IN THE COMMUNITY

Sharing What We Reap.
 
As Jane always says, “We are a farm that grows fruits and vegetables to sell to the public at our Vegetable Barn, but we can also grow enough to share with those in our community who need help feeding themselves and their families.”  We are fortunate to have the land and the help to provide fresh produce for the hungry. And Alamance County is also fortunate to have several service organizations that are dedicated to serving or distributing meals to feed the hungry.  We have been privileged to work with the Good Shepherd Kitchen sponsored by Allied Churches, Loaves and Fishes, the Caring Kitchen and the Society of St. Andrews.  Last year we were able to provide several thousand pounds of fresh produce for distribution through these agencies   We all know that these are hard times for many in our county as well as throughout the country and we strive to be a positive presence in our community.  Last fall, when it was time to order seeds and plan for this 2009 growing season, Jane made the decision to add additional plantings of tomatoes and other select vegetables in order to help meet the hunger needs in the community.  

If you or your group would like to help in filling these increasing needs, we encourage you to contact the Society of St. Andrews.  They will help you organize a picking crew and will be able to direct you to the agencies in our area that are most in need. With these efforts, we hope to inspire our customers so that we may all work together toward a more caring and giving world. It is a commitment we make to ourselves, our community, and to generations to come.  We can always find a row for you to pick!   

The Society of St. Andrews/The Gleaning Network
gleantriad@endhunger.org
336.315.6430
336.402.2712
Emily Reeve, Triad Coordinator

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Educational Programs
 
What do I do with this?
 
This question is often heard in the Vegetable Barn. It usually applies to something like eggplant, butternut squash or a new variety of peppers.  We try to keep recipes on hand for these more unusual vegetables, but sometimes the question involves more than how to cook them.  Many times folks need information about how to store a particular food or how to preserve it.  We all have an expert about these issues at the Alamance County Extension Office.  The extension office number is 336-570-6740.

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How ‘ya going to keep them down on the farm?

We love having young people visit the farm. An old campaign encourages us to “put a face on our produce.”  In other words, we do all we can to teach children where their food comes from…milk isn’t produced by the grocery store and apples, persimmons and nuts all grow on trees.  Visiting a working farm is not only fun for kids, it is the best way of connecting them to the land and the farmer who toils in the soil to produce the food served on their plates each day.  

Iseley Farms invites children to tour the farm with their school groups, church groups, friends and families. During the month of October we offer educational hay rides for school groups on the weekdays and for families and friends on Saturday and Sunday.  School groups may also take advantage of the “pick your own strawberries” experience in the early spring.  Reservations must be made for all of these activities. Call the farm at 336.584.3323.