Home › Forums › Open Discussion › a surplus of backyard furit and veggies?
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June 30, 2008 at 9:29 pm #587347
angelescrestParticipantI’d love to start an exchange/offering up/etc. of surplus crops. Anyone interested or have ideas?
June 30, 2008 at 9:50 pm #629666
WSBKeymasterHave you heard about Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle?
They are hoping to harvest even more backyard fruit trees this year than last.
–TR
June 30, 2008 at 9:53 pm #629667
JoBParticipantJune 30, 2008 at 9:55 pm #629668
angelescrestParticipantThanks. TR. I like it. I was thinking of something less formal, but it’s impressive.
June 30, 2008 at 10:03 pm #629669
angelescrestParticipantJoB–
I don’t want to take anything away from gleanit.org or from the needy, I’m just working on being as sustainable as I can be. I’m thinking of using the bike for deliveries. Do you have ideas?
(And, yes, I can spell–I’m an awful editor!)
June 30, 2008 at 10:08 pm #629670
JoBParticipantangelescrest…
i think it would be fun to do a backyard veggie exchange..
we could all bring excess.. take home what we wanted.. and anything left over could be dropped by the food bank…
i don’t have an excess problem yet.. but i think i may have planted too many different tomatoes:)
and i have lots of herbs.
June 30, 2008 at 10:22 pm #629671
angelescrestParticipantThat’s a great idea. I suppose we could make sporadic offerings for things that appear at odd times. I, too, have lots of herbs at the moment.
June 30, 2008 at 11:30 pm #629672
JoBParticipantyes, i think we could…
so.. let’s start a gardener’s thread and take this idea to the local gardeners…
July 1, 2008 at 1:09 am #629673
herongrrrlParticipantI was wondering if the Family Promise organization can take garden produce, and if so, what quantity would make it worth their while? My lettuce is going crazy and there’s no way my family can eat it all before it bolts if this weather continues, but depending on how many people are being fed through the Family Promise program I don’t know if what I have to offer would add up to more than one salad.
July 1, 2008 at 1:21 am #629674
angelescrestParticipantI am in the same boat as HG. Small scale. There might be enough romaine for a few salads (or who knows what’s coming squash-wise, tomatoes…). That’s why I was thinking if we had this site (or JoB’s new one) where we could offer up WHENEVER (and possibly stay out of the car)…well, how cool. I would have loved extra tomatoes last year when we were new gardeners. Or plums!
July 1, 2008 at 4:57 am #629675
JoBParticipanti think this is a problem many of us face.. enough to share but not enough to make it worth any organization’s time to gather it…
whichever thread works.. i hope one does:)
July 1, 2008 at 5:12 pm #629676
flowerpetalMemberI am going to have a bumper crop of apples this year. We have four varieties on one tree. In the past I have used the free listings on Craigslist with great success; and gave away boxes and bags of apples in August and September to West Seattle neighbors for the last two years.
July 1, 2008 at 5:16 pm #629677
BayouMemberI have several fruit trees in my yard but I don’t know how much they will produce because they were not pruned in the spring. Is it too late to cut them back? I’ve contact the community harvest to try to participate in their drive.
So far, I have small fruits that appear to be apples, cherries and asian pears. I may also have a surplus of garden tomatoes when they become ripe.
July 1, 2008 at 7:24 pm #629678
flowerpetalMemberBayou, I would hold off on cutting back the trees until next February unless there are low hanging branches in the way. Even doing some trimming now will draw attention away from the growing fruit; so best to wait if you can.
July 1, 2008 at 7:56 pm #629679
B-squaredParticipantAs a member of Community harvest of SW seattle, i can tell you that we would be very interested in harvesting your excess fruits this year. you can fill out a form on http://gleanit.org and you will be contacted regarding the specifics. We can take the extra you have picked, help you pick or pick if you can not. Last year’s recipients (the foodbanks, shelters, missions, senior centers, etc) really appreciated the fresh fruit, and this year there seems to be more need. on our website, there is also opportunities to donate extra garden produce through some local churches. check our website under the “Projects” tab.
