Community Fruit

Please consider a financial donation to grow the Community Fruit program!

Click here for more information.
If you have fruit to share,

please take a moment to read the frequently asked questions!

Then fill out the form to let us know the details at the bottom of this webpage.  

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What's the story with the fruit fly quarantine?

A:  A large portion of Sacramento County is currently under a quarantine to prevent the spread of an agricultural pest.  Please do not share your fruit if you are within the quarantine zone.  For more details please head to https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/off/regulation.html

 

Q: Can I pick my own fruit, but still share it?

A: If you are outside of the Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine, then YES! That is a wonderful help! Depending on your location we can arrange for pick up or we can schedule a time for it to get dropped off here in South Oak Park.  Harvesting your own fruit gives us more time to harvest for our neighbors that are seniors or folks that have mobility issues.  If you are physically able to, but don't want to, please make a financial donation to cover the time and expense of operating the program.

 

Q: How do I know when my oranges are ripe?

A: SO GLAD YOU ASKED!  Just because they're orange, doesn't mean they're ready! Navel oranges can start getting ripe in December or January but often will taste better later in the season.  They should be somewhat soft to the touch.  They should taste sweet!  Try one!  Valencia oranges are ripe in the spring. Please, please, please taste your fruit before requesting that we come and harvest it.

 

Q: I love this project!  How can I make sure that it continues to happen?

A: Great question.  We accept donations to keep the program going. You can make one-time or recurring donations for this program https://opencollective.com/community-fruit  Your support and generosity make this program happen.  Thank you!

 

Q: I live outside of Sacramento and have fruit to share! Will you come and harvest my tree?

A: We suggest doing an internet search with the name of where you live and the word "gleaning" to find a local organization to help get your fruit to your community.  At this point, we are only active in the Sacramento area.

 

Q: Can I have some free fruit?

A: We often have free fruit available at find out farms in South Oak Park. Follow us on facebook or instagram to find specific details.  Look below for other places to find the fruit that we are sharing. If you're food insecure and looking for food sooner please check this website:  https://www.sacramentofoodbank.org/find-food

 

Q: I have a very tall tree.  Will you be able to pick all of the fruit off of it?

A: We do the best we can with a harvest ladder and a fruit picker, but often times very tall fruit trees have fruit that we simply cannot get to.  If you know anyone that has a bucket truck that they aren't using, please let us know! Seriously.  Please help us find a bucket truck!

 

Q: "I need to schedule an appointment with your service to come and get all the fruit off of my tree.  It's making a mess! How soon are you available?"

A: It sounds like you're looking to hire someone to do some yard work for you!  We are a tiny volunteer-driven organization doing this work to help increase food access to folks in our region while diverting food waste.  We recommend hiring a gardener if your goal is to keep your yard tidy.

 

Q: What are the goals for this program?

A: Our goals with this program are:

  • Keep locally grown fruit from getting wasted. Backyard trees generally produce way more than one household can consume or even preserve. We give the fruit directly to the local community to help ensure that it won't get wasted.  In 2021 we diverted well over 10,000 lbs. of fruit.  In 2022 we nearly doubled the impact.  2023 will be our biggest year yet! We love diverting edible food waste.
  • Enjoy fruit with our community. We love answering questions and encouraging folks to try the wide variety that grows here. We believe that fruit can be a wonderful, healthy way to try something new.
  • Help folks with fruit trees to continue to see the trees that they care for as valuable community resources and help to offer evidence-based care suggestions when possible.

 

We couldn't do with work without our Community Partners!

The Community Fruit program started in 2020 as our Free Fruit Farmstand.  We’d harvest one day a month and then give all the fruit away to the community here in South Oak Park.  We saw an abundance of fruit falling from trees and going to waste while there is limited access for many folks to get fresh, healthy food. Our collective urban orchard in the Sacramento area is especially robust and by diverting otherwise wasted fruit, we are also growing local food resiliency.

We have partnered with community groups that are doing really great work here increasing food access in our community.  

Some of our community partners are:

Wellspring Women's Center: 

Wellspring's Nutritious Meal Program serves a nutritious breakfast and light lunch Monday through Friday from 8:30 am - 11:00 am. Any woman and child are eligible to attend and enjoy a healthy meal in a welcoming environment.

 

Neighbor Program:

Neighbor Program is a community organization committed to serving the people of Sacramento through building survival programs. 

 

River City Food Bank:

River City Food Bank’s mission is to alleviate hunger in Sacramento County by providing consistent access to healthy, meaningful food for all.

 

Do you have fruit to share? Please fill this out and we will get back to you as soon as we can!