Urban Gleaning Goes Mainstream
This is terrific, though my 1st reaction is “I wish… it’s not mainstream yet…” We can do so much more.
NFFTT is just one of a rapidly growing number of such groups that have sprung up in North American cities in recent years, attracting thousands of volunteers as well as homeowners eager to have someone cart away excess fruit that pile up in the yard. The organizers are motivated by a recognition that enormous amounts of fruit routinely goes to waste in urban backyards, leaving behind a rotting mess. “Many homeowners are at their wit’s end when they contact us,” says Reinsborough. “It’s a hassle to have an un-harvested tree [on your property].”
But interest is driven by broader community considerations. Gleaning groups give some or all of the produce to local social agencies, thus blurring the crisp line between private asset and public amenity. Some forge connections with cultural activities (e.g. Fallen Fruit in Los Angeles, a collective that combines gleaning and performance art) while others are linked to programs geared at street youth, refugees or migrant workers.
Gleaning is a good new word to add to our value-of-‘Ohana vocabulary:
Archive Aloha ~ Our Ka‘ana Like Law of the Harvest (on Talking Story)
