Posted: October 16, 2023
The 2023 Seed to Supper Program donated over 1,000 pounds of locally-grown vegetables to organizations and individuals in Susquehanna County.
Vegetables, grown and harvested by the Seed to Supper Program
The Seed to Supper Program, offered by the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Susquehanna County, produced a total of 1,016 pounds of healthy produce so far this year for local Susquehanna County organizations and individuals. Produce was delivered to Trehab, Montrose Square Senior Apartments, Montrose Library, and Feed My Sheep in New Milford. Master Gardener volunteers and Seed to Supper class participants planned, planted, tended, and harvested the bounty that included lettuce, spinach, radishes, snap peas, beans, corn, zucchini, spaghetti squash, cucumbers, hot and sweet peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, eggplant, tomatoes, celery, celeriac, kohlrabi, scallions, garlic, beets, carrots, rhubarb, asparagus, sweet potatoes, and culinary herbs.
Seed to Supper is a comprehensive beginning gardening program that provides novice, adult gardeners with the information needed to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget. The Seed to Supper curriculum originated with the Oregon Food Bank and Oregon State University Master Gardeners. Penn State Extension adopted the curriculum and revised the coursebook to reflect Pennsylvania's growing conditions.
2023 was a pilot year in offering the Seed to Supper Program to Susquehanna County residents. Classes were held in partnership with the Trehab Food Pantry in Montrose, utilizing their newly renovated gardens and greenhouse. Seed to Supper Program participants learned how to supplement part of their food budget by growing fresh nutritious produce even with limited garden space. Through classroom instruction and hands-on activities, Master Gardener volunteers taught how to build healthy soil, develop a planting plan, choose crops, care for a growing garden, and harvest and store vegetables. Penn State Extension Food, Families, and Community Educators offered cooking demonstrations, preserving classes, and taste testing.
Planning is underway for the 2024 Seed to Supper Program. Information about future Seed to Supper classes was distributed at the Harford Fair and is available now at the Extension Office on 88 Chenango Street, Montrose. The program will be offered at three locations: Trehab in Montrose, Interfaith in Susquehanna, and the Historical Society in Forest City. In some instances, the Seed to Supper Program is offered at no cost to those in need or on a low-income budget. To learn more about these classes, please call 570-666-9003 or email susquehannamg@psu.edu to receive an application. A series of six classes will begin in March 2024, with possible bonus classes offered in late summer on cooking and preserving the summer bounty.
