Distribute

May 16, 2026

After filling my bird feeders, I was sitting on the patio waiting to see what species would arrive.  What I noticed instead was how my tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants had begun to grow this last week.  I mentioned I planted fourteen tomato plants this year, using four different types of containers.  My two sweet 100s (cherry) are in 5-gallon (19-l) buckets.  Three of the Arkansas Travelers (slicing) are in 5-gallon grow bags and the other three are in 10-gallon (38-l) terra cotta pots.  The six Romas (sauce) are in the plastic self-watering containers I purchased last year.  All 14 plants were over 2-1/2 feet (0.76m) and are starting to produce (green) fruit.  While I have known since our family garden as a child that tomatoes need trellises or cages for support, it was not until three years ago that I learned you should also prune your plants.  The small, secondary shoots that grow in the “V” joint where a leaf branch meets the main stem (suckers) should be removed as these produce less desirable fruit.  The bottom branches should also be removed to guard against pests and disease.  Pruning encourages the plant to focus on growing fruit rather than tall, bushy vines.  With the number of plants in the ground, it got me thinking of how to distribute the expected tomatoes.

When I went online, I found one way to distribute excess produce was called Fresh Food Connect.  This group was formed in 2016 with the goal of connecting local gardeners with the hunger relief efforts in their community to grow a more local and resilient food system.  Fresh Food Connect has a free mobile app that connects gardeners with their communities.  By 2024, Fresh Food Connect had grown to over 4,300 gardeners with over 65 hunger relief nonprofits in 28 states and has shared over 300,000 pounds (136077.7 kg) of homegrown produce with 166,000 community people experiencing food insecurity.  During 2025, 5,210 registered gardeners in 18 states connected with 54 local community partners to provide over 91,490 pounds (41,499 kg) of homegrown produce to over 51,870 individuals facing food insecurity.  This distribution amounted to grocery savings of US$457,460, or over 76,240 meals and over 91 tons (82.5 mt) of CO2EQ saved.   

I got excited when I learned of this effort to efficiently distribute home grown food to those with food insecurity.  I immediately downloaded the app and typed in my zip code to find a distribution center near me.  While there was (currently) no distribution near me, the Ozark Church Food Pantry was listed as only 52 miles (83.5 km) away.  I used the app to suggest they partner with the Crawford Sebastian Community Development Council in Fort Smith (15 miles/24 km away).  The app does allow me to register my donations outside of their network so I will probably continue to give locally and register my donation with Fresh Food.  Last year I also shared with my neighbors and several friends, and I will probably do that again this year.  Today I used my last jar of dill pickles making pickle de Gallo, so I am also looking forward to restocking my garden favorites.

THOUGHTS: Cassey Anderson, Colorado State University Horticulture Agent, provided the three Golden Rules when planning to distribute your harvest to a local food bank.   These are: Keep it cool, Keep it wet (when appropriate), Handle with care.  Harvesting is best done in the cooler parts of the day (morning/evening) and many crops can be harvested and placed directly into a container of cool water.  If you continue to harvest, make sure they are placed out of the sun.  Using a sharp knife or scissors is a better choice for harvesting rather than tearing the crop off the main plant.  This reduces stress on the plant, reduces chances of damage, and makes for a cleaner product.  Food insecurity is limited or uncertain access to adequate, nutritious food due to limited funds or resources.  Arkansas has the highest rate of food insecurity in the nation, with 19.4% of households struggling to access consistent, nutritious meals.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.