Submitted by Alaya Battalia
You don’t need to be a health specialist to know that eating lots of vegetables is good for you. That said, research shows that eating a vegetable and fruit rich diet can help lower the risk and alleviate the symptoms of numerous health conditions, from diabetes and heart disease to improving your eyesight. Packed with vitamins, nutrients and fiber, those farm fresh veggies help your body stay strong while navigating the rest of life.
The Lopez Island Family Resource Center and our many food focused community partners are committed to making fruits and vegetables available to all Lopezians through orchard gleaning, Lopez Fresh food bank, the Summer Lunch Program, and “Share a Share” Community Supported Agriculture.
Community Supported Agriculture is a way for folks to get produce directly from farmers. By purchasing a CSA share at the beginning of the growing season, you are provided with a weekly supply of vegetables. By investing in a season’s worth of vegetables upfront, you help make sure that farmers will have the cash flow they need to grow a well-tended and diverse supply of produce.
Samantha Dillingham and Emma Carter of Goosefoot Produce are gearing up to provide 35 CSA shares starting at the beginning of June and continuing for 22 weeks. Carter and Dillingham would like to have their CSA shares available to island residents who might not otherwise be able to afford a vegetable rich diet. Nutrition is especially important for those who are health impaired, making this population the focal point of the Lopez Island Family Resource Center’s “Share a Share” program.
The weekly supply of produce can be a lifeline, especially for someone who is experiencing health problems. A past CSA share recipient shares, “after just having has a double mastectomy and undergoing radiation treatment I couldn’t go out to my own garden. Everything withered away and died. With our house payments eating up over 60 percent of my husband’s income, we would not have been able to eat in a healthy way without the CSA. Plus, trying new veggies was wonderful. I had never had garlic scapes before!”
The CSA inspired her to give back to the community and now that her health has improved, she brings extra garden vegetables to Lopez Fresh whenever she can.
Last year we were able to provide 5 shares to health compromised Lopezians. Please help us do the same, or more, this season! The cost of a full share is $660. If this amount is too much for your own resources, please consider making a partial contribution. Every little bit counts. All donations for the Share a Share program can be mailed to the Lopez Island Family Resource Center, P.O. Box 732 or brought by the LIFRC office at 23 Pear Tree Lane. Contact the LIFRC with any questions at (360)468-4117.
