Village Harvest

Name change to Community Harvest of Davis

In November 2014, the Davis Team of Village harvest became an independent Davis-based nonprofit and changed its name to Community Harvest of Davis.

Introduction

Village Harvest is a nonprofit volunteer organization in the greater San Francisco Bay Area which harvests fruit from backyards and small orchards, then passes it along to local food agencies to feed the hungry. This organization also provides education on fruit tree care, harvesting, and food preservation. Since its founding in 2001, Village Harvest has grown to be one of the oldest and largest organizations of this kind in the country, harvesting a total of 2 Million servings of nutritious fresh fruit for the community. (Text adapted from http://villageharvest.org)

Village Harvest in Davis

In 2009, Joe and Linda Schwartz and Greg and Pam Gibbs started a Davis Team of Village Harvest that harvests fruit in the Davis area and donates it to local food agencies such as STEAC. The Davis Team donated 10951 pounds of nutritious fruit in 2009, 26,669 pounds in 2010, and over 42,968 pounds in 2011.

How to get involved

Volunteer harvesters can sign up via an online form on the main Village Harvest website to receive email announcements of upcoming harvests. Volunteers are welcome to help with fruit tree harvests on a one-time basis or at as many harvest events as they like. Harvests typically take place on weekends or Tuesday mornings in Davis and last 2-3 hours. No experience is necessary. Harvesters meet at a central location and carpool to the harvest site. Bikes are welcome, and the organization is always in need of people with trucks or vehicle space to help transport the fruit and equipment.

Village Harvest encourages tree owners to harvest and donate fruit they cannot use themselves, but if you are unable to do this, Village Harvest can schedule a harvest at your house. You can sign up using the online form for tree owners or by phone. See the main organization website for more information.

Donating equipment

The right equipment helps volunteers get fruit from trees to food agencies. Please contact Joe Schwartz [email protected] if you would like to donate any of the following: * plastic milk crates or similarly-sized washable containers (for transporting fruit) * orchard ladder * pole fruit harvesters

Collaboration with the Gleaning Project

In 2009 and 2010 Village Harvest collaborated with members of The Gleaning Project, a UC Davis student organization with a similar mission. The Gleaning Project is no longer active. Many UCD students continue to volunteer as gleaners with Village Harvest.

2010-02-13 19:20:26   I went to the meeting spot for their Feb. 13th Harvest (advertised on Events_Board), wanted in the Cost Plus parking lot, but nobody showed up so eventually I left. Thuuupptt to them. —SteveDavison

2010-04-02 17:33:58   We're sorry you couldn't join us for the 2-13-10 harvest. Harvesters leave the meeting place promptly just after the start time, so please be punctual. Also, if possible, we prefer volunteers to sign up online ahead of time and rsvp for specific harvests. This helps us plan more effective harvests. Please come out for future harvests! More harvests will soon be posted on the calendar at www.villageharvest.org/davis —dylancooke