I belong to the local chapter of Tuv Ha'Aretz, which is partnered with a local CSA. I belong to a different CSA; been a member for a very long time, and see no reason to change. But they've got food hanging out in their fields, too!
So after conversations between my SIL, our CSA, Tuv, etc, I volunteered to organize gleaning parties, as I am a member of all the constituent organizations.
This is a short notice kind of activity. We agreed that Wednesday would be the best day - they aren't going crazy. So just me, myself, and I (and some boxes and buckets, clippers, gloves and mud shoes) went on out.
I was pointed at the rows they had finished harvesting. As a sometime home gardener, I would have been delighted to see all that produce still there, but I can see where as a small scale farming operation it would be too much labor for the return. But that is why they call it "gleaning". :-)
James told me there might be some green beans on a fallen down trellis, plus the squash and tomatoes and cucumbers. Never did find the cucumbers. Oh well.
I picked 52 lbs of squash, 11 lbs of bean from that one trellis, and 6 lbs of tomatoes. There was more to be gotten, but it was just me, and I was getting tired.
Sharon at the pantry met me there, and I dropped everything off and met her very cute dog and had a short visit.
Hope to get a somewhat bigger crew out there next time!
Something for you, dear readers, to consider... Got a fruit tree in your yard going crazy? Does your neighbor have a fruit tree they can't keep up with? Too many things in your garden for you to eat or put by? Your local food bank would be EVER SO HAPPY for that fresh produce!
Aside: I was talking with James when he delivered our veggies this week - I now have a new appreciation for the fact that they harvest a boatload of veggies, part it all out into baskets, fill special orders (eggs, bunches of flowers, sometimes bread) and run 2 deliveries a week, year 'round. That is a LOT of work.
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