First Harvest provides Big Harvest for Jackson County

Tracy Goodrich tells us:

First Harvest, a project of Rotary District 5110, works to alleviate hunger by providing fresh food for families and individuals who are struggling. Food is acquired in two ways: 1. through volunteer driven community projects and 2. from corporate donors.

Community projects include a one acre production garden in Central Point that contributed 22,000 lbs of produce distributed to Jackson County Food pantries through ACCESS, Inc.in 2009. A smaller garden in Ashland contributed 3,200 lbs to the Ashland Emergency Food Bank serving Ashland and Talent in 2009. Rotary Clubs, many partners and even more volunteers work together to create a successful community. First Harvest Past President and Southern Oregon Regional Chair, Rotarian Carol Wythe, is emphatic when she states: "Without the help of the community we could not do projects like this."

The projects are incredible for building a sense of community and providing platforms for nutritional education. For example, the Job Council and Medford Opportunity High School have formed a unique partnership to teach at risk students by providing alternative education opportunities. This year, under the leadership of Kate Giles, the Internship Specialist and Crew Leader, students are being provided with a hands-on, practical learning opportunity by working in the First Harvest garden. First Harvest is also partnering with Experience Works and Job Council programs in the administrative environment to help increase FH's productivity while helping participant's become employable. Yet another way to address hunger in Jackson County.

The majority of our food contributions are from corporate partners such as growers, corporate wholesalers, retailers, and processors. It is food that will never make it onto the commercial market for several reasons. First Harvest works to salvage the viable produce from disposal and acts as a broker to connect the food with transporters and the food banks and pantries who serve families and individuals in need.

For more information http://firstharvestd5110.org,
email: admin@firstharvestd5110.org
and phone: (541)973-5431

Farmer Incubator = Good Food for Me+You

The Southern Oregon Farmer Incubator helps beginning and limited resource farmers start and sustain their businesses while providing needed fresh produce to area food pantries. Participants can opt to participate in one or both of two program tracks: hands-on farm business courses and access to new markets.

Track 1: Farm / Business Training consists of bi-monthly hands-on agricultural, business management and marketing education over a nine-month season. Participants will receive an on-farm consultation with a small farms instructor and be referred to other experts to address any specific issues arising during the program year.

Track 2: Market Access gives participants an opportunity to sell their produce to area food pantries, made possible by a generous grant from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation. Participants in the second track will also sell product through Rogue Valley Local Foods, an online farmers market, and will gain experience by staffing the markets in rotation.

The program is a collaboration between the Oregon State University Small Farms program and Thrive in partnership with Friends of Family Farmers, Rogue Farm Corps and ACCESS. For more information contact Thrive at http://www.buylocalrogue.org/index.php