Nature’s bounty divvied up at work place

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Pamplin Media Group, Sep 10, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

JONATHAN HOUSE / Pamplin Media Group

Portland Development Commission associate project coordinator Sue Lewis, right, and Love Farm's Kody Mayberry, left, haul produce into PDC to be shared with employees.

Portland Development Commission staff members found a hassle-free way to promote healthy eating among coworkers and support local organic farming.

They set up a Community Supported Agriculture program at work. Participants pay an annual fee for a local farmer to deliver fresh produce each week.

Volunteers from the agency Green Team set up informational meetings to explain the idea and gauge interest and then arranged an on-line survey to determine staff preferences. (Did they want organic produce? Dairy, eggs and meat?) Volunteers did some research and found Love Farm Organics fit their needs and was willing to deliver to the work place.

Every Wednesday during the growing season, Love Farm delivers produce, which is stored in PDC’s unheated basement. Volunteers sign up to unload the truck and divvy up produce into numbered plastic bins.

A recent delivery included sweet corn, summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, chard greens, a pepper medley and a “farmer’s choice.” People can make trades, such as swapping tomatoes for squash.

An astounding 53 employees, or about one-fifth of PDC staff, participate. “It’s like getting a birthday present each week,” says Karl Dinkelspiel, a Green Team organizer.

• Does your workplace or family have a Green Tip to share? Send your nomination to stevelaw@portlandtribune .com.

Oops

Our Green Tip in the August issue turned out to be bum advice. We suggested workplaces could recycle paper towels used by employees after they washed their hands, but recycling experts say paper towels are inappropriate for recycling here, because materials sorters can’t tell if the towels are contaminated.

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