iowaA young girl worked as a volunteer at a community food bank and found that almost all the food donated by outsiders was processed foods and lacked fresh fruits and vegetables. So he called on his family to grow fruits and vegetables. Over the past two years, he has donated nearly 7,000 pounds of homegrown crops.
Lauren Schroeder, a 17-year-old girl from Dixon, Iowa, has been volunteering at a community food bank since she was 14. While she was distributing food, she noticed something was wrong because most of the food donated was canned, canned and other processed foods, with no green fruits and vegetables.
So Schroeder came up with an idea and decided to open a piece of farmland on a farm near Dixon, growing homegrown crops, such as lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, etc.vegetableProvide it to families in need, and explain the idea to parents to gain approval.
Schroeder said: “I think it’s a great thing to be able to change this situation. I hope everyone can get the nutrients they need from fresh fruits and vegetables.”
Although Schroeder had in the past only participated in school club activities, raised rabbits and other small animals, and never had any experience growing crops on a large scale, she was determined: “I set out to find Did a lot of research on the internet about what methods are effective, what methods don’t work, which plants need shade, which plants need more water, and what is the best time to harvest each crop.”
After receiving a grant from the national FFA organization, an agricultural extension youth organization, to pay for seeds and gardening equipment, Schroeder began growing about 15 varieties of vegetables on a half-acre farm in the spring of 2022.
Schroeder called on her three siblings to participate as well, and soon the first harvest, about 40 pounds of fresh vegetables, was packed and donated to 8 nonprofit organizations, including local food banks, soup kitchens, nursing homes, and social welfare organizations. were donated to.
Starting this year, Schroeder will double the farm to one acre and add 10 new crops like vanilla, pumpkins, cauliflower and jalapenos.
Schroeder said she has donated about 7,000 pounds of produce over the past two years, including enough to make about 300 cans.ItalyAmount of tomatoes required for pasta sauce.
Nancy Renkes, CEO of a food bank in Davenport, Iowa, said of Schroeder’s kindness: “She not only helps us accomplish the work of eradicating hunger, but also reflects the amazing selflessness and dedication of a younger generation. Dedication.”
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