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Comfort food

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Garden of Hope brings fresh produce to local plates, raises money for family in fatal crash
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By
Lori Sorenson

The Garden of Hope near Beaver Creek is supplying fresh vegetables for local restaurants and families, but there’s a broader purpose for the produce.
Garden owners Greg and Tammy Lingen are giving the proceeds to a young family involved in a fatal accident by Flandreau.
The July 13 crash killed 38-year-old Joshua Krempges, Dell Rapids, and his daughter, 7-year-old Mariana.
Mariana’s twin sister, Madelyn, and 11-year-old Malory Krempges, survived the crash, but 11-year-old Madyson Barbee, a friend, died.
A photograph of the Krempges’ daughters is posted in the vegetable stand at the end of the Lingen driveway.
“As a result of a car accident, one of these 7-year-old twin girls was called home by God,” are the words accompanying the image.
“The other is still fighting a giant battle in a Sioux Falls hospital. The 11-year-old is healing, but has a long road to go.”
The girls’ mother is Tammy’s niece, so the Lingen family decided to donate profits from their 2-acre garden to the girls’ family.
“I’m asking for your help,” the sign in the vegetable stand states. “I cannot help them if I don’t sell produce.”
 
Cause goes viral
The message was also shared on Facebook.
“I am challenging all of you to stop by the Garden of Hope vegetable stand and buy the veggies,” the message states.
“If you do not have money to buy veggies, come spend a day in the garden harvesting or pulling weeds, and I will donate on your behalf. Plus, you can take home free veggies for your time.”
Financial donations can be sent to Garden of Hope, 953 74th Ave., Luverne, MN 56156.
Greg’s phone number, 605-838-5977, is posted with the information, and the Lingens said they’ve received calls from all over the country.
“It’s gone viral since we put it on Facebook,” Tammy said.
Their story has been told in several local and regional news outlets, and it continues to attract media attention.
“I didn’t expect it to be this big,” Greg said.
“I think people really found it in their hearts to come out and help out. … One guy stopped last week and bought $3 worth of tomatoes. When he read the story, he wrote a check for $50.”
He said the garden is hard work, but it’s a family project, enlisting the help of their children, Jonah (and his wife, Rachel, and their son, Ian, 3), Jocilan (and her husband, Dan), and Jasmine.
“They’ve been troopers,” Greg said. “There’s no way we could have done it without them. … People don’t realize what 2 acres is until you get out there.”
 
Fresh, chemical-free produce on menu in restaurants
The Garden of Hope so far this year has taken in $2,600 for the Krempges family.
And that doesn’t count the expected donation from Sterling’s Café and Grille, Luverne, which harvests about 100 pounds of produce per week.
For Sterling’s and Tailgator’s in Brandon, which also serves Garden of Hope produce to its customers, the fresh food on their menus adds value to their business.
“The customers can tell,” said Jacob Frewaldt, head chef at Sterling’s.
“It’s a great thing to have them part of the process. That’s what farm-to-plate is all about. It’s good for the community.”
Sterling’s owner Brian Sterling said he’s glad to part of the trend driving the popularity of clean eating.
“We’ve got a great product at a great price, and our customers get healthy food,” he said.
“You get the results of your product when you can get it right off the plant and to the plate within 24 hours.”
The food is grown without chemicals and washed with an organic rinse. The fact that the proceeds are helping a local family is a bonus.
“It’s a three-time win for everyone,” Sterling said.
That’s part of the reason his staff doesn’t need to be persuaded to work in the garden; they, too, understand the mission.
Two or three times a week, Sterling, Frewaldt and restaurant manager Dustin Lybarger travel with Sterling’s employees to the Garden of Hope to pick produce and pull weeds.
“I’m glad the garden is planted out here and we can use it for us, our customers and for the community,” Sterling said.
The Lingens work with the chefs to plant extra rows of produce they might need, and they plan ahead for late season requests.
“We’re still planting vegetables,” Greg said, mentioning lettuce, radishes, baby carrots and other produce with a 60-day growing period.
He said the hard work has been rewarding in many ways.
“I think God brought us to this,” Greg said. “We weren’t out to make a profit, but it has excelled in that since we donated proceeds.”
 
Comfort amid pain
The Lingens themselves are no strangers to suffering after the loss of Greg’s son, Jared, two years ago just before his senior graduation.
“When the tragedy with Jared happened, so many people came out and helped,” Tammy said.
Greg recalled that they were still cleaning up after the April 2013 ice storm, and dozens of volunteers helped them with that.
“I think God works in our lives and brings us together in times of need,” he said. “The community, the families … people know the need and are willing to help.”
He said helping Tammy’s niece doesn’t heal the pain of losing his son, but he said there’s comfort in helping others.
“It’s always a good feeling to help out when you can. It’s satisfying. When it comes to Jared, though … nothing can bring him back.”
Tammy said, “It makes us feel good to give back.”
In addition to the stand at the end of Lingens’ driveway, Garden of Hope produce is sold at the Luverne Farmers Market Thursday evening and the Hills Farmers market Saturday mornings.

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