A group of volunteers is hard at work at The Giving Garden Tuesday. They're planting a new crop of cabbage which will go to local food pantries.

Garden Coordinator Gordon Clark says, “We grow fresh, healthy vegetables that people usually can’t get or can’t afford. Last year, we grew about close to 10,000 pounds of fresh vegetables.”

Since 2012, the Pittsfield garden has donated fresh produce to food pantries throughout the city. Clark says they try to provide a wide variety of vegetables.

“We have some radishes in the hoop house, outside we’ve planted beets, carrots, onions, radishes, and turnips.”

Clark says their produce gives families struggling with food insecurity a healthy option they might not be able to otherwise afford.

“You start relying on processed foods, because they’re cheap, they’re easy, and you can feed your family, but not healthily.”

And with the coronavirus pandemic causing increased demand at local pantries…

Clark says they’ve started their growing season a little earlier than usual this year.

“With the new hoop house, we’ll have peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes earlier, and we started a crop of lettuce. So here we are mid-May, about ready to send about 400 heads of lettuce to the food pantry.”​