SANDPOINT — Bonner County Coalition for Health purchased earth boxes in 2017, but no one had prepared them for their success in the town three years later. Volunteer School Garden Coordinator Michele Murphree has been circulating dozens of earth boxes to and fro businesses and organizations for those interested in growing food for the 2,000 families served weekly at the Bonner Community Food Bank.

“I just picked over $400 worth of beautiful produce, tomato plants, that I will be delivering to a number of people in town to people who have earth boxes,” Murphree said. “People have been donating plants, have been donating seeds and it’s a great way for people to participate in helping our families.”

Murphree has collected over 50 earth boxes to help the food bank during the COVID-19 pandemic. The boxes are about 2 feet by 3 feet raised beds that are used as starter kits for homegrown plants.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Nancy Jenkins was the first to donate food to Bonner County Food Bank from her earth boxes stored in her greenhouse on May 27. She also has two beds at the Pine Street Community Garden and donated a total of five gallon bags of lettuce, two gallon bags of kale, two quart bags of cilantro and one quart bag of spinach.

“Fresh produce is something we don’t get a lot of,” said Executive Director of Bonner County Food Bank Debbie Love. “We have our grocery rescue program where we get produce but really the majority of our fresh produce in the coming months is our community.”

Churches, libraries and schools are among a few to participate. Some parents have even gotten their kids involved, to learn the utility of growing food. “It’s a direct way to benefit one of our families that are experiencing some need,” She said. In April the number of people who were served by the food bank as food insecure individuals had grown by over 30 percent in Bonner County. Volunteers dwindled to six, a 90 percent decrease and many were a part of the health vulnerable population that have not yet felt comfortable to return to their position. Normally there are 40 volunteers a month.

“Fortunately we had a handful of people from the community who were willing to help us,” Love said. “We’ve had the same team for the last eight weeks, who felt comfortable enough to provide volunteers because most of our operations are run through volunteers.”

Love said they are encouraging all donations, particularly foods they don’t often receive such as lighter items like beans, peas, lettuce and broccoli. She said many people don’t realize that the bank accepts fresh food donations, including fruit from trees and personal gardens. “We have the capacity to take fresh food and frozen food,” She said.

Murphree has become a lead gardener for the Bonner County community, although her hobby became a profession by accident in 2010 when she began her first school garden bed. Since then she has been cultivating areas for fresh produce and has grown 15 community garden sites with another expected in Priest River. Murphree is usually spotted in town, shuttling a carful of plants to her fellow gardeners.

“I don’t think I can fit another plant in my car or my mom’s car,” Murphree said. “The reason why I started it was to get these kids some healthy nutrition and diabetes was rising quickly. It’s not my background or anything, but it’s so fulfilling to see the kids get into the gardening.”

Murphree’s advice to any community members interested in helping is to “grow what you love.” And when in doubt, lettuce is a crop that can be planted early and withstand a frost.

For more information on participating in earth boxes email Michele Murphree at dionandmichele@amerion.com. For information on donations visit https://foodbank83864.com/. Adjusted hours for the food bank until summer are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aly De Angelus can be reached by email at adeangelus@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @AlyDailyBee.