U.S. SNAP NUMBERS DROP DRAMATICALLY

Nationally, SNAP participation averaged 43,478,196 people in May 2016, a decrease of  over 2 million or 4.6% since May 2015. This is the lowest SNAP national participation level since October 2010. In New York State the trend was basically flat with one-tenth of one percent more people enrolled in SNAP in May 2016 compared to May 2015.

Source: Food Research & Action Council, 8/11/16, SNAP Participation

Three weeks from today!

Second Annual Fight Hunger 5K

September 11, 2016

Race - Fun Run - Walkathon

At the Remington Recreation Trail in Canton

Registration in the Maplewood - Partridge Knoll picnic pavilion starting at 12:30 PM

Walkers leave at 1:00, Runners leave at 1:30

 

Run, walk, pull the kids in a wagon or push a stroller - whatever works for you!  

Join us to raise awareness of the issue of hunger and funds for GardenShare.

 

How to get started:

• Either fly solo or gather a team from work, school, or your place of worship!
• Download the registration form and start asking friends, family, classmates, and co-workers to make a donation to sponsor you.
• Alternatively, you can go here and create an online fundraising page and e-mail a link to friends, family, and others to ask for secure donations to be made directly to GardenShare.
• Bring your signed registration form and any cash or checks you have collected to the registration booth on September 11.
• Best parking will be behind Maplewood, follow the signs to the parking area, and the footpath to the pavilion.
• Dress for the weather!

If you are unable to join us, you can still make a donation to support those who are walking or running here.

Last year's crowd at the Fight Hunger 5K
Can we make this year even bigger?

Thank you to our sponsors!

Presenting sponsors:

Friend sponsors:

Curran Renewable Energy

North Country Savings Bank

Save-a-Lot

St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union

Tupper Lake Supply

September is Hunger Action Month

A final message from our summer intern, Amanda...

Mid-July, I lined up behind Kent Family Growers tent at the Canton Farmers Market to pick up a CSA share, excited to assorted vegetables waiting to be prepared for next week’s meals.

Next to the sugar snap peas was a bin of pulses I did not recognize—a bean of some sort. I took a bite, but the starchy shell was rather chewy. The experience wasn’t unpleasant; in fact, I didn’t spit the green out. Actually, I ate the entire pod. The sign read “Fava Beans,” but my tongue read, “Do not eat raw.” Weighing my allotted pound and a half, I assumed I simply lacked the knowledge to make this produce desirably edible uncooked.

This experience made me wonder: How many people have encountered a strange vegetable and not known how to cook its earthy flesh? Many people I talked to at the market had no clue what to do with a Fava bean. In fact, my parents had never even heard of the bland legume until I attempted grilling them a handful based on a Google search. I then speculate, how many people wouldn’t have even bothered with cooking advice?

As humans, our lives are pivotally centered on food because energy acquisition is literally a matter of either life or death. Consequently, we spend the majority of our lives growing, procuring, cooking and ingesting food. The Bureau of Labor Statistics claims an average American spends 90 minutes a day eating. This statistic fails to include the process - like working a 40-hour week to pay the grocery bill.

This summer I’ve learned eating fresh produce is a privilege. I can afford to not only eat food from the Farmers Market, but also to take the time to prepare a meal. The time and money food consumes in our daily life is  one reason processed (and often cheaper) food is so popular. Cooking means I at least have fresh produce possibilities and different culinary choices for my meal tonight. This same opportunity is what GardenShare wishes to give everyone across St. Lawrence County.

September is Hunger Action Month, a national call for people to take initiative to fight hunger in their community. At GardenShare, we believe everyone has a right to healthy and affordable food as we promote the local food system.

Join us in our various activities that help directly impact friends, families and neighbors who are food insecure.

-Amanda Mae Korb

GardenShare summer intern

Summer bounty: carrots

When you think of carrots, orange is the first color that comes to mind. But did you know there are red, yellow, white, purple, and even black carrots? Orange are the most common, but all carrots are good vegetables to eat. Carrots contain vitamin A, which is good for keeping eyes healthy, they are also the perfect healthy snack!

