Yet another event last weekend, the Grateful Gleaners had a plant sale to raise money for garden tools for the group. Theirs is yet another local volunteer group getting the most out of community resources, by gleaning fruit and vegetables from local orchards and gardens that otherwise would not be harvested. The gleanings are then provided to kitchens at Our Daily Bread, serving meals to any who need them, or the Senior Center lunch program, or similar groups. They are also allowed a share of whatever they themselves can use. Ever leave plums on your tree that are more than you can consume, or take the time to preserve? Ever find yourself with a single zucchini plant that could feed a family of twelve (and only two in your house)? Who you going to call? Grateful Gleaners!
There was a recent article in the New York Times, described on the eclectic blog, Boing Boing, saying that Americans waste 27% of their available food!
9 comments:
I'm embarrassed to admit I'm one of those wasteful people. I eat out all the time but once in a while, I would buy groceries like milk, fruits, veggies, etc. and planned on cooking at home more frequently. This plan of mine would last for a day or so and all the leftover food in the refrigerator will go to waste.
I can't tell you how many times I've thrown out the milk because it has been sitting in the fridge too long.
I'm afraid i've done that too, Ming, though i'm getting better, checking dates and things and eating them in order.
I love those plant sales!
What a lovely idea! More power to them!
I waste food sometimes, and I'm trying my best to reduce/stop it! When I eat outside, often the portion sizes are too large for me. Then I have to decide: leave it on the plate or eat it and risk adding on poundage and maybe doing harm to my health? If possible, I ask for the leftovers 'to-go'. This isn't so common in Europe and I've occasionally embarrassed my friends, but they've gotten used to me. :-)
I think this is a great idea! I am sure we are all guilty of wasting food at one time or another. :)
With all the fruit trees around here, I love the idea of gleaning them for hungry people. Great idea!
I know how much I hate to have to much in the fridge anymore - especially now that I get weekly produce deliveries from a biodynamic farm. It feels like each chard leaf is that much more precious. I was glad to see that news article, because I've often wondered how much produce and meat has to be thrown out from the supermarkets that has been picked over and left to its pull date. Markets and restaurants are a huge part of the whole food waste stream, because we expect to be presented with abundance everywhere. About 15 years ago, there was an effort to get produce department trimmings redirected to hog farmers, but I don't know how that went.
Superb way to put otherwise wasted resources to work! Thank you for posting this!
Here, we have Plant A Row For The Hungry, which endeavors to do the same! Great post!
Great, glad to hear that. Israel has a similar organization, Table to Table. Through it I once gleaned a field of onions with other volunteers. More at
http://www.tabletotable.org.il/english/projects.php?did=87
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