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Sharing the HarvestGleaning Programs Help Feed Hungry Neighbors
The root of this problem runs deep, and real solutions require some fundamental shifts in our nation's social and economic priorities. But when millions are going hungry, the priority is to provide easy access to free or low-cost food. Here in the United States, the challenge is one of distribution, not supply. It is estimated that more than 96 billion pounds of edible "surplus" food is thrown away every year. That's almost 27 percent of our nation's annual food supply. In most every community, there are committed individuals, community groups and businesses who are finding ways to rescue and distribute some of this surplus food through food shelves, soup kitchens, hot-meal delivery programs, and the like. How might a gardener bring his or her experience to bear on this problem? One opportunity to lend a hand is a food rescue initiative called "gleaning." Gleaning a field or orchard means going in after the harvest and gathering what's been left behind by mechanical harvesting equipment or a fickle marketplace. The most challenging part about gleaning is figuring out how to connect the farmers, gleaners and distribution locations. Most farmers are more than happy to see the remains of their labor go to good use. But in many cases there is a very small window of time between the end of the primary harvest and the planting of the next crop. Gleaners need to be ready to respond on short notice, and the food, which is usually quite perishable, needs to get distributed quickly. In Burlington, Vt., Jenny Davis leads a program that gleans food from a 350-member CSA farm and 10 other small farms. Her list of volunteer gleaners are available one afternoon a week. Farmers call on Monday to let her know what crops are available for gleaning that week. Once the gleaners have done their work, Jenny makes her deliveries to distribution locations around the city, which include the local food shelf, as well as senior centers, a community center, day care centers and shelters. New Jersey Farmers Against Hunger is actively involved in supporting a number of gleaning efforts throughout their state. More than 40 farms are currently participating, and in 2001 almost 1.5 million pounds of fresh produce was collected and distributed to those in need. The organization's network of volunteer gleaners includes a wide range of people from schools, businesses and religious groups. In Chautauqua County New York, there's a very successful gleaning program run by the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry. Now in their fourth year, they have distributed more than 180,000 pounds of gleaned produce to more than 60 different sites. In Onondaga County New York, Wake Robin Farm, another CSA, is offering discounted share prices to members who are willing to help glean the farm's fields. Food distribution agencies really appreciate a gleaning connection with CSA farms because they receive a wide variety of produce over a long season. In Northern New York State, Phil Harnden heads a grassroots program called GardenShare, which helps community gardeners and backyard gardeners distribute surplus food from their gardens. Each year they send their mailing list of local gardeners an updated roster of 30 local food pantries with contact information as well as specifics on how to donate. GardenShare also sends out three newsletters each year with gardening tips, facts about hunger, and suggestions for ways people can get more involved with hunger issues both locally and nationally. If you are interested in learning more about gleaning and how you can participate or start up a program in your area, here are links to several sites that may be helpful:
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New Jersey Agricultural Society (New Jersey Farmers Against Hunger)
