Plant A Row for the Hungry

I love to garden for many reasons. The hobby has given me lots of pleasure over the years, and a lot of good food to eat. The best part of the hobby is that it is easy to do. Anyone can grow a vegetable anywhere, with a little “want to” and a little bit of supplies.

That is why is still scares me that we have so many people going hungry in the United States each day. I read a recent article written by Linda Krohne Nitchman that shares the following statistical information; 1) one in ten households in America experience hunger regularly, 2) 2.9 million children live in homes that have to skip meals, eat too little, or go without food for the whole day, 3) 25 million Americans suffer from chronic under nutrition, which can lead to serious health problems.

This year in the Ozarks, the need for food, at our local food banks, has reached a critical level. People are having to be turned away. It is a shame, considering the ease of growing vegetables.
These folks live in big cities like Springfield, and small ones like my hometown of Fair Grove, Missouri.

That is why I am going to ask for a favor. Would you consider joining the “Plant A Row for the Hungry’ campaign this year? It is a nationwide campaign that centers on growing good food for local food banks, and other food programs. I can think of no better way to make a difference this growing season.

You can get more information on this project from the Garden Writers Association Website at www.gardenwriters.org, or call the group at 877-492-2727. You’ll be glad that you did. Were it not for the grace of God, those hungry kids could be mine.

Slainte,
Ray Province

Ray Province is a retired minister and owner of The Celtic Ozarkian, a website that chronicles life in the Ozarks. He is currently an IT programmer, and freelances in website design, SEO, and helping people and businesses make use of social media. You can contact Ray at contactus@celticozarkian.com or @celticozarkian on Twitter.