Northwest Harvest and the clients it serves in the Greater Seattle area received a special delivery recently – 3,800 pounds of fresh-picked, healthy carrots, squash and beets.

Nearly 60 people from Bellevue’s Temple B’nai Torah, including 39 middle-school students, gleaned the fields at Stocker Farms in Snohomish. This is the fourth year of what has become an annual activity.

Stuart Rosen of Bellevue, a member of the Temple’s Brotherhood, organizes the activity, involving adults and students.

“This year, “those kids went through the field of carrots in record time, like a herd of goats, Rosen said.”

Stocker Farms, owned by Keith and Janet Stocker, not only invites the synagogue’s members to harvest the field, but this year, for the second time, they actually planted extra seed to ensure that there was plenty to share with those in need.

The Jewish tradition of “tzedakah,” or giving to those less fortunate, drives the members of the synagogue to donate their time and labors to help feed those who need healthy food.