Food News: Urban Fruit Gleaning

[RLF777]

We see the numbers of people homeless continue to increase ,including single Mothers with Children...With donations way down.

[parduspilot]

I planted a tropical vine with leaves and stems which can be eaten like spinach. It's called Malabar Spinach and it can be grown on trellises or fences. It loves heat as long as it gets plenty of water and the leaves can be steamed or boiled. Its a decorative, tasty, and self-seeding annual in temperate climates.

[ROFLpwnedvideos]

Best idea I've ever heard.

[crisology]

Every season I plant a new species of fruit tree in my yard. This month I have breakfast from 2 mature strawberry guava trees each day. The fruit from my yard is healthier than any food I can get at a grocery store.

In virtually all areas of the U.S. except for south florida, south texas & desert areas, you can grow pawpaw, puree it & freeze it, it is very nutritious/delicious. Fruit should not even be sold but shared among neighbors, communities. There is no reason to import fruit.

[RLF777]

We need this in our area of Northern California~

[thrivesurvive]

This is so awesome! Great job!

[2painfull]

good stuff! how about a pruning party in the winter so the trees wouldnt get so huge. Just a suggestion.

[cookingupastory]

What a great idea! This would be not only beneficial for the trees, but also for those folks who are a bit wary to do any pruning at all. As a group, we all learn from each other. Thanks, 2painfull !

[wildgourmetblog]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only person concerned about all the food available thats free and going to waste. There is also mega tons of food around thats growing wild, right under everyones noses. Enough so that there is no reason of anyone in the US to be going hungry. Start watching some of my Videos, I'll be covering a lot of these items. Growing in yards, alleys, vacant lots.

[parduspilot]

Has anyone done a study on how much lead or other pollutants contaminates plants next to roadways.

[asihablabazaratustra]

yes stop planting flowers ,plant fruit and crops on u yards and save money

[rocktommies]

Nice and interesting. Greetings from the Netherlands.

[parduspilot]

So you're harvesting lots of dessert for people. What about the main course? Aren't more and more people diabetic?

[Denisehealthnut]

fruits are healthy... if people were eating fruits to begin with and not processed desserts they wouldn't have diabetes.

Keep up the good work!

[parduspilot]

I think fruits are only PART of a healthy diet.

[crisology]

"current diabetes epidemic is a global concern with readily available effective therapies or preventative measures in demand. One natural product with such potential is the pomegranate (Punica granatum), with hypoglycemic activity noted from its flowers, seeds, and juice.. Pomegranate fractions and their active compounds hold potential and are worthy of further investigations as safe and effective medical treatments for diabetes mellitus and its pathological consequences. J Med Food. 2007 Jun;10

[crisology]

"the findings of this experimental animal study indicate that MEMP possesses hypoglycemic activity, and thus lends credence to the suggested folkloric use of the plant in the management and/or control of adult-onset, type-2 diabetic mellitus among the Yoruba-speaking people of South-Western Nigeria"

Hypoglycemic effect of methanolic extract of Musa paradisiaca (Musaceae) green fruits in normal and diabetic mice. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. 2003 Jul-Aug;25(6):453-6.

[Kowneyn]

Are this trees drinking battery acid, and engine oils, soda and cigarrets butts and condom remains? then no! I will go with farmer's market.

[cookingupastory]

Interesting point, but no, it was a clean lot...no debris and no junk in sight.

[Denisehealthnut]

I've heard people say that... I grew up eating fruits from my backyard, we had almond tree, grapes... we grew corn, we have a coconut tree, bananas and we ate them all. I do wonder now that everyone is telling me something could be wrong... Anyone willing to send them to an independent lab?

[her1337ness]

@Kowneyn pretty sure people that are going to a food bank aren't too overly concerned about where their food was grown. Most are simply seeking something to eat to stay alive. These trees looked like they were growing in a clean lot anyhow.

[smileforvideo]

nice !

[hooliganwasportbike]

great idea man!

[Denisehealthnut]

Oh My God, I need to do this here in LA... so many lemon trees and orange trees and avocado trees and nobody eats them. They literally rot and I've thought of this but help me on how to start please!

[cookingupastory]

Katy Kolker, who started the program w/the help of others, said she would share info in starting one up. There is a link to her website on my website ( cookingupastory[dot]com ). Click on 'Portland Fruit Tree Project' (under Sustainable Living blogroll list), and it will take you right there. Good Luck! I know it will succeed, if started!!

[Denisehealthnut]

Thank you so much!

[viperdude281]

well. i do like runescape but sometimes ill play pokemon on occasions

[luxomedia]

It's harvest time! Sweet!

[happilin]

cant they just do it and shut up. really, i will close this site now...

[johnirishhere]

well done, kind people,

[AssBallsDickHole]

those people are fruits.

[fun4life24]

eeeewie!

[Elbarto150]

Is the narrator Miranda July, (the director of Me and You and Everyone we Know)?

[cookingupastory]

No, it's all told by Katy Kolker. She's one of the coordinators of the program. But you were close (same town!)!

[Pokygirl2001]

Asian pears are awful tasting things. But by god I'm sure somebody likes them and I'm pleased to see they're not left to rot! That's a great program.

[maxamigo888]

Muahahahahahaaaa :

Goodbye, Stupid

[maxamigo888]

the message I responded to is now gone after being flagged.

