Was Your Garden Overly Successful? Donate Your Extra Produce And Win!!

I've been THAT guy. The guy who grew way too much zucchini in his garden, and kept bringing it to work, hoping someone would take it. It got to the point where I would fill bags with zucchini and leave them on stranger's porches.

Those days are gone, because Horizen Hydroponics will collect your overgrown garden items for hunger relief, and put it to good use.

For the fifth year, local garden center Horizen Hydroponics is collecting excess local produce and donating it to the hunger relief charity Feeding America West Michigan. Just drop off your donations of fresh produce to their retail location at 1614 Leonard NW, at the corner of Walker and Leonard, and they'll make sure it gets into the hands of those who need it.

"Fresh produce is often hard to come by at food banks, and local gardeners often grow more than they can use. We're asking gardeners to help feed the hungry by donating locally grown fruits and vegetables," said John Ujlaky, owner of Horizen Hydroponics. "Last year, we collected and donated over 1300 pounds of backyard produce to the needy right here in West Michigan, and we hope to exceed that amount this year."

To make sure that happens, Ujlaky is offering a grand prize of $500 in gardening equipment to the person who contributes the most produce by weight.

John and his staff at Horizen Hydroponics will announce the winner during their 5th Annual Grand Harvest Festival, taking place next Saturday, September 20 at their retail location from 11am until 5pm. The free festival benefits Feeding America and has a farmer's market feel, featuring locally produced honey, children's activities including a bounce house, games and Henna Tattoos.