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As people beginning tilling the soil and planting seeds in anticipation of a bountiful fall harvest, the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank is hoping local gardeners will think of those less fortunate and plant a row for the hungry.

Gardeners can help in one of three ways, according to Pearl Grimsley, an AmeriCorps member who assists with the gardening program at the food bank.

"People can plant an extra row in their own garden, they can have a plot for the season at the Kenai Community Garden, or they can call and say they have extra time to give helping with the garden at the food bank," she said.

In regard to the latter option, Grimsley said the food bank will till the soil after Memorial Day, then there will be a calender set up for people to call and schedule a convenient time to drop by the food bank and help with watering, weeding or some other aspect of maintaining the garden.

"We'll organize it so that we don't end up with five people all trying to water at the same time, but we'll take volunteers for both sites (the food bank and the Kenai Community Garden). We'll take whatever people are willing to give for time, even if it's just one hour, one day a week.

As any contribution of time is welcome, so too is any contribution of produce. There are a few items that store better then others and so they are preferred, according to Grimsley.

"Carrots, potatoes, peppers, broccoli -- things that hold up well would be the best. Fruit would be good too, but in Alaska we're so limited, except for berries and they spoil rapidly after harvest," she said.

Grimsley added that all food items donated will be put to good use.

"Some food items will go into our emergency food program, and fresh vegetables will be used in our soup kitchen and made available for some agencies (more than 60 from Homer to Moose Pass). So, we're really hoping for huge amounts to be donated. Down south, some places get 10,000 pounds donated in a season, but no amount is too small either. We'll take one bag of potatoes and use them efficiently," she said.

Grimsely said flower gardeners are even welcome to make donations

"We'll put flowers in the kitchen and around the dining room because it really brightens people's day to see them," she said.

For more information on how to volunteer or donate to the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank call Pearl Grimsley at 907-262-3111 or Larry Klawunder, the volunteer head of the garden, at 907-283-8022.

Joseph Robertia can be reached at joseph.robertia@peninsulaclarion.com.