On the Olympic Peninsula, the majority of gleaning occurs on small to medium scale, diverse vegetable farms, which brings in a great abundance and variety of vegetables. The different kinds of row crop gleans in the second season have included abandoned surplus crops, abandoned damaged…
Prior to Glean: Coordinate with farmers. Make a list of info you need from farmers to effectively and efficiently coordinate gleaning events. This includes: type of produce, number of volunteers needed for a 2-3 hours harvest, best hours for farm to have volunteers (some farms…
The TCFB Gleaners worked closely with 7 small farmers in Thurston County, most of which grow diverse row crops for market or CSA (community supported agriculture). It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the growing season and the crops that these farmers will…
Developing strong, positive, and professional relationships with farmers is imperative to the growth of your program. In the first year, focus on establishing relationships and trust with the farmers by being reliable and consistent in your interactions. Once a solid partnership has been established between…
Field Training and Farm Etiquette Every glean includes field training for volunteers and reviewing farm etiquette, as well as any special harvesting instructions from the farmer. (*Note: all gleaning coordinators should check with the farmer for special instructions on harvesting crops.) The success of a gleaning…
The Clark County Food Bank gleaning program began in 2012 with the help of 90 enlisted volunteers, 20 growers, 12 donors, and 9 gleaning event hosts. They are always working to expand their farm base in “keeping it local.” Volunteering with a gleaning project is…
The majority of Boston Area Gleaners’ volunteer work is gleaning row crops in farmers’ fields. When managing groups in the field, the main priorities are ensuring that everyone is informed and engaged, maintaining the safety of volunteers and the land, and keeping the task running as efficiently as possible to maximize the harvest.
Spreading the Word About Your Program At the end of the day, the whole point of gleaning is getting food to those in need. Thus, it is crucial for the success of any gleaning program to have strong connections to the food banks and meal…