AmpleHarvest.org and Feds Feed Families Inspiration
This is the third year in a row we have partnered with the largest food drive in America. Feds Feed Families is a nation-wide food drive by the nearly 3 million U.S. federal employees.You can read more about our partnership with FFF here. We received this note from a federal employee, Tammy G., who is sharing fresh food from her backyard garden (and chickens!). What an inspiration! We’re cheering for you and all federal employees that are helping to fight hunger in the U.S.!
Photos and story by federal employee and Feds Feed Families participant, Tammy G. —
I used to be housed in the FNS Phoenix field office until it was closed a few years back. Now I am working out of my home. I kept seeing the Feds Feed Families messages and thinking, that i
s nice that folks in other offices are bringing food to work, gleaning, and taking it to food banks. I didn’t think that I should be a part of that until yesterday. The thought struck me that I live on a little farm and could go outside, harvest some food from my plants and animals, and donate it to the food pantry here in Sierra Vista.
This morning I decided to harvest the ampalaya in my garden. I became acquainted with that fruit
when I lived in the Philippines. It is slightly bitter and used in eggs, stews, beans, etc. (more savory meals.) It is good for diabetics and folks with high blood pressure. It is also known to possibly be a form of birth control, so I worked hard to keep the vines away from my chickens and sheep that are all about laying eggs and producing babies.
I collected 35 pounds from my garden.
I decided to up the ante with 8 dozen eggs from my chickens. I also had some nice quince given to me by a neighbor who had to harvest them all quickly because either the coyotes or javelina were eating them off his young small trees. In a few days they will be a nice ripe yellow and ready for a Moroccan tagine. I ended up taking 60 pounds of eggs and produce to the pantry. Thanks for the emails that finally sunk in that I too could participate from my virtual office. It felt good to make the donation.
