Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Free Produce - Everybody Wins!

Sara at The Pantry Panel shares some great ideas on how to preserve fruit that would otherwise go to waste.
"Many yards, especially in older neighborhoods, have fruit trees with fruit that go to waste because it is never picked. Many of us would like to preserve fruit, but either don't have fruit trees, or our fruit trees are too young to bear fruit. Is there a way to make a connection between unwanted fruit and people who want to preserve it? ...
  • Keep your eyes open. Look for fruit trees around town, especially trees that have started to drop ripe fruit. This is a sign that the tree's owner may not be using the fruit.
  • Be prepared. Look trustworthy and well groomed; these people may be trusting you to be in their yard. Bring ladders, gloves, and boxes or buckets.
  • Knock and ask in such a way that they do not feel pressured to say yes. Never steal!
  • Leave the yard cleaner than you found it. It's nice to put overripe fruit into a pile so it's easier for them to clean up after the overripe fruit."
Read the complete post here.

(Source: Sara, The Pantry Panel, "Finding Fruit with April", October 9, 2008)