A Summer of Sharing 

The new harvest share table in front of the Common Ground Community Center at 28 West Main St. in Owego has been a huge success. All types of fresh fruits and vegetables have come and gone these past few months as well as nonperishable food items. One generous citizen even left homemade masks at the beginning of the pandemic when supplies were scarce. Summer may now be over but a harvest of community generosity is the final reward. This table is one component of a Girl Scout Gold Award Project initiated by Audra McFarland a student of Owego Free Academy. She developed and implemented her project, “Hometown Harvest”, as way to address food insecurity in the community, reduce food waste, and promote fresh and healthy eating habits.  

In addition to building the share table, the project included planting two dwarf apple trees, planting and maintaining ten raised beds along with an open garden area and building a compost bin. The dedicated compost area will help enrich and sustain the raised beds while reducing waste in landfills. Fellow scouts, friends and family were organized in small teams throughout the spring and summer to prepare the soil, plant, weed and water the raised beds located on the property. Peers also helped build and paint the compost bin and as well as paint the share table.  

Summer garden chores were also shared by the children and parents of the local REACH home school group. Bi-monthly, Audra hosted the families in learning about and helping with the garden. She guided children in planting seeds and plants, watering and weeding, harvesting and cleaning produce for the share table. The garden fun time also included sampling food made from fresh produce using easy recipes such as double chocolate mint cookies and microwave bread and butter pickles. The surprise hit of the summer was a soup made with Swiss chard, carrots, tomatoes, barley and lentils. After working hard in the garden, the children enjoyed garden themed crafts and games. REACH will be taking over the garden project to supply the share table in future years. 

The raised beds on the property supplied a variety of produce for the share table including green beans, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, melons, carrots, beets, many types of squash, leafy greens and fresh herbs during the summer and fall. With the addition of new apples trees, the future fall harvests will include fruit. Visit the website www.hometownharvest.weebly.com to see photos from the garden and information about local share tables.  

The new table quickly became a hotspot for sharing extra produce from local gardeners. Piles of homegrown tomatoes and surplus zucchini were passed on at the share table reducing food waste while helping those in need. When planning your garden this winter, consider planting a little extra just to share. Likewise, if next summer’s harvest is overly abundant, the share table is the place where too much can go to good use.  

Audra would like to extend special thanks to Vestal Lowe’s, Owego Home Central, Pie Thyme and Flowers and Owego Agway for donating plants and building material to the project, Ken Birdsall Contracting for help with the table design and construction, and all the neighbors who donated cans and bottles for fundraising. She is especially grateful to her mentors, Angie Smith and Eleanor Ernst, for their time and advice. Additionally, she would like to acknowledge the help and support given by the Tioga County Master Gardeners, REACH Homeschool Group and Robert Henrich, director of the Common Ground Community Center.