[Rm1000YrsWide]

Tomatoes grow on small plant, which has a thick, hairy stalk, and has about ten leaves on it usually. It flowers and then bears juicy red fruit, which are the tomatoes that people eat. Because these tomatoes are actually the plant's reproductive organs (hence the seeds inside) it is considered, botanically speaking, a fruit. However, since it is most commonly used as a vegetable, it is legally considered (for taxes etc.) a vegetable.

[Rm1000YrsWide]

Also, one of the amendments to the Constitution prohibits presidents from serving more than two terms.  So Bush could not run again because he has already served two full terms, or at least he will have when the elction comes in November 2008.

[averagebetty]

I need to do some gleaning of the pomegranates and avocados around here! They might call it poaching or stealing though ;)

[cookingupastory]

Let me know when, and I'll create a diversion!!

No, really, they might appreciate getting them into hands that could use them...otherwise they'll just have to clean up that which falls.

PS. I love avocados :-o

[Kennyhayes]

Could you at least make an arguement that we are stupid instead of making a stupid insult? Stupidly?

[3boodq8]

omg! omg! omg! omg!

[nusaybin1788]

fahssdhjdhgdjcocfjhcfvk

[Crusherchik]

Demarimarcus1983 ... go here! Don't forget to vote! C U there! Samantha

[RollinGolden]

I LOVE BIG MACS omg!

[cookingupastory]

Let us know, RollinGolden, if you come across a sauce tree. THAT I'd like to see!

[Flemmingdoerken]

Well obviously... Who has ever heard of a sauce-tree...?!

[cookingupastory]

but aren't tomatoes considered a fruit? Maybe there is a sauce tree out there...

[Flemmingdoerken]

You do have a point.. Well if there is, I'm getting one! Preferably Bearnaise-flavored...

I hope they don't require much watering and stuff.

[Flemmingdoerken]

good question..! Do they grow on trees?

[Sylverstone14]

they need to stop the voilence and they will have a great and beautiful jamaica

[davea0511]

good for the trees too. fruit trees that don't get gleaned are more likely to get diseased.

[cookingupastory]

very good point you make, davea0511. so it's really a 4-way win-win (the owners, the pickers, the food banks, and the trees)!

[Flemmingdoerken]

so a win-win-win-win situation?

[cookingupastory]

Yes. Or maybe you could say a win-win2 (y'know, squared).

[Fliphaf]

That's nice

and also good for your health

[reebocken]

Omg thats much fruit!

[cookingupastory]

for sure, reebocken! the pear tree was on an empty lot. fortunately the owner of the lot called the group and all those great asian pears got picked and shared with lots of folks! a great way to share the wealth!!

[LindsayLouise]

roger doger

[TheRealInvaderZim]

A very nice idea , you can get a great response by approaching the homeowner with the idea that you will harvest and in exchange trim and mulch and fertilize the tree for them. Make it a take and give proposition!

[altamont16]

urban friut turns me on

[willberb]

Here's the deal hemp keeps your soil stable, the seeds feed the birds that also eat the bugs that harm your crops.

[luckmagnet]

righton!!!  supercool project -- FALLENFRUIT loves what you are doing!!

[cookingupastory]

hey, luckmagnet, is FALLENFRUIT doing something like this in LA?

[dionysusstar]

That is such an awesome thing those people are doing.

[cookingupastory]

I was amazed, dionysusstar, at how much fruit was hanging on those trees. No way could one household keep up! Ya gotta invite somebody over!

[phillipah7]

Here in Florida it is several types of fruit that goes to waste. I would say the best is the mango. Which is some times over a dollar per fruit.

[cookingupastory]

OMG, I love mangos! and you're right, they are one of the pricier fruits. hmmmm, a plane ticket might be in order!

[SignatureSweetShoppe]

They need to do something like that here in Los Angeles where the fruit is so abundant and just falls to the ground and rots.

[cookingupastory]

That's why, when I found out about the Portland Fruit Tree Project, I wanted to do this story...hopefully some people will see what these folks are doing, and maybe try it where they live. It's such a win-win for everyone involved!

[dionysusstar]

There is an organization that does the same thing in LA. They make maps of fruit that is on public space so they don't even have to ask for it. If a tree overhangs a public sidewalk then you can pick the fruit. I saw a youtube video about it so it must be true!

[MissTruly]

What I'd like to see, however, is more people saying letting organizations know that they have fruit trees to be harvested, and people can set up a schedule to have volunteers do the harvest - I mean, it should be a HUGE thing. Really, there's more fruit to be harvested than the food banks can probably use.

[cookingupastory]

Hear-here!! The question is, how to make it happen? One person at a time, maybe...so pass the word!

[cookingupastory]

i love it! Of course!!

Glad to hear it is happening elsewhere. It's a no-brainer :)

[jizbotika]

that makes me happy

[cookingupastory]

Me too, jizbotika! ...and the tree owners, and the pickers, and the food banks, and lots of other folks too! :)

[sandyanna]

Brilliant Idea in my area bagel shops dump any remaining at closing time now some are picked up charity organizations.

[cookingupastory]

Awesome. It's great to hear people come together and share good food w/others, especially those in need. YAY!

[TheUrbanHomesteaders]

This is sooo fabulous. I have a cherry and a mulberry tree in mind for this same initiative.  I can't wait to show the owners of them your video! Thanks!

[cookingupastory]

Great! We need something like this in our neighborhood too. The cherry trees were in such abundance this year, too many for just one household. It just makes so much sense :)

BAM(byallmeans), spread the word!!

[henname]

what a neat idea.

[cookingupastory]

henname, isn't it tho? it's one of those, 'why didn't I think of that'!!