Grow Another Row, Cass County
Join farmers and gardeners across Cass County in growing food to share with others!
Sharing food builds community! Share fresh, local produce across Cass County this summer by planting an extra row (or 3!) in your garden. Donations of all sizes and types are welcome and needed! Grow Another Row also welcomes volunteers to help harvest, package and transport produce. We encourage our volunteers and growers to "give what you can and take what you need" - we love to hear stories of growers swapping or sharing produce!
- Information on How to Donate
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Where can I drop off or pick up fresh produce?
We have sites available around Cass County for growers and eaters to connect throughout the growing season. Donation sites for our 2023 season will open in early June. Check back in spring for a list of locations. We're always looking for more partners- contact us if you'd like to help host a donation site!
Our local pantries can take direct donations anytime! Check out the list below for details on donating to your local pantry.
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- Resources for Growing and Harvesting Food
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What should I grow?
We accept all edible produce, but have the most demand for: tomatoes, zucchini, squash, potatoes, onions, peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, melons, cabbage, sweet potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Check out the publications below on suggested donation items, and also the resources on how to grow/donate safely!
I’m new to vegetable gardening, but would like to participate. Where can I get help getting started?Check out our grower resources below. If you’d like to talk with someone, contact Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu or 712-243-1132 to be put in contact with a Garden Champion on our team.
Download free PDFs from ISU Extension on the following topics:
Resources for Planning and Planting Your Garden
- Suggested Produce Items for donation
- Basics of vegetable gardening
- Small Space gardening
- Container vegetable gardening
- When to plant and harvest
Best Practices for Growing, Harvesting and Handling Donated Produce
- Resources for Health and Safety
- Community Donation Gardening Toolkit: Food Safety Practices
- Community Food Security Primer
Sow, Grow, Eat and Keep "quickinars" are 5 to15 minute online lessons of seasonally appropriate topics for the garden, food preparation and food preservation.
Check out videos, garden resources and more on the ISU Extension Sow, Grow, Eat, Keep Website!
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- Learn More About Grow Another Row
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Who is organizing this?
The Healthy Cass County Healthy Foods Access Team is spearheading this project with support from a range of partners, including Cass County Extension, the Cass County Local Food Policy Council, Produce in the Park, Cass County Master Gardeners and more.
Who can join?Anyone can join! Whether you’ve been farming/gardening for years, or you’re just trying your hand at gardening, we welcome you to join us. We need people to grow food, but we also need people to help harvest food (pick tomatoes, dig potatoes, etc.), bag food into family-sized quantities, and transport food (from a farm or drop-off site to a pick-up site). Individuals, as well as area groups, organizations, or businesses are welcome to join Grow Another Row!
Contact Us!
For more information on “Grow Another Row, Cass County!” contact Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu or call 712-243-1132.
Sign up for the “Grow Another Row, Cass County!” Newsletter
Subscribe below and we’ll keep you updated with our newsletter, delivered via email multiple times per month during the growing season, featuring growing tips, volunteer opportunities and current information on where to drop off and pick up available fresh produce. Email keolson@iastate.edu to be added to our mailing list for the 2023 growing season!
Cass County Urgent Need Resource Guide
The Cass County Urgent Need Resource Guide is updated twice a year with current links and phone numbers to local, regional and statewide resources. This document was created by Cass County Public Health and Cass County ISU Extension to assist Cass County residents in times of need. Click below to access the most current version of the guide.
The guide is updated regularly by members of the Healthy Cass County Coalition. Healthy Cass County is a community-based volunteer network formed to promote the health and well-being of Cass County residents.
You can follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty (https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCassCounty/) for resources, tips and upcoming events in Cass County! For more information on Healthy Cass County or the resource guide, contact Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu.
Words on Wellness Newsletter
Welcome to Words on Wellness, Your Extension Connection to Nutrition and Fitness- a monthly newsletter that promotes a healthy lifestyle for Iowans. In each issue, you'll gain reliable, research based information about nutrition, exercise, and food safety, and explore the power of incorporating healthy habits into your daily lifestyle.
Words on Wellness monthly newsletters: