Young Farmer Vice-Chair Amy Gowell Drogue (left) along with fellow Young Farmer member Christina Murdock (right) collected and donated over 800 pounds of fresh food from local farms to the Friendly Kitchen in Concord, N.H.

Concord, N.H. – October 6, 2014 – Food pickups started early this morning for New Hampshire Young Farmers Amy Gowell Drogue of Barnstead and Christina Murdock of Concord.  The duo visited three farms including, J&F Farms in Derry, Steve Normanton Farm in Litchfield and LaValley Farm in Allenstown.  The Young Farmers collected over 800 pounds of local food for people in need. 

The staff at the Friendly Kitchen in Concord were thrilled to receive fresh local produce that included eggs, potatoes, butternut squash, turnips, corn, apples, cauliflower, lettuce and winter squash.  “This will feed the hungry,” said the Friendly Kitchen Director Jennifer Lonbardo.  “This fresh produce will be used at dinner, where we serve over 100 people every night.  It’s wonderful for us because we can serve fresh vegetables rather than canned.”

The Young Farmers coordinated food pickups for the Harvest for All campaign, which is a partnership between Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Feeding America.  “It’s important that the Young Farmers participate in this program,” said Young Farmer Vice-Chair Amy Gowell Drogue.  “It’s a positive program that enables local farmers to contribute nutritious food to needy families in our community.”

More than 50 million Americans – that’s one in six – including nearly 17 million children, are food insecure, meaning they live at risk of hunger.  “Harvest for All is a worthwhile program,” mentioned Young Farmer member Christina Murdock.  “I’m happy to be part of a group that is interested in helping out the community.”

Through the Harvest for All program, donations of food, funds and volunteer hours are given to local food pantries or soup kitchens.  Here in New Hampshire, the Young Farmers encourage all farmers and non-farmers to participate in donating product to local distributors dedicated to feeding the hungry.  Please record all donations throughout the year by completing the form available online at nhfarmbureau.org or call 224-1934 and ask to speak with the Young Farmer Coordinator Maureen Duffy.  Your contribution will be logged and submitted to the national Harvest for All project on behalf of the New Hampshire Young Farmers.

If you are not actively donating to your community, please consider giving – every little bit helps!