Alongside fresh food, “Veggies to Table” is serving up knowledge to Lincoln County residents with expanded youth and adult educational programming. Founded in 2019, the Newcastle-based nonprofit donates 100% of its homegrown produce to 35 sites in the region to help fight food insecurity. According to Executive Director Erica Berman, this need has greatly increased over the past two years due to the higher cost of living and SNAP benefit cuts.

The first of these new programs was late June’s “Tiny Farmers,” where children ages 5 to 9 got their hands dirty planting their own vegetable seeds before reading a story about the growing process and taking a farm tour.  

“To hear them feel excited to take care of something ... I think was a really beautiful part of it, not just doing the activity, but the kids being able to reflect on how they can give love to these things after they leave,” said Skye Stinnett, farmer and volunteer educator.  

Stinnett recalled the amazed gasps of attendees upon seeing freshly sprung seedlings, which were brought out to compare with the seeds the kids had just planted.

As farming is a long process that requires continual stewardship, it can be hard for young people to process the result, Stinnett explained. “(It was) this aha moment of like, ‘Oh my gosh, we plant this thing, we do these steps, and then something comes out of it.’”

Berman added, the organization loves having children tour the farm, partly because they are sponges for information they can pass on to their family, school and community. Plus, the importance of food security is something most children easily grasp. “It can have a lasting impression ... Who knows if that's going to make a gardener or a future farmer? And we need people to be growing our own food.”  

But growing produce isn’t the only area Veggies to Table is interested in. Another opportunity it's exploring is pairing donations with laminated info cards that have recipe and storage information. “We want to set people up for success, whether it's growing or eating or storing what we're giving,” said Berman.  

More youth-focused events are planned, including a gardener pest hunt. Children are also welcome at an upcoming all-ages farm sensory tour, where attendees get to sample crops while wandering the garden. Adult programming is in the works for next year, with workshops on trellis gardening and vegetable/dahlia growing, Berman said. Any fees will be offered on a sliding scale to increase access. Dates forthcoming.  

Event information is at www.veggiestotable.org/events