Frequently Asked Questions

Volunteers 

(people harvesting fruits and veggies)

---

 

Q: What is gleaning?

A: Gleaning (/ɡlēniNG/) is a practice as old as agriculture where community members scour through fields after a harvest to “glean” the edible, often tasty, but generally unmarketable or unsaleable produce left behind.
Today Gorge Gleaning carries on this legacy by partnering with local farmers and neighbors to harvest the fruits and veggies that spring with abundance from their land, and bring them to local food banks and food security partners. Volunteers like you help with the harvest and can keep up to one half of what you harvest to enjoy with your family and friends.

Q: I just signed up to volunteer on your website! What happens next?

A: You are now part of our e-mailing-list; congrats! You’re on your way to fighting hunger and food waste with us! From here on out you will receive email notifications in your inbox a few days before our a glean. Email notifications will tell you the date/time, general area of the Gorge, and what we plan on harvesting, as well as contain a link to a Google form for you to fill out if you’d like to attend. If there’s room in the glean you’ll get a follow-up email to your RSVP with the exact address and any other important details. Feel free to email us at any time if you have additional questions throughout the process. Then just show up to the glean! If you have to cancel please let us know as soon as possible.

Q: What happens at a typical glean?

A: Volunteers like you show up to the address at the agreed upon time. The gleaning coordinator will give a welcome, have you sign our Liability Waiver (we will have copies for you to fill out, but you’re welcome to print it out and bring it as well) and provide a brief safety orientation. After we’ve gone over how to properly pick the fruit or veggies we’ll be gleaning, volunteers spend anywhere from one to two hours harvesting the produce and taking breaks to enjoy the event! Volunteers can set aside any of the gleaned produce they want to take home. We’ll weigh that amount and then take the rest to our food access partners to be weighed and prepped for distribution. Fun!

Q: Does it cost money to glean?

A: Nope! Its 100% free to harvest fruit with Gorge Gleaning! We ask that when you come out to pick with us that you set aside at least half of what you’ve harvested for us to bring to our food access partners like local food pantries. While some other gleaning organizations are based off a subscription model for accessing gleaning opportunities, Gorge Gleaning is focused on increasing access to our local fruits and veggies. We do however gladly accept donations to keep the program going at here!

Q: Is it possible to attend a glean if I don’t have a car?

A: Absolutely! Many of our gleans are within walking or biking distance from a Columbia Area Transit, Mount Adams Transit, or Link Transit bus stop, but many others are father away. We also have a Slack Channel where you can coordinate with other volunteers for a carpool to a glean (click this link to accept an invite!)

Q: What benefits are there to gleaning for the volunteers?

A: Free, fresh, and local hand-picked fruits and veggies! Yum! Volunteers can keep half of what they harvest to enjoy with family and friends. Plus volunteers can feel good about supporting their community, reducing food waste and helping their neighbors access tasty, healthy, and fresh fruits and veggies. Volunteers can log the hours as community service, and get to learn about our local food system in the process. Many of the gleaning locations are stunningly beautiful areas with nearby recreation opportunities to enjoy afterwards. Our gleans are family friendly and a great activity for enjoying the outdoors!

Q: I’m under 18. Can I attend gleans?

A: Absolutely! Most of our gleans are kid friendly and if not we’ll make sure to let you know beforehand. People under 18 must have a parent or guardian sign our Liability Waiver on their behalf.

Q: Do I need to bring anything to glean?

A: The majority of our gleans happen during the summer months so we always recommend bringing water and a hat. Please also wear clothing you are comfortable in and close-toed shoes, plus extra layers to reflect the forecasted weather. We may invite you to bring certain equipment like stepstools, buckets or cutting tools, otherwise, we supply all equipment needed. Oh! And don’t forget to bring a box or bag to take home any gleaned produce you’ve set aside.

Q: Can I bring my friend, family, group, or child?

A: We love having groups come out to volunteer with us. When you RSVP on our google form, make sure to note how many people you want bring with you or invite, so we can have an accurate count of who will be attending. For larger groups send us an email so we can coordinate an appropriate glean for your group’s size. Every person must fill out their own liability waiver.

Hosts

(people with crops they would like gleaned from their property)

---

 

Q: How much of an excess of a crop do I need to have growing on my property in order for you to come glean?

A: The answer depends a lot on what we are gleaning. Typically for most fruits we will only come out for 100lbs or more—usually at least 1-2 good sized trees. For veggies and smaller fruits like blueberries we usually ask for at least 30lbs or about one 100ft row. But don’t hesitate to reach out; we can help you evaluate or find an alternative solution if it doesn’t work out.

Q: I just registered a crop on your website! What happens next?

A: We will give you a call or send an email to go over next steps. Typically we will come out for a site visit and discuss logistics like parking and any specific rules you request as well as evaluate the size of the crop we anticipate harvesting. We then schedule a glean based on your input and the ripeness of the crop. Afterwards we will bring you a tax-donation receipt.

Q: What benefits are there to gleaning for hosts?

A: Hosts of gleans receive a tax-donation receipt when we glean from their property. That means Gorge Gleaning helps turn unsellable products that growers and homeowners have growing on their land into a value for both the community and themselves. Plus gleaning reduces food waste and can even help mitigate pest or odor issues: by removing fruits and veggies when they are ripe we help reduce the amount of decomposing produce that you’d otherwise be left with on your property!

Q: What about potential consequences of inviting people onto my property?

A: We take safety and liability concerns very seriously. All volunteers sign liability waivers and our staff ensures volunteers are following best practices for safety. Volunteers are taught proper harvesting techniques to avoid damage to fruit trees, and we minimize any footprint left by our activities. If you have specific concerns we can also work to address them beforehand.

Q: Do I need to provide equipment for harvesting my crop?

A: If you have equipment like ladders, harvesting buckets, or a food processing station (such as for leafy greens, etc.) that is typically used to harvest your crop and you’re willing to let others use it, we welcome the addition. Otherwise we are happy provide any equipment needed for harvesting.

Q: Can I choose where produce gleaned from my property is donated?

Sure! Often our decision is influenced by factors like space constraints in our food pantries or a recipient’s proximity to the glean. If there is a specific food access organization you’d like to see your crop donated to, let us know and we’ll work with them to make it happen.