Food for Hungry Cities

[flower_cat]

I was sitting in my favorite chair wondering what to do about the fruit that I can no longer pick because of the walker and wishing there was a number I could call to have somebody come out and pick it and take it to the food bank. I was also wondering how many people in older neighborhoods have at least one fruit tree that bears that they can no longer pick or can and that should go to the food bank as well. It's just something to think about.

Comments

[ranch101.livejournal.com]

At our old place, there were "gleaners" who would come out and pick unwanted fruit for those who needed help. Thanks for the reminder that I wanted to find something similar locally. When I do, I'll let you know.

[ranch101.livejournal.com]

Village Harvest is a group that can do harvesting for people in many parts of the SF Bay area who can't. They work closely with Second harvest Food Bank. http://www.villageharvest.org/harvesting.htm

[mdlbear]

Cool!!

Their flier is here

[saffronrose.livejournal.com]

I was going to suggest calling Second harvest, but it looks as if ranch101 has a more direct idea.
At the Santa Cruz house we had the original tree on the lot in the wayback yard: a golden delicious. I don't happen to like the delicious family of apples, preferring some antique/obscure late harvest apples instead. I will say in its defense, this tree produced some tasty fruit for juicing, as my gardener proved. He harvested the apples a year or two, and gave us a quart of the juice when it was ready. I hope the current owners enjoy the fruit more than I did. I always enjoyed the bloom time on that tree, once Ed & Sandy had given it a good structural pruning. From one angle, the airy center was framed by branches that seemed to be the frame for a heart.

Good to see you posting! I thought you never would!

[ravan.livejournal.com]

I have some of the same problem where I am - the concord grapes are too much for me to pick and try to process, but someone should use them. Same with the oranges - good for juice, not for eating as much, and a very tall tree way behind the house.

[jilara.livejournal.com]

Of course, Andrew says he can help pick and eat a lot of your fruit. :-)

The food banks could really use someone who can do harvesting, since I know you're not the only one who has a disused tree. The problem with things like nectarines is they really have to be used Really, Really Soon. A couple days after picking, and they're spoiled.

In our neighborhood, we have a guy who cans fruit. He picks it from your tree, and returns you a boxful of jars, keeping the rest as payment for his labors. It's a good deal.