Gleaning
A Sustainable Solution to Food Waste and Hunger
Have you ever heard the term gleaning? Simply put, gleaning is the act of collecting excess fresh foods from various sources to provide them to those in need. This happens at farms, gardens, farmers markets, grocery stores, restaurants, and even state and county fairs.
Gleaning is more than just collecting leftover food—it's a practical and impactful way to address two significant issues: food waste and hunger. Each year, billions of pounds of food go to waste in the United States. Meanwhile, millions of people, including children, face hunger and live in "food deserts" where affordable, quality, nutritious food is scarce. Gleaning directly tackles these problems by rescuing perfectly good, surplus food and redirecting it to individuals and families who need it most.
Why is Gleaning Important?
Reduces Food Waste: Gleaning prevents the unnecessary discarding of quality food.
Fights Hunger: It provides fresh, nutritious foods to low-income populations who might otherwise struggle to afford or access such options. As one staff member at DC Central Kitchen notes, gleaning supplies healthy fruits and vegetables that would typically be too expensive to purchase.
Supports Community: Gleaning builds connections between community members, local gardeners, and farmers, strengthening local food systems.
Aids Nonprofits: It provides vital resources to nonprofit agencies like food banks and soup kitchens that operate with limited budgets. Gleaned produce often results in significant cost savings for these organizations.
Where Does Gleaning Happen?
Gleaning can take place in various settings:
Farms and Gardens: Volunteers can collect surplus produce after the main harvest.
Farmers Markets: Gleaners can gather unsold fresh foods at the end of market days.
Grocery Stores and Restaurants: Businesses can donate quality excess food.
Getting Involved in Gleaning:
Area 2 Farms operates on a CSA model, meaning our organic produce is pre-allocated to members based on subscriptions. This allows us to plan planting and harvesting carefully, resulting in minimal excess. Because of this efficient, direct-to-consumer approach, traditional gleaning isn’t typically applicable to our operations.
If you're interested in gleaning, here's how you can participate:
Volunteer with a local gleaning program or food bank. Organizations like Friends of Urban Agriculture lead gleaning trips multiple times per year.
Start your own gleaning program by partnering with local farmers markets, community gardens, or farms. The USDA's "Let's Glean!" toolkit offers guidance on getting started.
Support initiatives like "Plant a Row for the Hungry" by growing an extra row in your garden and donating the surplus to local food agencies.
Gleaning is a time-honored practice with modern relevance. It offers a concrete way to improve your community by reducing waste, supporting local food systems, and helping feed those in need. Understanding gleaning helps us recognize its vital role in creating a more sustainable and equitable food system.
