What To Do With Too Much Homegrown Food?
It’s about that time of year where many of us are starting to plant their own gardens. More and more people are turning to raising their own fruits and vegetables. There are many benefits with this ranging from lower costs for food, eating healthier, having fresher produce, and having access to foods you enjoy the most. Many people who go this route inevitably reach the point where they grow more fruits and vegetables than they can consume. There are many solutions to this, such as canning and storing them, giving them to friends and family, selling them to the neighborhood or a local Farmers’ Market, or giving them to your favorite Chiropractor–as some of our wonderful patients have done!
Now some of you may not have considered it, but one more thing you can do is donate the extra produce to your local food shelter. This serves a need for them, as well as helps you from letting any foods go to waste. Did I mention that doing this good deed will also help others that are in need?
Here in Mankato, the local ECHO Food Shelter is always in need of donations from the community. The success of food shelters like this is dependent on the charitable donations from all of us. The Mankato ECHO Food Shelter recommends that you harvest your produce when they are ripe. You can take them down to the shelter at 614 N. 2nd Street here in Mankato. They recommend that you do so early in the week, such as Monday or Tuesday. This will help people get them while they are fresh. If you wish, you may feel free to drop them off at our office during your next visit, and we will gladly transport them for you. Thank you for all the support!
Tips for Your Garden
- If you have more produce than you can consume, donate them to the local food shelter.
- Pick them ripe, and donate them early in the week for the freshest donations.
- Drop them off at Discover Chiropractic during your next visit, and we will deliver them for you.
- Try growing new things and keep the kids involved as a family activity!
- Try a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Mix and match different varieties of colors to get benefits of different nutrients and antioxidants.
- Stay hydrated and covered up to avoid heat stroke.
- Be sure to warm up and stretch before you garden.
- Avoid bending and twisting at the waist.
- Don’t overload yourself–carry only what you can handle and make multiple trips.
- If you experience soreness, rest and ice to relax the muscles and cut down inflammation.
- If your soreness lasts beyond 48 hours, see your Chiropractor! Remember that the better you take care of your body, the better it takes care of you and the longer you can tend to your garden.