August 10, 2005

4-H fair auction meets needs

Fair animal auction provides meat for area food pantries

By Carol South
Herald contributing writer

       Forget canned tuna and other highly processed proteins, at fair time generous community donations bring fresh meat to needy people in the region.
      During the livestock auctions this week at the Northwestern Michigan Fair, some of the animals will be purchased and donated to the Fresh Food Partnership. Money to buy the steer, swine and lambs come from a range of sources, including funds raised by the 4-H participants and groups, companies and private individuals. Processing costs to turn the animals into meat are donated by two regional meat processors.
      The meat is then distributed to the 34 pantries that are members of the Northwest Michigan Food Coalition, which covers Antrim, Benzie, Emmett, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Wexford counties. Later this month, pantry representatives will meet one evening at Northwest Michigan Human Services Agency to pick up the frozen meat for their clients.
      "Last year it totaled, I believe, over 1,000 pounds of meat," said Cindy Gerhard, program coordinator for the Fresh Food Partnership. "It's not often that they get to see fresh protein, the closest they might get is tuna in a can. It's so important, especially for kids in their diet and the elderly - for everybody."
      The partnership packages the meat into one pound quantities to maximize flexibility for recipients.
      "Sometimes it goes to an elderly couple, who don't need as much," Gerhard said. "But if it would go to a large family, you just add more - that way it can feed a few or many."
      Tom Verschaeve, a 2005 graduate of Glen Lake High School, had his steer purchased last year by the Northwest Michigan Fair board for donation to the Fresh Food Partnership. A veteran of 4-H and many fairs, Verschaeve and his family raise 20 head of beef cattle on their Maple City "hobby" farm. He estimates that a 14-16 month old steer weighs approximately 1,400 pounds and would feed his family of five at home for a year.
      "I'm glad that it went to a good purpose, donated back," said Verschaeve of last year's purchase. "I never wrote to the fair board or anything, so I was really surprised when they bought it."
      Nancy Keilty, owner of Cottonwood Springs farm in Cedar, is a leader in the concept, noted Bronwyn Jones, co-founder of the Fresh Food Partnership. The Leelanau County farmer and 4-H leader has personally purchased and donated animals for years. Her example has inspired many others to follow suit with either cash donations or purchase of a whole animal.
      The Leelanau County MSU Extension office joined the effort in 2003. They have donated or coordinated the donations of money for 2 steers, 13 swine and three lambs in the past two years.
      "We take donations to be used to purchase the animals," said Barb Duvall, 4-H youth educator at the office. "Based on what we receive, we have someone who does the purchasing."
      The meat distribution is just another facet of the Fresh Food Partnership's mission to support both local farmers and boost the nutrition of needy families. The husband-wife team of Jones and Joe VanderMeulen began the partnership in 2003. From June to October, Fresh Food Partnership purchases and distributes the bounty of area farms to area food pantries. Enthusiastic volunteers help everything from purchase to distribution, handling more than 13 tons of produce in 2004.
      "This year so far volunteers have moved over 1,000 pounds of produce in a day and up to 5,000 pounds for the summer," Gerhard noted. "Usually August, September and October are very big because that's our big harvest months."
      For more information or to donate to the 4-H Food Pantry Fund, contact Barb Duvall at 256-9888. For more information about the Fresh Food Partnership or to make a donation, contact Cindy Gerhard at 929-3696.