Donate Root Crops to Katrina Relief

Chef Jeff Kingman of Bintliff's American Cafe in Portland is working with a very large food relief effort for Hurricane refugees in Louisiana. He has contacted us in hopes of organizing a large shipment of root crops from Maine farmers. The good folks at King Hill Farm have offered to help coordinate the effort as well.

The work in Louisiana is being coordinated by John Folse & Company at a USDA food processing facility in the town of Donaldsonville. From this facility, volunteer chefs have been serving more than 18,000 meals a day. There is an urgent need for food and supplies. Companies and farmers from New Jersey to California are making generous donations of food products of all kinds. Reportedly, Willamette Valley Growers in Oregon has put out the word to Oregon Tilth organic farmers as well. The folks on the scene have advised Jeff that a donation of root crops from Maine farmers makes the most sense at this point.

Jeff would like to get a truck (or two if possible) loaded and on the road south some time next week, but first needs to determine whether there will be enough donated harvest to fill at least one truck. If there is enough interest in this effort, Jeff and the folks at King Hill Farm will determine the calendar and logistics of drop-off locations.

If you would like to contribute to the effort, please:

1. Call or email Laura Millay at 266-8064 or laura_millay@yahoo.com.
2. If you don't talk directly with Laura, please leave a message detailing what root crops you have to donate including varieties and quantities.
3. Make sure to leave your contact information so coordinators can get back in touch with you.

Please note that this is a preliminary call for interest. If there isn't a critical mass of crops donated, we'll have to figure out another kind of support effort.

Thanks so much for any help you can give.

PS - Members near Portland may be interested to know that Bintliff's Cafe will be serving all Creole and Cajun food on Friday, September 9th with proceeds to go to the John Folse & Company relief effort.