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Iowa FFA student to donate 20,000 pounds of produce

An Iowa FFA student plans to donate 20,000 pounds of produce to local nonprofits this year.

Lauren Schroeder of the Calmus-Wheatland Chapter in the east-central part of the state says she’s been growing vegetables on an acre and-a-half plot and recently donated $30,000-worth of produce to organizations in eastern Iowa and western Illinois.

“Seeing peoples’ reactions, it’s like the most heart-warming thing you could possibly do is just seeing how grateful they are that you’re doing this. It’s very nice to see.”

She tells Brownfield her FFA advisor has been a lot of help.

“He greatly wanted to see me grow and succeed more by helping me just more information about fertilizer and when I should plant these sorts of plants, and what I’m doing wrong or how to get a better yield in some produce.”

Schroeder says she plans to start planting in March and hopes to give to at least 15 nonprofit organizations.