All About Our Harvest Program

What Is it?

Harvesting is at the core of what we do and who we are. We started because it was absurd that people were hungry when food was rotting on the ground and we’ve grown from there!

Why Does it Matter

Hunger is at a historic high and we continue to see that it’s not because there isn’t food - it’s because distribution and the food system if flawed. Harvesting fruit that would otherwise go to waste is one way to help improve fruit distribution and get a product that would rot on the ground and contribute to climate change through methane release and get it to people who may not otherwise have access to it due to cost, transportation, or unfamiliarity.

How is it Going?

2021 was our 15th harvest season and it brought so many exciting changes.

• We re-envisioned what harvest leadership volunteer training and engagement looked like, really viewing it as a position to start conversations around food equity.

• We built an outdoor walk-in cooler to keep fruit in better shape for our partners and made it accessible to homeowners looking to share their bounty.

• We hired additional positions to support harvesting.

• We received funding to focus some harvesting in ways that got culturally meaningful fruit harvested and distributed and piloted it on our persimmon harvesting efforts.

• We got a second vehicle in partnership with Davis Elementary School.

• We created a “walk sheet” with some food equity 101 info for all volunteers as a way to start conversations.

• We re-launched bike harvests with Community Cycling Center and look to grow that project.

• We completed our first Healing Harvest (check out the Inclusivity Projects for more info).

• We evaluated where tree care and harvesting did or didn’t touch, so we can learn for next year.

• We harvested (and continue to harvest) SO MUCH FRUIT.

• We have Tara Eberlin-Pohlman as our new Harvest Program Coordinator and she’s rocking it!