Bring Non-Perishable Food Donation To Virginia Tech's Farm & Family Showcase
Visitors are asked to bring a donation of non-perishable food when they come to the Farm & Family Showcase at Virginia Tech's Kentland Farm, Thursday to Saturday, Sept. 4 to 6.
The Second Harvest Food Bank will be collecting non-perishable food items to benefit the hungry in Southwestern Virginia. Second Harvest is a regional food bank that supports and distributes food items to 470 food pantries.
"We hope that because of the agricultural ties of the Showcase, people will enthusiastically support the collection," said Kitty Tabor who is coordinating the project.
There are people in our community who need the food, Tabor said. Many families still turn to the food banks for emergencies and there are families who rely on the food banks on a regular basis.
Visitors to the Showcase will see the abundance that Virginia agriculture produces and appreciate sharing by bringing the non-perishable items, she said.
The plan is to especially encourage the school groups to bring donations. The school groups that bring the most food items will receive recognition and a certificate of appreciation for their giving attitudes.
Virginia Tech's Farm & Family Showcase is an annual celebration of agricultural, natural and human resources education and research, said Dwight Paulette, coordinator of the College Farms and director of the Showcase.
"There is no charge for admission to the Showcase. Bring the food donation to share," said Paulette.
It features activities and exhibits that benefit those in the agricultural and forest industries as well as homeowners and landowners. Displays, demonstrations, seminars, and tours will provide technical information for agricultural and natural resource workers as well as information for landowners, homeowners, and families.
Featured sessions will include information on agricultural production, business, and technology; environmental stewardship and natural resources; livestock and poultry; pasture management; food quality, safety, chemistry, and preparation; insects; plant diseases; home landscaping, horticulture, and vegetable gardening; lawn care, value-added food products; and more. Children can enjoy the special children's activity center.
Tours of Kentland Farm will give participants a chance to learn about many aspects of the 1,700-acre farm and its use for teaching, research, and outreach. There also will be an extensive trade show of equipment and products for homeowners as well as agriculture producers.
The Showcase is sponsored by the colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Natural Resources, and the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the University Outreach and International Affairs Program Development.
For more information, please visit the web site at http://www.farmandfamily.vt.edu or contact Dwight Paulette at (540) 731-1289 or kentland@vt.edu
