If you’re an avid gardener, or even if you’re still a newbie, you know the feeling of wondering what to do with all that bounty from a good gardening year! There is only so much canning and preserving one household can do, right? The great thing is that you can easily give back with your garden, even if you’re selfish by nature. And giving back always feels amazing!

Easily Give Back With Your Garden

When you’ve got more tomatoes or zucchini than you know what to do with, it’s prime time to give back with your garden. There are several ways you can do this. Check out how easy it is!

• There are food pantries in nearly every city and town near you. If there isn’t one in your own town, you shouldn’t have to look far to find one in a neighboring city.  And food pantries are almost always happy to accept fresh produce! Before you drop by your food pantry with a box of fresh produce from your garden, pick up the phone or go online and check the guidelines for fresh donations. Some food pantries have set hours or requirements you should be aware of.
• Make sure that the fresh produce you donate to a food bank is actually fresh. Food pantries have specific rules about decay on garden produce. If more than 20% of that tomato or zucchini is decaying, it is thrown out.
• Instead of sharing your zucchini with the neighbors, bake it up into delicious zucchini bread, muffins or cake first. No one can resist that!

Additional Ways To Give Back With Your Garden

Do you have a large garden space that is just too big for your needs? Consider setting some aside in order to give back with your garden.

• Designate part of your garden as a “giving garden.” That means everything that comes out of that section goes right to the food pantry to fee others.
• Set aside part of your garden space for a community garden. That means offering the space for someone else in your neighborhood or community to use. You’d be surprised at the number of people around who would like to grow a vegetable garden but don’t have the space or even a spot with the right conditions.

Easily give back with your garden, even if you’re selfish by nature. A garden is the perfect way to overcome it!