• Best buy - for the freshest carrots, choose ones that are firm and do not bend; bending might be a sign they are older and not as fresh.
• Store - take off the greens and put carrots in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
• To prepare, scrub skins and rinse well with water before eating. You may peel them if you like, but can also leave skins on.
• Try this month’s recipe of Carrot Tomato Sauce and serve over pasta!
• Shred carrots and add to scrambled eggs or omelets
• Chop them up and add to any salad
• Dip raw carrots in vegetable dip, hummus, salsa or guacamole

Carrot Tomato Sauce Makes 6 servings
Ingredients 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 3 cups shredded carrots 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 can (28 ounce) diced tomatoes ½ teaspoon dried basil 1 tablespoon tomato paste ½ teaspoon oregano Salt and pepper to taste	Directions 1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. 2. Add carrots and cook until soft. 3. Add chopped garlic, canned tomatoes, dried basil, tomato paste, oregano, and salt and pepper. 4. Cook on high heat until sauce boils. 5. Turn heat down to medium and cook sauce for 20-25 minutes. 6. Serve over white beans or pasta and enjoy! 7. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Nutritional Information Nutrition Information per serving: 60 calories, 1.5g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 140mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 2g protein, 110% vitamin A

Encouraging schools to purchase from local farms

New York State recently announced that it has been chosen to participate in a USDA Pilot Project for Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables.  The goal of the Pilot Project is to develop additional opportunities for schools to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables with USDA funding, and develop new relationships with farmers, growers, produce wholesalers, and distributors.  The USDA pilot program encourages the use of locally-grown foods in National School Lunch Programs by allowing locally-grown foods to be purchased with the USDA funds annually allocated to schools.

Ø  This is a great opportunity for vendors such as farmers, growers, aggregators, food hubsand the like to grow and expand their local customer base.

Ø  Vendors of all sizes - both large and small - have the opportunity to tap into an existing and expanding market.

Ø  Over 800 New York State School Districts currently in the National School Lunch Program have USDA funding to procure commodities through this pilot program.

Ø  Fresh fruits and vegetables, minimally processed items such as apple slices, as well as IQF frozen locally sourced produce, are all eligible under this program for year-round purchasing.

Ø  As soon as a vendor is placed on the USDA Approved Vendor list, they can begin to do business under the pilot program.

Please follow this link to begin your application process:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/pilot-project

Second Annual Fight Hunger 5K

September 11, 2016

Second annual Fight Hunger 5K

Race - Fun Run - Walkathon

At the Remington Trail in Canton

Registration at 12:30 PM, Walkers leave at 1:00, Runners leave at 1:30

Run, walk, pull the kids in a wagon or push a stroller - whatever works for you!  Join us to raise awareness of the issue of hunger and funds for GardenShare.

How to get started:

Either fly solo or gather a team from work, school, or your place of worship!

Download the registration form and/or make a page on this website and start asking friends, family, classmates, and co-workers to make a donation to sponsor you.

Bring your signed registration form and any cash or checks you have collected to the registration booth on September 11.

Dress for the weather!

Thank you to these companies who have already signed up as sponsors:

Presenting Sponsors:

and

Friend Sponsors:

     Curran Renewable Energy

     North Country Savings Bank

     Save-a-Lot

     St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union

     Tupper Lake Supply

MANY ELIGIBLE FOR WIC DON’T ENROLL

WIC provides access to high-nutrition foods for kids, mothers, and pregnant women with incomes of 185% or less of poverty. But a study from the University of New Hampshire's Carsey School of Public Policy finds only about 43% of those eligible for WIC benefits receive them. Among eligible families, receipt of WIC benefits was more likely among families in which the head of household was poorer, less educated, non-white, unmarried, or unemployed. About half of eligible families living at less than 50% of the poverty line and one-third living between 100% and 185% of poverty received WIC benefits. Participation in WIC was greater in rural than urban areas (46 versus 42%) with rural foreign-born families reported higher rates of WIC receipt than their urban counterparts (54% versus 44%).

Source: Carsey School of Public Policy, 7/20/16, WIC Enrollment