Community Food Programs/Resources

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Community Food Programs/Resources

Postby annie aronburg » Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:50 am

As per Chiggerbit's request. I'll keep adding URLs and brief descriptions to this post, to keep things tidy.

AA


http://www.fallenfruit.org/

from their site:
Public Fruit" is the concept behind the Fallen Fruit, an activist art project which started as a mapping of all the public fruit in our neighborhood. We ask all of you to contribute your maps so they expand to cover the United States and then the world. We encourage everyone to harvest, plant and sample public fruit, which is what we call all fruit on or overhanging public spaces such as sidewalks, streets or parking lots.

We believe fruit is a resource that should be commonly shared, like shells from the beach or mushrooms from the forest. Fallen Fruit has moved from mapping to planning fruit parks in under-utilized areas. Our goal is to get people thinking about the life and vitality of our neighborhoods and to consider how we can change the dynamic of our cities and common values.


These folks are doing good work:

http://www.okanagangleaners.ca/

Okanagan Gleaners Society was founded in the autumn of 1994 by a small group of Christian believers in the South Okanagan Valley, out of a growing concern for the hungry people of the world. Fruit and vegetable prices in the Okanagan were sorely depressed.

Meanwhile, they saw good food being wasted, un-harvested in the fields and orchards. Confronted daily by media images of people starving in other countries they felt a responsibility to salvage this God-given abundance of food.

Thus the vision for Okanagan Gleaners was born. With God’s leading they could save the surplus food and send it to the poor and needy! The gift of food would help extend the hands of missionaries reaching out to a hungry and dying world.

The Gleaners’ vision quickly became a reality. Many people joined the society. A local orchardist offered a small acreage with an old 1920’s tobacco-drying barn. Soon this building was painted and renovated into a food-processing plant. Production began in July 1996.

Our society produces mainly dried soup-mix consisting of Brussels sprouts, onions, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, lentils, and pot-barley. In the first three years of operation Okanagan Gleaners produced more than one million servings of soup.

Current production averages over 5 million servings per year. With the purchase of the property and with the plant improvements this annual production will be significantly increased.

Each step along the way God has faithfully supplied our every need. Though Okanagan Gleaners does not solicit funds, we gratefully accept donations. There are no paid staff positions. Perhaps God is calling you to come alongside and help.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
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Acorns

Postby Seventhsonjr » Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:17 pm

Acorns are in huge abundance in my state this year and I have been using them for lots of things (bread, coffee, in oatmeal) and pretty easy to prepare to get the bitter tanic acids out or reduced...

A little tannic acid is good for you too.

Just steep in water and throw the brown water out (after shelling) a couple times then roast. MMM-mmm! They are really good - I make a flour in my mortar and pestle and eat of a few tablespoons a day or drink it in my coffe or teas.And oaks seem to thrive everywhere. The white oak is the choice one as the rad oak is much more bitter with higher tannic acid content so it takes more time and energy to leach the tannic acid out.

Between that and the ginkgo's I have a really good food source every day for the next month or so because I have collected pounds of the stuff.


The autumn olive is also very abundant this year and very easy simply to freeze or dry out.

High in cancer fighting lycopene (as much as 15 times as much as tomatoes per ounce)
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Postby chiggerbit » Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:50 pm

7th, do you find that oaks bear heavily on alternating years? I should pay closer attention, but that's what my white oak seems to do. Many apple trees are like that. Such a pity about red oak wilt, though. it is wiping out my red oak, and I suspect that I've lost a white oak to it, so I'm worried I'll lose them, too. The shingle oaks seem to be even more suseptible than the red oaks, so I'm losing them, too.
Last edited by chiggerbit on Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Seamus OBlimey » Sun Nov 04, 2007 9:34 pm

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Postby chiggerbit » Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:54 pm

I can't believe it, Seamus. A friend just told me that it will be no good for me to try to contribute my excess winter squash to any of the food banks for the poor. They won't accept them, apparently, due to government regulations. So, I will put an ad in the free advertisers.
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Postby Sweejak » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:36 am

For folks in Texas who eat meat, these guys are good.

http://www.paidom.com/

Typically you meet in a parking lot, people are hanging around for the delivery. Like a drug deal. LOL
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Sharing Tree Fruit in Vancouver BC

Postby annie aronburg » Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:33 pm

The Fruit Tree Project in Vancouver, BC Canada

http://www.vcn.bc.ca/fruit/home.html

Every town and city should have such an organization.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
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More Tree Fruit disribution

Postby annie aronburg » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:26 pm

Lifecycles Fruit Tree Project in Victoria, BC CANADA

http://www.lifecyclesproject.ca/

In addition to connecting people with underpicked fruit trees in the Victoria area, this project also creates delicious value-added products like
Apple Pie Gelato, Pear Sorbetto,Plum & Apricot Chutney and Poire Brandy from otherwise un-used fruit. YUM!
This is my kind of thrifty.

