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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – The Clarion County Master Gardeners donated more than 125 vegetable plants to the Community Action Office last week for distribution to clients of the Clarion Food Bank.

(Pictured above: Clarion Master Gardeners presenting vegetables to Community Action are Alice Thurau, Pam Hufnagel, Liz Gallagher, Melissa Dolecki (Penn State Extension), Community Action Case Manager Heather Reynolds, Community Action Executive Director Sue Fusco, Sue McElhattan, Stephanie Wilshire, and Rosie Lawrence.)

The vegetables were grown by the master gardeners at their greenhouse and demonstration garden located at Clarion County Park. The regional coordinator from Penn State Extension provided the master gardeners with seeds, soil, jiffy pots, hoses, and a wheelbarrow. The gardeners supplied the loving care to grow the vegetables.

For the second consecutive year, fresh vegetables are available at the Clarion Food Pantry located at 30A South Sheridan Road at the Community Action Agency.

Some of the plants donated were a variety of tomatoes, cabbage, pepper, and Swiss chard. The master gardeners also planted an extended demonstration garden with tomatoes, peppers, onions, beets, beans, and carrots, as well as flowering plants like nasturtiums, sunflowers, and marigolds.

Vegetables from the garden will be donated to the Community Action food pantry regularly as the vegetables are harvested, the same as last year as well.

When individuals come in for the food pantry, they will be offered plants. Kids of clients can also get involved, watering the garden, picking the veggies, looking for tomatoes, and looking for little worms and bugs.

Some brief articles on over-watering and how to take care of a tomato plant are available. If people have any questions, the office can give them resources.

Master gardener volunteers support Penn State Extension’s educational programs in consumer horticulture. They develop their horticultural expertise through participation in educational training classes conducted by Penn State University faculty and extension staff. Candidates must be 18 years old or older.

A Penn State Extension Master Gardener learns research-based and sustainable horticultural practices and develops life-long friendships with others with similar gardening interests.

After completing their training, master gardeners help Penn State Extension better serve the home gardening public by answering questions, speaking to groups, writing gardening articles, working with youth, gardening in the demonstration gardens, participating in the Penn State pollinator research program, and many other ways.