Glen Rock Seniors 'Plant with a Purpose' as they Harvest Fresh Vegetables for Food Pantry

GLEN ROCK, NJ - At a cost of three for $1.99 or about 75 cents each, fresh cucumbers are a tasty, healthy treat that mix with most salads wonderfully!

And this week, a group of senior gardeners have brought another harvest of this healthy vegetable directly to the tables of local individuals who may not often have the funds to buy homegrown products.

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Bob Brooke and his gang of gardeners have been working for a couple of years on bringing fresh, locally grown vegetables to the table of Bergen County residents at no charge.

"We bring all the vegetables to The Social Services of Ridgewood, known as the Red Door Pantry," Brooke said. "It is located at the Ridgewood Train Station. They serve all of Bergen County, and they are one of few the pantries that provide fresh produce. It is a self-service pantry where people can go to pick out what they need, instead of a bag of groceries being picked for them. It has a "grocery shopping" like feeling to it."

The group of gardeners are funded through the borough's Senior Advisory Committee.

"When we were meeting and discussing volunteerism for seniors and intergenerational projects in the community, we created a sub-committee of those interested in 'planting for a purpose'," Brooke said. "From there, we were funded, and the community garden was able to donate two unused plots for our efforts."

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Regular gardeners include:

• Bob Brooke

• Dick Fields

• Anne Ciliberti

• Donna Feigenbaum

• Sue Marchesiello

• Barbara Schineller

• Sandra Salvatoriello

Brooke said the harvest starts in June and ends in October.

"We harvest throughout the week. Last year we harvested 23 times within a 4 month span," Brooke said. "In 2023, we were able to harvest 15 pounds of green beans, 27 zucchinis, 77 peppers, 25 cucumbers, and 320 tomatoes."

That's a whole lotta veggies!

Gardeners join for all kinds of reasons, but a few members said they enjoy the work for the following reasons:

"I love to see things grow."

"I want to help those in need."

"I like the companionship."

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