NH Gleans Puts Fresh Produce on the AE/MS Menu

When New Hampshire Gleans brings a bounty of fresh corn to AE/MS, a Huskin' Crew forms spontaneously to get the corn ready for cooking. The Huskin' Crew on this particular day was a mix of students and staff members: (L-r) Jay Hubbard, Anne Hewitt, Zachary Cronin, Molly Kidane, Jane Slayton, Keygan Sweeney, Stephanie Peters, Jesse Wagner, Linda DeMinico, Alex Crucitti, Luke Weber, Collin O'Donnell, Adam Stewart, Deana Crucitti, and Anna-Kate Hattan. At AE/MS we're all ears! Students and staff have way too much fun husking corn for student lunches. It is an enjoyable way to end a school day, as students and staff come together, husk, and tell corny jokes! Caption: Jane Slayton. Photo: Gretchen Hildebrand — When New Hampshire Gleans brings a bounty of fresh corn to AE/MS, a Huskin’ Crew forms spontaneously to get the corn ready for cooking. The Huskin’ Crew on this particular day was a mix of students and staff members: (L-r) Jay Hubbard, Anne Hewitt, Zachary Cronin, Molly Kidane, Jane Slayton, Keygan Sweeney, Stephanie Peters, Jesse Wagner, Linda DeMinico, Alex Crucitti, Luke Weber, Collin O’Donnell, Adam Stewart, Deana Crucitti, and Anna-Kate Hattan. At AE/MS we’re all ears! Students and staff have way too much fun husking corn for student lunches. It is an enjoyable way to end a school day, as students and staff come together, husk, and tell corny jokes! Caption: Jane Slayton. Photo: Gretchen Hildebrand

This fall, the Andover Food Pantry and Andover Elementary/Middle School (AE/MS) were the beneficiaries of New Hampshire Gleans, a new program to distribute surplus fruit and vegetables from local farms. “Gleaning” dates back to biblical times; it is the process of collecting surplus fresh produce from farms, gardens, or farmers markets and delivering it to those in need.

Funded by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, New Hampshire Gleans connects local farm produce with food pantries, community kitchens, and schools in several regions throughout New Hampshire.

Since August, local farmers and home gardeners in the towns surrounding Mount Kearsarge have contributed over 1,500 pounds of fresh vegetables and fruits to seven local food pantries, the Friendly Kitchen in Concord, and Andover Elementary/Middle School. Warner River Organics, Terra Organics in Webster, and Worksong Farm in Hopkinton donated generously over the season to supply local organizations with fresh produce. Two Mountain Farm of Andover also donated a substantial amount of garlic this fall.

New Hampshire Gleans relies upon volunteers to glean surplus produce from the farms. For example, students from Colby-Sawyer College contributed several hours digging potatoes to help farmers bring in the crop before the ground froze. In return, New Hampshire Gleans received part of the harvest and was able to deliver fresh organic potatoes to area food pantries.

Heather Rogers from Andover worked as a volunteer to deliver produce to AE/MS and Andover Food Pantry. The school received corn, tomatoes, apples, garlic, greens, potatoes, and other vegetables.

Jane Slayton, Principal of AE/MS, said, “We always look forward to the bounty of fresh vegetables that Heather brings to AE/MS. We have made our school families aware that our menu might include changes if we have a last minute opportunity to include fresh fruit or vegetables.”

A couple of deliveries provided the school with a substantial supply of corn, which required husking. Jane said of the school’s task, “As a staff, we have had fun gathering at the end of the school day to husk corn that has arrived earlier. Some of these husking parties include a mix of students and staff members. Our talented cooks will serve the bounty of corn in many ways: plain, in soups, in salsa, in casseroles, etc.”

The Andover Food Pantry received greens, corn, garlic, and other vegetables as well.

For more information on New Hampshire Gleans in the Kearsarge Region, contact Laurie Terwilliger at 456-3179.