Share your food at the Atherton Market

If you go by the Atherton Market, 2104 South Blvd., on Saturday, you'll be able to see a new project: The Farmer Foodshare Donation Station.

(And if you go to the Atherton Market today, remember that it'open from 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.)

At the Farmer Foodshare Donation Station, shoppers can donate fresh food bought from the stalls or cash that volunteers will use to buy fresh food. The food will go to Friendship Trays, the Dilworth Soup Kitchen and Urban Ministries.

The Farmer Foodshare program is already operating at Carrboro Farmers Market near Chapel Hill. Since May 2009, farmers and shoppers have provided more than 41,078 pounds of food to feed the hungry.

As a regular farmers market shopper, I have to say this one is a great idea. I'd happily buy two heads of cauliflower instead of one, or an extra bucket of peaches to make sure somebody else's family gets to eat fresh, locally grown food.

To help the program get started, Harvest Moon Grille will host a dinner Monday with Joe Kwon of the Avett Brothers helping out in the kitchen. A percentage of the proceeds will be used get Farmer Foodshare off to a good start. Reservations are strongly recommended. There are no tickets, just the usual cost of dinner entrees, which usually runs from $16 to $25. Get more details here.