Grow a Little Extra program successful in HSC

Angela Michel, a Cent$ible Nutrition Program Educator, from the University of Wyoming Extension, reported that in April of this year, First Lady Jennie Gordon’s Wyoming Hunger Initiative (WHI) partnered with the University of Wyoming Extension to launch a new program under the Food from the Farm + Ranch banner called Grow a Little Extra. 

Instead of reinventing the wheel, this collaboration utilizes existing resources to create a sustainable solution to hunger. WHI, UW Extension, Cent$ible Nutrition Program and the UW Master Gardener Program all came together to encourage gardeners to Grow a Little Extra this year in order to provide produce for their neighbors in need. 

The idea was that individual home gardeners, existing community gardens and other interested community organizations who wanted to start a new garden would grow food for the community. This produce would be grown to share with local food pantries, local food distribution agencies and other agencies.

Specific to Hot Springs County, the Red Dirt Master Gardeners community garden provided some garden plots for produce designated to the Grow a Little Extra. As the vegetables were harvested, they were weighed and then distributed throughout the community. 

Local gardeners were also able to drop off their extra produce to Lazy Fox, which would then be weighed and distributed as well. A vast majority of this work was accomplished by a group of volunteers. 

Michel is from Worland and said, “Since I don’t live in Thermopolis, I could not have accomplished any of this without their help and dedication to the project.”

Produce donations were distributed to People for People, DFS, Head Start, the Senior Center, BOCES, and HSC Detention Center. At the time of this article, they have produced 787.5 pounds of food. The WHI considers the reach to be 1 lb equals 1 person served/reached. Michel said, “I would definitely call that a success!”

Michel added, “I do believe that this program will continue to grow. WHI is in the second year of Food From the Field which is hunters donating game to the program, you can check that out on the website too- http://www.nohungerwyo.org Under the “our programs” tab you will see “food from the field” and also “food from the farm+ranch.”