Annie

Fruit Tree Project Business Partnerships Program
The Fruit Tree Project is a much-loved community project that picks fruit from Greater Victoria's backyards and redistributes it to those in need. The project continues through the dedication of many volunteers and one coordinator. Unfortunately, the project has no long-term funding and has nearly been shut down on several occasions.

The Fruit Tree Project shares the fruit it picks with the volunteers, homeowners and the community. Over the last two years, the Fruit Tree Project Partnership Program has sought local business partners to create a line of products that would help LifeCycles cover the costs of coordinating the project. Approximately one third of the fruit (often seconds and inedible fruit) will go towards these products. A minimum of 25% (or more) of the total year's harvest is reserved for the local food banks and community and the remaining fruit is shared among the volunteers and homeowners.

Rather than compete with other local business and enter markets beyond our expertise, we have sought to partner with socially minded and locally owned companies that can enable us to create a product line. We offer our reputation and access to new markets in exchange for this expertise. Look for our logo around town and support our project by asking for our products!


Objectives
1. Brand the Fruit Tree Project and raise the profile of all LifeCycles work

2. Expand our membership

3. Raise the profile of our partners and their products as contributors to a local economy

4. Create win-win situations and offer a genuine value to our partners

5. Generate revenue to cover the FTP budget.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
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no food shortage in the lower mainland of BC

Postby annie aronburg » Wed May 21, 2008 11:04 am

The Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project connects volunteers with growing and harvesting fruit and vegetables – for our neighbours in need.

Our three major activities are growing food at the Sharing Farm, picking fruit, and gleaning second harvests from farmers’ fields.



http://www.richmondfruittree.com/
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
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motor city salads

Postby annie aronburg » Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:05 pm

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
User avatar
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Jammin' with Fallen Fruit Collective

Postby annie aronburg » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:10 am

[url=http://machineproject.com/2008/05/27/jammy-jam-08]Public Fruit Jam 2008!
Sunday August 3
12-3pm
Los Angeles, CA[/url]
Making jam with the Fallen Fruit collective is becoming one of our favorite summertime traditions! Bring along your home-grown or public fruit and any clean, empty glass jars you have. At the end everyone will leave with a jar of communal jam. If enough people bring surplus, even the empty handed will leave with jam. Vats of fun for all!

The kinds of jam we make will improvise on the fruit that people provide. The fruit can be fresh or frozen. Fallen Fruit will bring public fruit. We are looking for radical and experimental jams as well, like basil guava or lemon pepper jelly. We’ll discuss the basics of jam and jelly making, pectin and bindings, as well as the communal power of shared fruit and the liberation of public fruit.

Image
ImageImage
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
User avatar
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Postby annie aronburg » Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:46 am

The Portland Fruit Tree Project organizes people in the Portland community to gather fruit before it falls, and make this valuable resource available to those who need it most.

We register fruit & nut trees around the city, coordinate harvesting parties, and offer workshops in pruning & fruit preservation.


An abundance of fruit grows on trees within the city of Portland.
But every year, tons of this delicious organic food drops without being harvested, turning into a sticky mess in yards and sidewalks.

Meanwhile, 11% of Oregonians experience food insecurity each year, and many more can't afford fresh produce, which is vital to a healthy diet and often scarce at food banks.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
User avatar
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Postby annie aronburg » Sat May 28, 2011 3:20 pm

http://www.fruitcity.co.uk/

Fruit City is a growing map and network of all the fruit trees in public spaces in London. Logged and mapped by the Fruit City team and you.
Yes we live in a sometimes harsh urban sprawl, but nature is all around us. Much of the fruit we buy in the city is from far flung places like Spain, Brazil and Chile, but literally tons of fruit grows in our own fair city.

Don’t believe us? Check the Map. Where do you live? Blackberries, Mulberries, Apples, Pears, Plums,Figs, Strawberries and even some secret Kiwis (sssssh!)

We are not saying that every Londoner can get all the fruit they need from the city streets right now and through the year, but a load of the fruit from the trees that do bear goes to waste unpicked.

What if we could get the most out of our London? Community orchards are popping up all over the city. Wouldn’t you like one in your park? Why ship a lorry of apples from Holland when they flourish in Barnet?

Fruit City is not just a Map of trees, but an initiative to wake people up to the nature on their doorstep. To re-engage folks with the wild and goodness around them and to get local community orchards planted.

You’ll find an extensive list of amazing initiatives and schemes that are happening now. As well as recipes and uses for fruit that you may never had thought of. How about some Camden Cherry wine?
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Re: Community Food Programs/Resources

Postby Peregrine » Thu Aug 25, 2011 12:05 pm

This, I think, is a really great idea:

http://www.questoutreach.org/
~don't let your mouth write a cheque your ass can't cash~
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Postby Perelandra » Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:15 pm

annie aronburg wrote:Every town and city should have such an organization.
Yes and not just fruit! This org asks the question, "who will you feed today?"
http://foodpool.org

Here's a link to a good article on gleaning, with many links in it. There are more interesting articles at the site, also.
http://www.shareable.net/blog/gleaning-for-good-an-old-idea-is-new-again
“The past is never dead. It's not even past.” - William Faulkner
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