Local 401 volunteers become urban farmers

Local 401 volunteers gathered at an urban farm in New Hope last week to help fight hunger in the Twin Cities. The micro farm is owned by the Food Group, a food bank that supplies other hunger relief agencies with fresh produce, frozen meat, grocery staples and other household necessities.

The land is farmed by the Sudanese Farming Group. Local 401 members farmed two plots and winterized them. They removed the weeds, tilled the soil and planted winter cover consisting of winter rye. They also cleared out and reorganized the Sudanese Farming Group’s shed.

“It was a very valuable and rewarding experience," Jeff Gintz, a program administrator with the Department of Revenue, said. "We talked about an indoor volunteering opportunity in the warehouse in January. The farm plot wants us to come back in the spring to help again."