Sharing the Harvest in Clearfield

Last year, a free produce stand popped up in a Park Avenue neighborhood. People were encouraged to drop off surplus vegetables and other items for others to enjoy. This year, Sherilyn Sheets, the owner of that stand, is working on setting up others throughout Clearfield. Courtesy photo by Sherilyn Sheets

By Julie Rae Rickard

CLEARFIELD — Sherilyn Sheets is on a mission to distribute excess produce to those in need.

Last summer, after admiring her neighbor’s garden with their “great looking produce,” Sheets had an idea.

What if those with gardens were able to share their abundance of fresh vegetables easily with the community in a way similar to the Free Little Libraries and Pantries?

Sheets, formerly of Chicago, set up a stand behind her home and invited anyone to drop off their extra squash, tomatoes, cucumbers and more or to pick up whatever was available.

To inform area residents, she distributed flyers to those in her neighborhood, but with little response. After she posted it on Facebook’s Clearfield Live group, though, “then it took off,” she said.

Throughout the harvest season she posted photos of what was available for the taking.

“It was full most of the season. It rarely sat empty or without being refreshed with a new drop off,” she explained.

It was so successful, she thought about how additional stands could help those in other neighborhoods. Initially she believed other organizations would pick up on the idea but no one did. So, she has decided to do it herself.

Sheets, a hospice chaplain, ran a nonprofit organization in Chicago. She moved to Clearfield two years ago with her father to be closer to her brother, Stevan, who is the pastor at Hyde Wesleyan Church.

“In Chicago, everyday I was making an impact. I asked ‘how could I make an impact here,’ and thought this was a way to do it,” she said.

She noted that the area doesn’t have the greatest sources of really fresh produce. “With prices going up, people may have a need for this,” she said.

“Fresh produce is essential to a healthy diet, but it is the first thing you have to sacrifice due to cost,” she added.

“How do I remove barriers for people to have access to fresh food,” she asked, coming up with a free produce stand as the answer.

She, along with Samantha Hand and Abbey Neargood, formed “Producing Mutual Aid Together” to expand the effort of having more free produce pantries. The group held their first meeting in March. Since then they have been working on building more structures and finding locations to put them.

Their focus is on placing them in “pockets of need.”

It is her hope that if fresh produce is available, people will take it and make healthy family meals.

“The worst they can do is waste it, which already happens in homes every day. But if done correctly, this benefits everyone,” Sheets said.

Initially, the trio considered finding land to use as a garden that would provide the produce. But, she admits, they are “not growers.”

“I don’t give a crap about gardening, but I do care about pathways for people to help each other,” she said.

The group has five locations interested in hosting a produce stand — the Children’s Aid Society at 1008 S. Second St., Bumble & the Bee at 1921 Daisy St. Extension, the Church of Christ at 125 Flegal Road, Centre Grove United Methodist Church at 1100 Village Road, and the original location behind her home at 716 Park Ave.

To help their cause, they are suggesting area gardeners plant a few extra items this spring and donate the surplus to the stands later.

This is a volunteer effort and not a nonprofit, but they could use donations to help cover professional signs and wood for the construction, Sheets said.

The plan is to have her stand ready at mid-May and the others by the end of the month, she added.

In addition, she encourages people to leave any extra seedlings for others to plant and mentioned that a local bakery may be donating their older baked goods.

Last year, the items available even included flowers.

Sheets encourages anyone who wants to set up similar produce stands to contact her because she can post photos on the group’s Facebook page, “Producing Mutual Aid Together,” which she wants to make into a “communication hub” for the produce pantries.

For more information on how to build a stand, to help build ones for the project or make a donation, contact Sheets at clearfieldfreeproduce@gmail.com.

Getting the word out is a priority right now to start the process and get people involved.

“I am hoping that publicity will give confidence to people who need this lifeline, to use this resource,” Sheets said. “As everything is freely given and can be freely taken.”