Gleaning Program

Rescuing Excess Produce From Local Farms and Gardens

Peppers Gleaned from Muirhead Farm
Gleaning at Helsing Junction Farm
Gleaned Produce from Kirsop Farm
Mission Statement
Shiro Plum Glean July 2020
Thurston County Food Bank
Mission Statement
Thurston County Food Bank

Glean: to harvest or collect leftover vegetables and fruit that would otherwise go to waste

TCFB’s Gleaning Program rescues fresh produce from local farms, gardens, and residential fruit trees and bushes, reducing waste and increasing produce availability for our clients.  Each year, we glean an average 26,000–30,000 pounds of produce!

From May into winter, whether collecting pre-harvested produce, harvesting in a farm field, or picking neighborhood fruit trees, our gleaning volunteers enjoy camaraderie and fresh air while making a real difference in their community!

FIELD GLEANS

Every Friday, 9am to 12pm, from July through September:

On our Apply Now / Shift Sign-Up page we will post specifics about a weekly Field Glean on a local farm. Sometimes farmers are unable to harvest perfectly viable crops from the field, for lack of a market or because it costs too much in labor to harvest. Volunteers meet either at the TCFB Warehouse or at the farm and harvest these fruits and vegetables from the field. Volunteers will be given tools needed and specific instructions from TCFB staff for a successful harvest. All produce gets delivered to TCFB pantries.

PICK-UP GLEANS

Ride along with a TCFB staff person to rescue produce from farms that has already been harvested. Transfer the harvested produce from the farm’s bins, to TCFB bins. We are looking for 6-8 regular volunteers who can commit to helping out with 8 pick-ups from July to September.

PICK ONE, GIVE ONE

Help harvest from fruit trees and fruit bushes in residential neighborhoods and one share will go to the Food Bank and you can take a share home for yourself! There is so much fruit in Thurston County that gets left unharvested and ends up going to waste. Help us harvest this fruit and take some home for yourself and your family in the process. 

Neighborhood Gleans: Register your fruit crop and/or sign up to volunteer, and stay tuned for a neighborhood-event Gleaning Day.

DONATE A CROP

Do you have fruit trees in your yard or a farm you would like us to come glean? Sign up using the Register Your Crop button below — and we might be able to come glean it. We vet all fruit trees prior to harvest, and need at least a two weeks notice to get you on our harvest cycle. Fruit should be mostly pest free and just under ripe.

For more information please contact MackenzieM@tcfb.org.