UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail:  dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu

Quick Links:    Christmas Articles 

December 19, 2007

 

Feature Article - for release the week of Christmas, December 23, 2007

Angela Sachson – Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program

 

The Gift of Gleaning 

One of the principals of Florida Yards & Neighborhoods is recycle yard waste.  We recommend this because yard waste is a great source of mulch, a good source of nutrients, and is bad material for the land fill.

Recently this recycling idea took on a new meaning for me when I toured some vegetable producers in a nearby county.  It was beautiful to see row after row of beans, tomatoes, and squash.  But lying in the field, between the rows, were noticeable piles of produce picked, but not picked-up. 

The grower explained to us that these were less-than-perfect examples of the species being grown and would not be acceptable for his high-end produce market.  Straight-necked yellow squash, for instance, must have straight, not curvy, necks.

Thrifty folks among us wondered at the waste of good food.  The producer agreed but indicated rescuing the rejects is too labor-intensive and thus too expensive to be worthwhile.

When I got home I talked with friends and coworkers about my wonderful experience.  When it came to the vegetable waste, however, many folks were sad that good fresh food is rotting while some people don’t get enough to eat.  I have friends who volunteer at a local food bank.  Think how it made them feel!

Since the holidays are a time of giving, I decided to research this issue and see just how hard it might be to get that food off the ground and on to the table of someone who needs it.

A Gift from Ancient times

That is how I learned about gleaning. Gleaning is a Biblical word, referring to a law of ancient times: farmers allowed those less fortunate into their fields to pick over the remains of the harvest. 

Today gleaning refers to harvesting excess produce for charitable distribution.  There are many organizations in this country devoted to gleaning.  Volunteers assemble, usually on Saturday morning, and move through the fields picking the good produce left behind after harvest.

Florida is one of the top five states in agriculture, by volume, and one Florida Gleaning Network salvages over a million pounds of fresh produce for the hungry each year.

Still, only some of the crops produced are retrieved and redistributed. And I don’t know of any gleaning activity at present here in Okeechobee.

Another gleaning activity gaining momentum is backyard fruit gleaning. Here in the Sunshine State, many citrus trees produce more fruit than one family can ever eat.  This excess fruit from your own back yard could be donated to the hungry.

Today in America there are 34 million hungry Americans in the richest nation in the world!  Sadly, over 90 billion pounds of food produced for human consumption is wasted each year, either left rotting in fields or thrown away. 

 

Getting involved

If you would like to get involved in this activity, here are the names of some gleaning organizations:   You can donate produce, join volunteers to pick fruit or vegetables or help with local organizing, transportation, and communication. You can learn about other organizations at our website or by calling our office. 

*       Society of St. Andrew -  call toll free: (800) 806-0756

*       Ian Oudit,  Cross Ministries Gleaning Coordinator, West Palm Beach (561) 833-9499

*       Treasure Coast Food Bank, Inc.  Tel: (772) 489-5676

In Okeechobee there are some other ways to help feed the hungry.  Local Food Pantries include the Presbyterian Church, Basinger Ministries, First Baptist Church, Oakview Baptist Church, and Welcome House.  These organizations are members of the Treasure Coast Food Bank, but also accept donations of cash and food.

One non-denominational program is fairly new to Okeechobee and, while not specifically a food recovery program, it is a great way to help feed hungry families.  The program is called Angel Food Ministries.  Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization that began in 1994 in Monroe, Ga. At that time, it served 34 families.  Today it serves thousands.

The program provides quality groceries that total an average retail value of $50 for only $30.  It works this way:  Angel Food Ministries buys food in bulk, the same as a restaurant or grocery store and, sells it at cost to families across the country.  There are no applications or qualifications required to order through Angel Food Ministries.  The host site for the program in Okeechobee is the First Baptist Church.  To access this program or to volunteer to help, call (863) 763-7825.

Ghosts of Christmas (Articles) Past

If you need more information on the many different kinds of  holiday plants or want to know more about the folklore and traditions associated with them, go to our county Extension website and take a look.  And if you have any special holiday plants that I’ve not covered, please let me know and I will see what I can find.

I’ve placed more information on our Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  If you need additional information on food recovery programs, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons (but not on Christmas or New Years!).  Merry Christmas and, GO GATORS!  

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Trade  names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean.   Last update: 12/19/2007.    This page is maintained by Dan Culbert