Potato harvest
By Calie Brummer
The Society of St. Andrew’s North Carolina Gleaning Network (NCGN), a volunteer-based program, is hard at work delivering fresh produce to those in need. This season, gleaners will follow the harvest of several local farms, collecting leftover produce from across the region.
“Gleaning benefits all involved,” says Deidre Duffy, NCGN gleaning coordinator. “The growers we work with have the satisfaction in knowing that their produce will not go to waste, and gleaners have fun picking the produce while spending a few hours in a beautiful place and then playing Santa Claus as they deliver fresh produce. At the end of the day, those who receive the food are grateful to have fresh produce on their plates.”
Gleaning efforts have long been a rich source of nourishment for those in need of healthy meals. North Carolina offers a bounty of seasonal produce, and gleaners have collected everything from strawberries to sweet potatoes and collard greens to deliver to community members in need.
Through the NCGN, volunteers across the state enter fields after the harvest to pick up and transfer produce left behind. Farmers benefit from the stock being cleared from their harvested fields, and families and individuals in the community have access to nutritious food.
The gleaning project salvaged more than 100,000 pounds of produce in 2017, and harvested more than 157,000 pounds of produce straight from farmers’ fields. In total, the group distributed more than 338,000 pounds of food to soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries and low-income housing areas.
Local apple orchards provide a bounty of leftover apples rich for gleaning. “We feel blessed to be able to provide fresh fruit to feed people across the region,” says Mike Stepp, owner of Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville. Stepp’s was one of the largest contributors of fresh apples gleaned last year.
All are welcome to participate in gleaning efforts, and those interested can join a mailing group that updates members about upcoming projects. Each glean is unique, and members are encouraged to bring boxes or baskets to transport produce.
Once the produce is collected, gleaners will generally distribute or transfer the produce to a partner who will arrange the donation. Gleaners have access to recommended donation sites based on their location and the type of produce they collect.
To learn more about gleaning in North Carolina, visit endhunger.org.
