Farmers auction their gardening services for a good cause

IOWA CITY - If you need your garden weeded, a pesky perennial bed reworked or want help setting up a composting system, an upcoming fundraiser for Local Foods Connection might offer a solution.

Three local gardeners and farmers are auctioning off their services as gardening experts as part of a fall fundraiser for the Johnson County non-profit.

The organization works to provide low income families with access to fresh, local produce. Formed in 1999, the group has long donated directly to families through Community Supported Agriculture farm shares. The shares provide families with vegetables from a local farmer each week during the growing season.

The group also provides food to low income clients through partner agencies such as the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, the Johnson County Crisis Center and Head Start. The groups receive credit from Local Foods Connection to order produce directly from area farmers.

Cassidy Bell, a Local Foods Connection employee, said the organization is working to increase its donations to partner agencies and has added several in the last year. In addition to 40 families, Local Foods Connection partnered with 11 agencies in 2013, serving 800 adults and 1,500 children.

Bell said building connections between farmers and consumers is also part of the organization's mission, which led to the idea to auction off expert grower's services.

'We wanted to incorporate more of our farmers into the fundraising,” she said. 'This way they didn't have to donate a lot of their product, and we can get them integrated into the Iowa City community a little bit better and introduce some of our farmers to the people they're growing for.”

Scott Koepke of New Pioneer Food Coop's Soilmates program, Shanti Sellz of Muddy Miss Farm, and Andrew Dunham of Grinnell Heritage Farm will auction off their skills at a fundraiser dinner at Trumpet Blossom Cafe in Iowa City Oct. 9.

There also will be a silent auction of goods including a 36 by 60 inch painting by local artist Thomas Argran, a handmade children's toy barn, date night packages and food from local farmers, among other things.

People can bid on silent auction items both at the Local Foods Connection booth at Wednesday and Saturday Iowa City Farmers Markets between now and Oct. 9 and at the dinner, which will feature live music by The Dandelion Stompers. The silent auction will close the night of the event at 8 p.m. Silent auction winners do not have to be present to win.

Koepke helped 33 organizations and individuals set up garden projects in the last year. He said he was honored to be asked to donate his skills, even if he was a little apprehensive about being auctioned off.

'Their mission is to devote resources to getting food into food insecure demographics. Is an absolutely beautiful mission to support,” he said. 'Whatever I can do to advance that mission I will do.”

FYI: If you go

' What: Food for Everyone Fall Fundraiser

' Where: Trumpet Blossom Cafe, 310 E. Prentiss St., Iowa City

' When: 6 p.m. Oct. 9

' Cost: $40 per person or $150 for a group of four

' Tickets: Tickets and silent auction available at Local Food Connections Iowa City Farmers Market booth Wednesdays and Saturdays