BLOG

Harvest Against Hunger VISTA Malik Salsberry serves at Community Food Share, a nonprofit located in Louisville, CO. This nonprofit is one of the five Feeding America food banks that help to serve all of Colorado and Wyoming, with Community Food Share’s focus being Boulder and Broomfield counties. This nonprofit makes its distinction from other food banks in the area by having a major focus on fresh produce and protein, with goals of 75% being fresh produce, fruits and vegetables, and protein sources, like fresh milk, eggs, beans, and meat. Community Food Share supports other area food pantries as well as their own programs which serve different populations like children and the elderly.

While snow continues to fall in the foothills of Boulder, CO, that hasn’t slowed down any of the planning that’s going into next seasons farms and gardens, especially regarding plans to host new gleaning opportunities. As the planning stage intensifies, plans for hosting gleans has turned into a family tradition for a long time Boulder family; the Munson’s.

This family tradition of two-fold giving, donating fresh produce to food banks and pantries while hosting gleaning opportunities for local nonprofits, was first started by the co-owners’ father, Robert Munson. Although Bob was an electrical engineer by trade and built a long and successful career, his childhood of working on his family’s farm in Illinois grew into a new found love for raising crops.

Bob started Munson Farms in 1976 with the help of his wife and children, cultivating not only his passion for farming but also his passion for giving back to the community, as he planted extra crops just for these donation efforts. Bob and his sons, Mike and Chris, would continue growth by building their own farm stands to help bring in additional income to the farm. Bob continued to give annually to Community Food Share and other local nonprofits whose missions involved helping their fellow neighbor, giving over one million pounds of produce to Community Food Share since 1982 and providing a variety of gleans to community members.

Like father like son, even building his own career in electrical engineering, Mike has made it a personal mission to continue with his father’s work on the farm and giving back to Community Food Share and other local nonprofits.

The partnership between Munson Farms and Community Food Share continues and plans are being made for donations and gleaning opportunities this season, including donations of their famous sweet corn, squash, pumpkins, peas, and other produce. Mike is excited to continue providing the same opportunities that his father did; providing nutritious produce for community members in need and gleaning opportunities for volunteers.