Pick-Up Trial at the Grow More Good Garden

Sunday, September 7 • 12–2 pm

This Sunday we’re continuing a trial run of direct garden pick-up days at the Grow More Good Garden. If it works, we’ll keep it going through the end of the season. 🌱

Our Goals

🌾 Increase access to nutrient-dense, locally grown food, especially for those in need.

🌎 Build awareness of and engagement with shared-space gardens.

🤝 Support gardens producing abundantly but short on people-power to deliver to food banks.

🚗 Respond to the growing demand for drive-thru style pick-ups (people are already searching for this on our site!).

Gifts from our Garden with details

Challenges We’re Navigating

  • Food Safety: We’ll be aligning with pantry standards, following University of Idaho’s guidance.

  • Liability: To protect landowners who host community gardens, we’re piloting signage and disclaimers that make expectations clear:

FREE COMMUNITY PRODUCE — TAKE WHAT YOU’LL USE
Please handle at your own risk. Produce is grown by volunteers and offered “as-is.” Wash before eating. By taking items, you agree TVCGCoop, the community garden at _______, partner sites, and volunteers aren’t responsible for illness, injury, or allergy reactions. Parents/guardians are responsible for minors.

This community sharing aligns with federal Good Samaritan food donation protections. Donations must comply with applicable health and safety laws, and protections do not apply in cases of gross negligence or intentional harm.

Expanding the Idea

We’d love to see more gardens offering food directly from their spaces. To support that vision, we’ve printed a limited run of 50 “Gifts From Our Garden” posters. 🎨

They’re available on a pay-what-you-can basis (suggested $10). Every contribution goes directly toward Co-op outreach and communication costs.

How to Get a Poster

  • In person at the garden tour
    Pick one up for free at our last garden tour of the season: Saturday, Sept 6, 10:30 am at Grow More Good Garden. See details on our [Garden Tours page].

  • At the market
    Free at our next market appearance: Thursday, Sept 11 at the West Bench Farmers Market (more dates to come).

  • By mail
    We’ll gladly ship—just cover the mailing cost. Reach out for details.

Bigger Picture

Most people who follow TVCGCoop are home gardeners, not yet active in shared gardens. Could this pick-up model invite broader participation, while creating a buffer of protection for the gardens themselves? Could it nurture new gardeners, new relationships, and stronger food access? 🌻

We’d love your thoughts—your comments and questions are welcome.

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Why the Liability Language Matters

The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (1996) and the Food Donation Improvement Act of 2023 were written to protect nonprofits and good-faith food donors. Because TVCGCoop is an LLC, not a nonprofit, we are adopting the approach:

  • Using federal principles as a model.

  • Pairing them with our own assumption-of-risk disclaimers.

  • Following University of Idaho’s food safety guidance.

This way, we safeguard landowners, volunteers, and neighbors while still making good food available.

References