Got fruit you can’t use? City Fruit expands harvest to West Seattle

Got one or more fruit trees but unable to pick/use this summer’s crop? City Fruit would love to hear from you, so they can come harvest it and get it to people in need. This year, they’re expanding to West Seattle, as well as serving South Seattle and Phinney Ridge, and they’re looking not only for trees, but also volunteers. From Betsy at CF:

City Fruit promotes the cultivation of urban fruit in order to nourish people, build community and protect the climate. We help tree owners grow healthy fruit, provide assistance in harvesting and preserving fruit, promote the sharing of extra fruit and work to protect urban fruit trees. City Fruit works neighborhood by neighborhood to harvest extra fruit and distribute it to food banks, meals programs, senior centers, schools and others who can use it. In the past three years we have harvested nearly 30,000 lbs of fruit. If you have extra, please join us in this effort.

To donate fruit … If you have unsprayed, healthy fruit to donate, contact City Fruit at westseattle@cityfruit.org. Give us your name, address, type of tree and a way to reach you. We will contact you about scheduling a harvest.

…If you have a fruit tree that has a problem (disease, bad fruit, etc.) and you would like to be on our list of fruit trees needing help, email westseattle@cityfruit.org with the details of your tree.

Lots more information on their website at cityfruit.org – including how to support City Fruit by becoming a member (Betsy says there are perks, including a thank-you discount offered by West Seattle Nursery). Betsy says their local beneficiaries include both area food banks. (Photo courtesy City Fruit)

6 Replies to "Got fruit you can't use? City Fruit expands harvest to West Seattle"

  • Mary McNeight July 6, 2012 (4:51 pm)

    what a cool idea this is!

  • happy July 6, 2012 (8:27 pm)

    These nice people are coming to get our grapes when they ripen — two years ago we had 307 *pounds* of grapes that went to the food bank!

  • Roger P. July 6, 2012 (10:27 pm)

    I have a huge old apple tree on a sloping lot. A year or two ago, I contacted an organization like this inviting the to come harvest the apples. My only request was that they sign a release from liability if one of the gleaners should get injured on my property, such as falling out of the tree. I did not want the risk of a lawsuit just to make a donation.

    But they declined to provide any such release, so the fruit went to waste.

    This is a great idea, but donors should not have to risk a damage claim, or a hit on their homeowner’s insurance, just to make a donation.

  • City Fruit July 7, 2012 (8:13 am)

    Thanks for the post! We’re excited to start harvesting in West Seattle. Folks can learn more here: http://www.cityfruit.org.

    Roger — Not sure what organization that was, but I can assure you that we are fully insured. That includes covering our volunteers and any damage they may cause to the homeowner’s property. That said, our harvet coordinator keeps the safety of our crews as top priority and so may choose to not pick a tree if it’s too dangerous. Hope that helps and happy to chat more: info@cityfruit.org.

  • jamie July 7, 2012 (11:12 pm)

    Ahh one of the best times about summer!! I always want to pick some of the fruits that we find….but I always feel guilty for takeing it!! But then when I do decide to pick something its only one or two and I hope the owner knows that they got to share a little bit of sunshine with someone else!

  • I. Ponder July 8, 2012 (9:39 pm)

    I have a dwarf cherry tree planted in the planting strip in front of my house. I’ve been waiting for the cherries to ripen. Apparently someone else has too. The very day some of them ripened, a family drove up in a car and began harvesting the tree with a 5-gallon bucket. My son chased them away before they got too many. I hope they come back so I can harvest the tires from their car, since I need some. I’m all for what you talked about in the article, but urban foraging with a bucket or a bag without asking permission is not OK.

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