome for 2010 season. Having something growing is better than nothing. Dmail me. Perhaps we can trade. http://davesgarden.com/tools/mail/pmail.php?q=holeth
Think of the end-users for your produce? Who are they? What do they want to eat? What do they like? If no one wants to eat beets or turnips, it doesn't matter how well they grow or how nutritious they are.
The other question is: what grows well in your area? And what grows TOO well, that there will always be a glut of it.
Root crops are often tempting. They've got a great shelf life. They don't jive with local demographics, which incorporate a large post-industrial working class Celtic-Germanic heritage (40%) and significant Spanish-Speaking population (12%).* Perhaps cabbage(s), potatoes, corn, assorted peppers, beans, and tomatoes are good targets.
The total population is predominantly European heritage (87%)*, but becoming more diverse from new neighbors joining us at a fairly steady rate, mostly from technology job transfers from large cities elsewhere in the U.S. (and globally!).
The international experts are no more immune from downsizing than U.S. citizens, although losing their jobs endangers their work VISAs. I'm guessing that they're going to have very different needs than the "PA Dutch"** folks & the various Spanish-speakers.
I have been chatting up several of the distribution points & their volunteers. (They're still getting over the shock. They're not sure what to make of me!) I'm guessing that they can tell me what pantry items are most popular. I've also got a friend who was a produce mgr locally for 25 yrs. I'll go pick his brain.***
Thanks again!
B
*U.S. Census Data 2000.
**A term derived from an 1800s mistranslation of "Deutch." Most PA Dutch heritage is from Southern Germany, although immigration was a status leveler among non-English Europeans in the U.S. German Aristocratic surnames can be found mixed among those who claim "PA Dutch" heritage.
***Any zombie movie fans? Every time I hear this cliché, I think, "mmm, braaaains!" Bruce Campbell Rocks!
