The Roanoke Times

File July Starting June 19, a booth will be set up at the Blacksburg farmers market to accept produce to donate to Spiritual Roots Ministry Food Bank.

| Mary Hardbarger

Before purchasing an extra piece of produce at the Blacksburg farmers market this summer and then letting it spoil in the bottom of the refrigerator, Lynn Brammer wants shoppers to think about the fate of their food before they buy.

Instead, "you should donate it," she said.

A member of the New River Valley Master Gardener Association, Brammer has been working with other master gardeners, the Virginia Cooperative Extension and Spiritual Roots Ministry Food Bank to facilitate a program called Share the Spare -- which encourages gardeners and market shoppers to donate extra produce to those who need it most.

"Aren't we all guilty of buying something that goes to waste that someone else could have benefited from?" she asked.

Starting June 19, a booth will be set up at the Blacksburg market to accept produce donated to Spiritual Roots. Master gardeners will also be on hand to talk about gardening and hand out brochures.

Brammer said the goal is to have the booth set up from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday, but that will depend on the ability to staff it, she said.

"We want to be a consistent and visible presence people know they can count on," Brammer said.

The program is not intended to take food away from vendors who may already have a plan for their leftover produce, but to make sure the food that would otherwise go to waste gets in the hands of those who need it, she said.

Donated produce will be distributed throughout the week, either by home delivery or at the food pantry.

Founded by Beverly and the late Addison Taylor in 2001, Spiritual Roots served 4,303 individuals and 9,903 households by the end of November.

Located behind the former Taylor's Frames and Things shop on South Main Street in Blacksburg, the 20-by-20-foot building that houses the pantry is set to be physically moved to a new location on North Franklin Street in Christiansburg.

The pantry is in partnership with Southwest Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank and Feeding America and relies on donations and volunteers. It is open to any one who is in need.

Tullio O'Reilly, the pantry's acting manager, is coordinating Share the Spare through Ample Harvest, a nationwide effort to educate, encourage and enable gardeners with extra produce to donate to a local food pantry.

The Web site, www.ampleharvest.org, allows pantries to be listed in a nationwide directory.

"It's great to feed people healthy food that won't just fill their stomachs but will also help contribute to healthy lifestyles," O'Reilly said.

According to the Ample Harvest Web site, an estimated 100 billion pounds of food is thrown away annually in the United States.

And while hunger is a problem here as well, O'Reilly said New River Valley residents are eager to give back to their communities.

"We couldn't do what we do without the help of good stewards," O'Reilly said.

"We know that there are food banks that don't get the support like we do, and that's quality people."

Brammer said she's excited to make produce accessible to those whose diet might usually consist of canned food or other nonperishable items.

Healthier diets can lead to less trips to the doctor and an overall better way of life, she said.

As a master gardener, Brammer said she's seen in increase in the gardening interest among residents in recent years.

Brammer said she hopes others will be inspired to plant a row in their garden specifically designated to donate.

"We want our booth to be a drop-off point for anyone with fresh produce," she said.