UC ANR South Coast REC Field Events, Workshops, and Extension
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Thanksgiving Veggie U-Pick 2019

Family fun
Children and adults working together in a field, planting or harvesting crops, with rows of greenery and a distant cityscape in the background.

Families gathered from across Orange County to participate in the first annual Thanksgiving Veggie U-Pick to promote food security awareness and encourage eating fresh vegetables and fruit.

Bounty from underground
A young girl picking vegetables from a lush green plant in a garden.

Participants of all ages had a great time digging in the dirt for root vegetables like carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes, pulling up onions, clipping sage, cutting celery and snapping off fresh green beans. In addition to the fresh vegetables the attendees had the opportunity to take home persimmons, pomegranates, apples and even sunflowers for the final touch to their holiday table.

Cutting celery
A young girl standing in a garden and reaching out to pick a vegetable from a plant.

While in the collecting their harvest, UCCE Master Gardeners were available to answer questions and provide information on safe food handling and proper storage of fruits and vegetables.

 

Harvest for those in need
A display of fresh vegetables in blue crates, including carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes, set up at a market or farm stand.           
       

Many thanks to everyone who attended and assisted to create such a wonderful day full of smiling faces. A special thank you to the youth from the 4-H program who came out and harvest a bounty of food taking the donation for those in need as part of their giving project. A truly good day!