Tomatoes, Zucchini, and a Whole Lot of Heart
Russell Meigs’ path to becoming one of Community Food Share’s most dedicated donors is as colorful and fruitful as his garden. After moving back to Lafayette in 2018, Russell transformed what was once a horse pasture into a lush, productive garden, complete with chickens, bees, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables.
A trained horticulturist with a career in food science, Russell once helped develop Hot Pockets and was a tortilla expert for the frozen food brand El Monterey. He even worked with a startup creating plant-based meats. “I’ve since retired, but I still work—I’ve got plenty to do,” he says with a smile. Yet, despite his accomplished career, it’s in his garden that Russell has found a different kind of fulfillment.
He began donating to Community Food Share just before COVID, when his garden produced more than his family could eat. Witnessing the growing need in the community, he decided to expand his efforts. “It was just before COVID. I had more than I could eat, and then I saw how many hungry people there were. I said, well, we might expand this a little bit,” he recalls.
Today, Russell has donated nearly 15,000 pounds of fresh produce, averaging about 150 pounds a week. His garden yields a variety of crops, from tomatoes and peppers to beets, onions, zucchini, and winter squash that lasts through the next season. He even keeps oversized zucchini for his chickens, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Russell’s approach to gardening is both practical and sustainable. With drip irrigation, ground covers, and strategic mulching, he’s able to reduce water use by 30% while keeping weeds at bay. “What’s the point of growing something if you can’t use it?” he asks. It’s a philosophy rooted in family tradition—his grandmother was a florist, his father a gardener, and his entire family has tended to the land for generations.
Yet for Russell, it’s not just about the produce, it’s about his community. “Even small donations from little gardens can have big impacts, especially if enough people contribute,” he says. He watches the pride and joy on the faces of those receiving the donations and sees the ripple effect of generosity.
Looking ahead, Russell isn’t slowing down. He’s eyeing an additional 30 feet of garden space, ready to cultivate more food for his neighbors. And while gardening is hard work, he finds it immensely rewarding. “Sometimes I get a little tired,” he admits, “but it’s very rewarding to grow plants and to know you’re helping people.”
From a career in big food companies to tending his own small plot of land, Russell Meigs proves that generosity grows best when it’s nurtured with passion, knowledge, and heart.
