Gleaner Harvest Totals for 2022

We’ve finished up our 15^th season of gleaning and time now to enjoy what’s left of that fresh, frozen, dried, sauced, canned, juiced, jammed, caramelized and fermented fruit we picked.

This was one of our least abundant fruit years with almost no plums or pears, and an off year for apples, yet despite that, we delivered 6,573* pounds of local, organic fruit that would have gone to waste to 17 different organizations or events** where it nourished and was enjoyed by many in our community. Included in that total is the 1500+ pounds of applesauce that will be feeding Port Townsend and Quilcene students all winter. 

Not included in that number is the approximately 1500 - 2000 pounds of apples picked at the Blue Heron middle school orchard, which this year was almost entirely harvested by students. The 6^th graders conducted taste tests of the varieties, and in January will be harvesting scion wood of their favorites, and then each grafting their own tree in March. Anyone with experience doing that who would like to help, please let us know. It’s exciting to have orchard education become part of the curriculum. 

Special thanks to Katie, Tammy, Marty, Jane, Sonny, Janice, and Kathy for doing the bulk of the tree checks (that is truly the most crucial job), Paula for doing all the Tri area tree checks, leading the Tri area picking crews, doing most of the Chimacum deliveries and sewing a ton of new picking bags. Many thanks to all who came, picked, and then came back! We had a lot of great returning and new gleaners this year and many awesome kids.  We hope to see you all in the trees next year. 

Seth, Kathy, Suzanne, Mary, Gabrielle, and Janice (who is joining our leadership team for next year!)

PS, We’ll be aiming to have a pruning workshop in January, we’ll pick a date soon. 

*Doing the math per pound we picked and delivered about 602 plums, 460 pears, 270 Asian pears, 430 figs and 18,408 apples (plus a few thousand for ourselves). Well done! 

** Chimacum Primary, Elementary and High schools, Port Townsend School District kitchen, Blue Heron middle school, Cedarbrook School, Tri Area Food Bank, Pat’s Place, Tri Area Senior meals, San Juan Commons, Discovery Apartments, Claridge Court, JC Anti-Racist Fund CSA, Marine Plaza