Farm-Pantry Partnerships

The GardenWorks Project has partnered with several local farms to harvest excess produce and recover potential food waste.

GardenWorks volunteers gleaned over 1500 pounds of produce in 2021 from local farmers, Mighty Greens Farm and Stojan’s Vegetables. The Palomares and Stojan families have consistently donated produce for local food pantries from their fields over the years, and GardenWorks’ volunteers helped to reach even more impact.

Stojan’s Vegetables

“I invited the GardenWorks team to glean some of our excess produce, as they show enthusiasm to work together, and they have a wonderful mission in helping benefit those struggling to make ends meet, or don’t have the opportunity to receive local produce. The Stojan family feels blessed that this excess produce benefits others and thus less food waste as well.”

Mighty Greens Farm

“Carlos and I have always talked about community and staying hyper-local… so we’re going to the farmer market and talking to people, going to the Arlington Heights drop-off, the Batavia market, and having people pick-up on the farm on Saturdays…and it builds a bit of connection. We say, ‘come and experience the farm,’ and that goes for anyone that wants to experience Mighty Greens.”

Nichols Farm and Orchard

“We work based on a devotion to the fact that we could leave this planet better off than we found it (as sustainable farmers)… If you want to have a relationship with with your food, you need to know where it comes from. How could you not want to eat something with [known] production vs. something where you have no idea where it comes from, who grew it, what it is?”