July 2, 2008 at 3:16 am #629680
Heinz57MomMemberAs a frustrated gardener myself (nothing I do seems to work) the only thing I have to offer is a large amount of yellow sage (strictly organic) and if anything survives me this year I may have some yellow zucchini.
I dream of having a wonderful garden but it seems to be out of the question. No matter how much organic top soil or other things I add to the soil to improve.
I’d be willing to help weed. :)
July 2, 2008 at 5:07 am #629681
angelescrestParticipantFlowerpetal,
I would love some apples–don’t think we’ll get too many. I am sensing plenty of squash and tomatoes…and I have romaine to spare now. And mint, galore…if anyone needs it.
HZ57Mom,
Come look at what’s growing in our yard and our soil. See if you can glean some ideas.
July 4, 2008 at 4:06 am #629682
Heinz57MomMemberangelescrest I would love that. Thank you! I’ve tried flowers (perennnials & bulbs) tomatoes, basil, thyme, oregano, and so many other things I can’t remember in the bed above our rock wall. The only thing that has took so far is a yellow sage and it’s enormous.
My email is YourEcoSafeHome at yahoo dot com
Thanks again!
July 4, 2008 at 4:25 pm #629683
JoBParticipantHeinz57mom..
my garden is mostly the potted variety.. but i harvested more basil and mint last night than we could use.. and we love tabouli…
and the basil now needs trimming…
i too would be willing to share…
joanne at brayden dot org
July 5, 2008 at 4:54 pm #629684
Heinz57MomMemberJoanne do you have a good source for containers? I’ve just pulled the dried gone to seed parsley (from a few years ago) out of the three containers I have (one an old cat litter bucket) to put in the tomato, pepper, zucchini, and basil I bought to plant outside.
I’m hearing about possible soil contamination in our area and wondering if that’s part of my problem.
I’m going to go to the hardware store today to try to find something I can use and some more organic top/potting soil.
July 5, 2008 at 4:58 pm #629685
Heinz57MomMemberoh, another thing…does anyone here do any canning? I’ve not done it in years and then only jam but I’d really like to can some tomatoes.
July 5, 2008 at 5:44 pm #629686
JoBParticipantHeinz57mom..
canning tomatos is easy because they only require a water bath to seal… anything acidic can be canned in a water bath…
as for containers.. anything makes a good plant container.. just make sure there are holes in the bottom for drainage… and throw some gravel in the bottom to make it drain better.. add soil and plant.
recycled containers can add a charm to a backyard potted garden.
if you want good containers at a great price.. last time i was at canned foods/grocery outlet in Burien they had beautiful ceramic pots at great prices.. as did big lots.. also in burien…
Big lots also has lots of cheap pots.
I am using plastic this year because i am in a rental and don’t want to give myself heavy ceramic pots that will have to be moved… they work just fine.. you just have to be more consistent about watering and plant in a larger pot than you normally would to make sure there is plenty of soil to absorb water… and it doesn’t hurt to add a moisture holding soil additive to the bottom third of the pot…
good luck!
July 7, 2008 at 2:46 am #629687
Heinz57MomMemberOk Kim and Joanne you inspired me. I’m now the proud gardener (or plant killer jury still out) of a 3’x14′ raised bed hubby built today out of Cedar. I’ve put in marigolds and tomatoes (lots of tomatoes). I’ve got to get some cat barrier (any ideas) and I’m going to cumble up some egg shells to keep the slugs/snails off/out of things.
Anything else I should know/do? We put in 18 cubic feet of mixed organic top soil, organic compost, and steer manure.
I’m going to go tomorrow to p/u some fish emulsion and a soaker hose.
July 7, 2008 at 4:53 am #629688
hammerheadParticipantI have huge brayburn apple tree, 2 pear tress and a HUGE fig tree. I did promise what ever figs to fulltilt to make fig ice cream. I hope my pears will produce a better crop this year I have been talking to them.. SO when things are ripe I will be happy to let everyone know and you can come get your fill. My biggest concern would be if someone got hurt the insurance issue. Don’t know how that would work. I would love for the fruit to go to people use can use it. Especially the figs. I HATE figs and god are they mess.
More later
July 7, 2008 at 5:00 am #629689
angelescrestParticipantWhen will the figs be ripe?
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