Michigan Farm Grows 54K Pounds for Food Pantries Free

People start gathering outside St. Vincent de Paul's food pantry in Holland before it opens, waiting for tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro picked that same morning. A few years ago, that line didn't exist.

"It's hard for me to overstate the difference that has made," says Tom Eggleston, who oversees the pantry. The fresh vegetables come from Kids' Food Basket's Holland farm, where volunteers grow food specifically for families facing food insecurity.

Ridge Point Church approached the nonprofit about using part of its property to serve the community. Kids' Food Basket had been running a CSA program, but pricing and transportation created barriers for the families who needed it most.

Local pantry partners shared a different need. They had plenty of shelf-stable food but struggled to offer fresh fruits and vegetables. That conversation sparked a new approach: growing produce specifically for pantries at no cost.

The church donated more than 10 acres, creating a farm that now grows potatoes, watermelon, peppers, and kale in Holland's sandy soil. The nonprofit's Grand Rapids farm grows a different mix based on its land and community needs.

"This is not leftovers. It's not seconds," says Austin Roelofs, vice president of food access and agriculture. "This is fresh produce, probably as fresh as you can get, fresher than the grocery store."

The Ripple Effect

Nearly 2,000 volunteers power the entire operation. They purchase seeds through community donations, plant them in greenhouses during winter, prepare beds in spring, transplant seedlings, pull weeds, and harvest vegetables throughout summer and fall.

Volunteer drivers load refrigerated vans and deliver the produce to 18 food pantries across West Michigan. Last year, the two farms produced more than 54,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables, about 359,000 servings.

The farm has become a teaching space where families volunteer together and children learn where their food actually comes from. Visitors explore a sensory garden, watch honeybees through an observation hive, and learn about hydroponics.

"When you touch the soil, you are happier," says Jason Lundberg, the nonprofit's senior farm manager. Volunteers leave knowing they helped grow fresh food for their neighbors.

The produce reflects the tastes of pantry visitors. More than half of families who visit St. Vincent de Paul are Hispanic, so the farm grows tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro they already cook at home.

Jordan Palladino, executive director of Harvest Stand Ministries, says timing matters as much as variety. Most donated produce reaches pantries near the end of its shelf life, but Kids' Food Basket's harvest arrives fresh.

"When you're the type of person who's living paycheck to paycheck, and $5 truly matters to you, a lot of times you're not going to purchase something that you know could go bad in a few days," Palladino says. Free fresh produce changes that equation completely.

Now families are lining up before the doors open, hoping for the best selection of vegetables picked that morning.