Many Hands Make Light Work
Hi! My name is Jessa Gebbie and I have been serving at Salvation Farms as an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer In Service To America) member for the last ten months. As a volunteer serving full time and being able to see the inner workings of Salvation Farms on different fronts, I have realized how much volunteers bolster and support the work of non-profits. Especially in the community of Vermont and the food system, everyone is so inter-connected. Working closely with volunteer coordinating on things like mailings and other administrative tasks has shown just how enthusiastic our volunteers are in building and expanding the work of Salvation Farms, and I’ve really enjoyed seeing that first-hand! My below conversation with some of our volunteers was an enlightening chance to learn how we as an organization impact the volunteers themselves.
Salvation Farms and volunteers are a match made in heaven. As the backbone of the work we do out in fields, in the wash/pack house of farms, even in the office, volunteers are our strongest assets to building resiliency in the food system. We asked some of our loyal volunteers to share some of their thoughts on Salvation Farms and how the symbiotic relationship between us has helped cultivate growth and enjoyment of what we do.
Celeste and Winnie, who are at every Pete’s Greens wash/pack house glean they can be, shared their thoughts and provided insights as to why they love being involved with the mission.
Lori, who is always reliable when it comes to putting together Salvation Farms' history scrapbooks and other myriad administration help, shares her viewpoints on SF as someone who has been connected to the local food system for a long time.
The mother-son duo, Lynette and Carson, provided insight as to why they love to help and be part of the bigger picture of SF.
So, lets dive right in!
Starting off:
What volunteering have you done with Salvation Farms?
When did you start and how did you come across us?
Lynette and Carson say: We started gleaning in 2017. We heard of Salvation Farms through a Homeland Security program called “Feds Feed Families”. That first glean was an amazing couple of days at Barber Farm, where the farmer grew crops strictly for donating. We are a homeschooling family, and Farmer Charlie’s work inspired us to make weekly volunteering in our greater Vermont community part of our curriculum. Since joining the Salvation Farms community, we have gleaned many times in different places including Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury, Riverside Farm in East Hardwick, and Harvest Hill Farm in Walden. Our favorite gleans are the trial and seed production fields at High Mowing Organic Seeds. We even spent a day gleaning watermelons out in the Champlain Islands. In the summer of 2021, we took over the weekly deliveries from the cooler to the Morrisville recipient sites, and added a delivery to the Neighbors In Need site in Cabot. We love seeing people get excited about receiving the food we bring to them.
Lori’s origins with Salvation Farms started when she met Theresa at High Mowing Organic Seeds. She has “kept an eye on the progress Salvations Farms has made” and has been volunteering with office tasks for about 6 years.
Winnie has been volunteering for about 4 or 5 years, after picking up a flier at a flower show in Burlington some years ago. Her volunteering history is vast, both with Salvation Farms and separately from the organization by aiding those in the Northeast Kingdom through including visits and grocery deliveries.
Celeste found out about Salvation Farms through the Vermont Gleaning Collective and tells us she has “only done gleaning in the wash house at Pete's”, but “loves the vibe of the place and the volunteers".
Why do you volunteer with us?
Lynette and Carson have many reasons. “We volunteer with Salvation Farms because we find it very enjoyable to learn a little about farming from the gleans and we enjoy the hands-on work. It also fills us with joy to see the smiling faces of the people we deliver to.”
Simply put, Lori says, “it’s fun”!
Winnie volunteers with Salvation Farms because she “loves being a part of a local, grassroots organization that focuses on providing gleaned, healthy, local food to those in need along with the benefit of connecting with like-minded souls”.
These gleans are definitely the place to make some friends!
From Celeste, “I really like the mission of Salvation Farms- the donation of food to other organizations that face the ultimate "eater". I like that Salvation Farms has such a wide range of end user organizations.”
Here’s a heavy one:
Why are local farms important to our communities?
What impact can you see while volunteering?
What sorts of things have you learned as part of the Salvation Farms community?
Lynette and Carson have some thoughtful answers: “Local farms are important to our communities for a couple reasons. Not only do they supply food to the people around them, but people can feel a connection to their community knowing that the food they are eating is locally sourced."
“We didn’t truly see the impact of our gleaning until we started delivering. We knew that the thousands of pounds of produce we gleaned went SOMEWHERE, but by seeing the Meals on Wheels chefs hard at work when we deliver there, or watching the staff at Out and About carry around the enormous 25# cabbage to their clients, or hear from Neighbors in Need how happy they are that we delivered 250# of potatoes on the week that they were unable to get them from their supplier we can really see the impact that gleaning makes."
“We have come to appreciate that not all produce grows up to be as pretty as that which is seen on grocery store shelves, but have also learned that the “ugly” produce does indeed have great value through our gleaning. Interestingly, the farm in the Islands that we gleaned at had grown a new variety of watermelon that year, but had a difficult time selling it, because it looked on the outside like a different variety, so consumers were getting confused and upset because the watermelon wasn’t what they expected when they opened it. In the interest of customer service, the farmer allowed us to glean the entire rest of the crop, which was abundant, and recipient sites received wonderful watermelon on hot summer days. What a treat! We also learned a lot about the life cycle of growing new strawberry fields while gleaning entire fields of strawberries at Cabot Smith Farm. We have learned so many things from the farmers who allow us to glean. They are an incredible wealth of knowledge that we wouldn’t otherwise have access to.”
Summing up what it all comes down to, Lori says, “No Farms, No Food”. Additionally, she tells us that “the network of Farmers Markets and Co-ops really do connect community and farms.”
“I'm of Italian descent so vegetable gardening has always been a big part of my life. It is so surprising to me that many folks have no concept of how easy it is to grow food.” Celeste shares. “Local farms will always be important as both a source of food and a source of knowledge. These farms are often the "canary in the coalmine" in calling out changes in pests, growing seasons, and changes in crop survival.”
Winnie contributes “local farms are important to sustaining our local agricultural health as they provide fresh food to the community. The consumer benefits by learning how and where their food is produced. This connection is vital in preserving agricultural land. The impact that I see while volunteering is immense, as non-marketable, edible food is gleaned by us and delivered to sites that can make good use of quality produce. What I have learned as part of the Salvation Farms' community, is the value of community spirit and energy, in gleaning food that brings smiles and better health to those in need.”
And lastly, I ask everyone to finish the sentence:
Salvation Farms is important to you because...
Lynette and Carson: Salvation Farms is important to us because it fills our desire for giving back to our far-reaching Vermont community, is physically and intellectually engaging, and we love to see the smiling faces in return.
Lori: The “waste” that farmers used to have, is now good, healthy food for those who need it most.
Winnie: Salvation Farms is important to me as it allows me to be a part of an energetic group of people, focusing on a common goal. During the pandemic, it truly became my "social" life and during that time I have developed some heartfelt connections to fellow volunteers.
Celeste: Salvation Farms is important because… It has wide outreach to such diverse communities.
Salvation Farms thanks each and every one of our volunteers, who have increased our reach by an immeasurable amount. I especially want to thank Lynette, Carson, Lori, Winnie, and Celeste for giving us some thoughts that make us reflect on just how far we can take the work.
To learn how you can get involved, visit: www.salvationfarms.org.