Turn surplus fruit into food for the community through Sooke Food CHI’s Gleaning Program

Fruit trees can produce more apples, pears, plums and other fruit than one household can use. Rather than letting that food go to waste, the Sooke Region Food CHI Gleaning Program connects local fruit tree owners with volunteers who can help harvest the crop and share it throughout the community.

What is gleaning?

Gleaning is the harvesting of surplus food that might otherwise go unpicked or unused. Through Food CHI’s program, volunteers visit participating properties and harvest ripe fruit from local trees.

The harvested fruit is shared three ways:

• One-third stays with the tree owner
• One-third is donated to the community, including the Food Bank or Meals on Wheels
• One-third goes to the volunteer gleaner

It is a simple way to reduce food waste, make locally grown food available to more people and build connections within the community.

Have a fruit tree that needs picking?

Food CHI has a truck and harvesting equipment, including ladders, bags, fruit pickers, boxes and cold storage. The program can also help tree owners keep their trees healthy and productive.

Apple pressing is available at the Sunriver orchard, providing another way to make use of the local apple harvest.

Fruit tree owners who have more fruit than they can pick or use are encouraged to take part.

Interested in having your fruit tree gleaned? Contact the Sooke Region Food CHI Gleaning Program at gleaning@sookefoodchi.ca.

Share the harvest. Reduce waste. Build community.