Written in collaboration with our partners at Fresh Food Connect.
Growing for Yourself Can Also Feed Your Community
If you grow a garden this summer—whether in a Denver Urban Gardens plot, your backyard, or even a few containers on your porch, you have the power to do more than feed yourself. You can help feed your neighbors.
In a city where food access and rising grocery costs are real concerns, surplus garden harvests become more than “extra.” They become an opportunity to share, reduce waste, and strengthen community food systems.
One of the easiest ways to make that connection is by planning your garden with donation in mind from the start.
What Makes a Crop “Donation-Friendly”?
Not everything that grows well in Denver is equally well-suited for donation. The best donation crops tend to share a few key traits:
- High yield – produces enough to share beyond household use
- Climate-resilient – able to withstand Denver’s heat, wind, and variable moisture
- Nutrient-dense – supports strong, healthy meals
- Easy to harvest and transport – holds up after picking
- Culturally versatile – useful across many types of kitchens and cuisines
When you grow with these traits in mind, it becomes much easier to consistently share your harvest throughout the season.
Top Crops to Plant for Donation in Denver
Denver’s growing season rewards fast-growing, resilient crops that can produce steadily through the summer. These are some of the most reliable options if your goal is to donate a portion of what you grow.
Zucchini & Summer Squash
These are classic high-yield crops that often produce more than one household can use.
- Thrive in warm temperatures
- Require consistent deep watering and mulching to retain moisture
- Best harvested frequently to encourage continued production
Green Beans
Fast-growing and highly productive, green beans are one of the easiest crops to share.
- Great for repeated harvests
- Benefit from succession planting for a longer season
- Easy to portion and distribute
Tomatoes (especially cherry varieties)
One of the most in-demand donation crops.
- Cherry tomatoes are ideal for transport and storage
- High value in home kitchens and food distribution programs
- Can be preserved or shared fresh
Peppers (especially sweet varieties)
Peppers are durable, versatile, and widely used.
- Hold up well after harvest
- Can be dried, frozen, or preserved
- Strong long-season crop in Denver’s heat
Leafy Greens (lettuce, kale, and similar crops)
Greens are nutrient-dense and quick to grow.
- Can be harvested early and often
- Cool-season crops that can be replanted for successive harvests
- Valuable for fresh donation channels
Culinary Herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil, and others)
Small but powerful contributors to donated food baskets.
- Fast-growing and easy to maintain
- Add flavor and freshness to meals
- Can be harvested repeatedly throughout the season
Crops That Are Harder to Donate
Some crops are better enjoyed at home or shared immediately within close networks due to their fragility.
Berries
While delicious, berries are:
- Highly perishable
- Easily damaged during transport
- Lower yield per plant space compared to other crops
How to Plan a Donation-Focused Garden
You don’t need to dedicate your entire garden to donation to make an impact. Small planning shifts can go a long way.
- Dedicate a row or section to donation crops
- Plan around peak harvest times and vacations so produce doesn’t go to waste
- Use succession planting to extend harvests across the season
- Mix quick-harvest crops with longer-season plants for steady yields
Even a small intentional space can generate meaningful contributions over the course of the summer.
How to Donate Your Harvest
For DUG gardeners and community growers, sharing your harvest is simple.
Using the Fresh Food Connect app (or similar local distribution tools), you can quickly log surplus produce and connect it with nearby food access partners.
- Easy to use from your phone
- Connects surplus food directly to neighbors in need
- Helps reduce food waste while increasing local food access
If you’re a DUG gardener, you’re already part of a larger ecosystem working toward food equity across Denver.
Small Choices, Big Impact
Donating extra produce, or dedicating even a small portion of your growing space for donation is one of the simplest ways to give back through gardening.
At DUG, gardeners are encouraged to donate at least 10% of what they grow, helping build a more connected and resilient local food system.
When food is shared instead of wasted, we reduce environmental impact, strengthen community ties, and ensure more neighbors have access to fresh, nutritious food.
Every plant has the potential to do more than grow. It can give.
