UNIVERSITY PARK — Red onions burst from the ground, purple cabbages spread their broad leaves, and golden zucchini flowers shine in the sun.
Each week during the growing season, crates of vegetables from The Arboretum at Penn State are delivered to the State College Food Bank to benefit people in need. Last year the Arboretum donated nearly 2,000 pounds of fresh produce.
“We absolutely love our partnership with the Arboretum,” said food bank director Allayn Beck. “It makes a huge impact on the individuals and families we serve, right here in our community.”
“The people who come through our doors say that one of their favorite things about coming to our pantry is the fresh produce we have available thanks to programs like the Arboretum’s,” Beck said. “We are forever grateful and thankful for that partnership and look forward to all that we can do together in the future.”
On a recent donation run, volunteer Rich DiMarcello loaded his car with more than 100 pounds of zucchini, onions, squash, tomatoes and broccoli and took them to the Food Bank.
“It’s a joy to do it,” said DiMarcello, who has volunteered at the Arboretum for the past 12 years. He also donates vegetables from his own home garden to the food bank.
At the Arboretum’s Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden, horticulturist Ted Zeljak grows vegetables in raised planters to represent the region’s agricultural produce. Carrots, basil, onion, tomatoes, peppers beans, lettuce, corn, cabbages, beets, gourds, beans, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, squash and zucchini are all on display.
“You name it, I’ve tried to grow it,” Zeljak said.
Harvest Garden Tastings for visitors of all ages are held at the children’s garden from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays through Sept. 29.
“Not a lot of kids understand where their food comes from,” Zeljak said. “I love to see kids learn that a carrot or a sweet potato grows underground.”
At the Arboretum’s Pollinator and Bird Garden, rows of celery, herbs, wax pole beans, zucchini, cucumbers, squash, spinach, onions and corn are intended to show the importance of pollinators in producing food crops, said horticulturist Rychele Stipcak. Bright flowers share space with the vegetables to help attract bees and other pollinators.
“I don’t think people realize how much our food systems rely on pollinators,” Stipcak said. “The garden illustrates the importance of helping support local ecosystems and how they are integrated with our food systems.”
“If we have plants that are helping support local pollinators, those pollinators are going to be pollinating our food, and we’re going to have more food crops to eat, and our practices will help regenerate the soil,” she said. “It’s about keeping that ecosystem healthy.”
Once a week, vegetables are packed up into crates and put into refrigeration, where volunteers pick them up and deliver them to the food bank.
“It’s really gratifying to be able to not only see visitors’ joy and curiosity being sparked, but also to know that someone is benefitting from what we’re doing,” said Stipcak.
Learn more about programs and upcoming events on the Arboretum's website.