Potential Project Idea

[Amanda Donohue]

Hey,

I heard about people in Maine doing something they called "Can Fest" and it sounded pretty cool and feasible.

• You call up farmers within a certain radius and ask if you can "glean" their fields after harvest. Farmers can donate any other produce if they'd like as well. Teams of volunteers are separated into the geographic area they are responsible for, they glean, and bring the produce back to a central location. NYfarms.info may be able to help with contact information, if not they would probably tell us where to look.

• The produce is then cleaned, prepared, canned and distributed to agencies such as food pantries and soup kitchens. We could even sell some of the cans at a low rate as a fundraiser of some sort.

• We would request industrial or restaurant kitchens to donate their facilities for a few hours if the preparation and canning could not all be done through the kitchens on the UB campuses. Applebees donates it's kitchens for things like Pancake Breakfasts, so they're a great possibility.

• I've always had success asking retail stores to donate inexpensive items like canning jars. I know Big Lots sells them.

• As for the actual canning process we could ask people to lend their pressure cookers for the day. Each cooker would be given a name label so none get switched out on accident. Those who donated could pick up their cookers at a logical location the next day. The pressure cookers would be timed in way so only one or two become done within a certain time frame. This will make it far less hectic and reduce the need for having multiple water sources.

• Farmers will have peace of mind and are more likely to donate if they are made aware of the “Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act”. It's easily available online and each volunteer who gleans would be equipped with a copy.

I live four hours away at the moment, but I’m sure I could come down for a weekend between now and August to help out in person!

Tell me what you think…,
Amanda Donohue