Gleaning: Improving community health

In the Northwest, October means growing season comes to an end. Harvesting for garden crops like apples, pears, plums and berries have hit a peak. As the frost starts to set in, apples in the grass make for a saucy mess. This mess means that the end of harvest season is upon us. Every year around this time, thousands of pounds of fresh produce are left to fall on to the ground. Much of this waste could be avoided, and that is exactly what gleaning is about.

Gleaning has been used throughout history to collect unused crops and to give the fresh produce to local people in need. It allows farmers, property owners, and community members to give back. Farmers were once required to leave corners of their crops untouched, which would be given to local families. Many of these practices are no longer in use, yet many families today struggle to have steady access to fresh produce.

Our region, like most in the United States, has a large amount of families in need. The Second Harvest of the Inland Northwest helps to stock over 400 food banks: helping thousands of families each month. Food banks and groups like Second Harvest are thrilled to accept donations of backyard produce. These local crops do not have to be wasted. By gleaning, we can share and use large amounts of local produce in the community.

Currently, gleaning is becoming more popular due to non-profit groups like the Spokane Edible Tree Project, a community based organization led by philanthropist, Kate Burke. This local group uses Facebook to organize local "gleaning mobs" to pick and donate unused crops to local food banks. Their latest gleaning event was on Oct. 4 in Deer Park, with volunteers ranging in ages from 4 to 60+. These volunteers included students from local universities, AmeriCorps volunteers, and several Second Harvest employees, along with other community members who all came to harvest local apples for charity.

What can you do to help? Raise awareness about gleaning, organize a gleaning mob, donate fresh local crops, volunteer with food banks and connect with local groups.

Together, we can help improve our community in a healthy way.

Dr. SeAnne Safaii, Ph.D., RD, LD, is an associate professor at the University of Idaho.