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Cutchogue girl is on a mission to provide fresh food to the hungry

Victoria Witczak in her Cutchogue garden. Photo: Katharine Schroeder

When 12-year-old Victoria Witczak of Cutchogue began attending farmers camp at Sang Lee Farms in Peconic several years ago, she could never have imagined she would one day be growing enough vegetables in her own back yard to supply fresh organic produce to local food pantries.

It all began at the camp run by Sang Lee Farms’ manager Lucy Senesac, who calls Victoria her “star camper.”

“The farmers camp was started to teach kids how to grow their own food and to get them inspired to eat that food,” says Senesac. “We do activities related to what vegetables are in season, pick vegetables on the farm and add a science or arts and crafts activity.”

It’s great for the kids to get outside, get their energy out and have a touching and tasting experience, she says.

Lucy Senesac and Victoria Witczak with some of the day’s harvest. Photo: Katharine Schroeder

Victoria’s experiences as a camper and then an assistant counselor at the farm led her to start her own garden last summer at her family’s home. With help from Senesac, Victoria planted eggplant, cucumber, squash, tomatoes, kale, lettuce and carrots. She donated the produce to CAST, to a local church and to a man nicknamed “Sandwich Sam” who provides sandwiches to homeless people in the Middle Island area.

This year Victoria was awarded a $400 grant from Katie’s Krops, an organization that empowers youth to grow vegetables and donate their harvest to feed the hungry. She used the money to buy supplies to build four growing beds in her back yard. With support from her parents — her dad built the beds and her mom helped get the supplies — she is now growing squash, cucumbers, lettuce, kale radishes, carrots and tomatoes.

Senesac helped Victoria plan and organize the garden, and gave her tips for controlling pests and weeds organically, but for the most part Victoria is doing it all on her own.

Victoria’s garden in her Cutchogue back yard. The empty spots were filled with dozens of heads of lettuce until yesterday, when the vegetables were harvested and donated to CAST.

“I’m so proud of her,” said Senesac. “To see her go from camper to assistant counselor, to wanting to start something herself and donating the food to now really doing it all on her own. It’s amazing. And she’s only 12 years old.”

This week Victoria is donating fresh vegetables to the food bank at Community Action Southold Town in Greenport and the United Methodist Church food pantry in Cutchogue and next month she will hold the second annual NoFo Sauce Boss fundraiser to benefit Katie’s Krops.

She has also started an organization called Crops for Cancer, which donates  organically grown vegetables to cancer patients.

“I learned that eating healthier actually helps people fight cancer,” said Victoria. “We are trying to help people to eat healthier while they’re fighting cancer.”

When Victoria isn’t busy tending her garden — she puts in a couple of hours a day — she enjoys playing soccer, running, and yoga. She is also a Girl Scout. Victoria dreams of one day owning her own farm-to-table restaurant.

Senesac heartily supports the work Victoria is doing now and the dreams she has for the future.

“It’s cool to see when kids decide that they want to do something, they get interested, and with support from their families and the community they can really make a difference, do something for charity and do something they love.”

As for Victoria, she sums it up this way: “It makes me feel happy to help people.”

The NoFo Sauce Boss will be held at Pugliese Vineyards in Cutchogue on August 10 at 4:30 p.m. There is an $8 charge for tasting and local chefs will be judging the best tomato sauce on the North Fork. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and an auction.

For information on participating in or sponsoring the event, email NOFOSauceBoss@gmail.com.

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Katharine is a writer and photographer who has lived on the North Fork for nearly 40 years, except for three-plus years in Hong Kong a decade ago, working for the actor Jackie Chan. She lives in Cutchogue. Email Katharine