Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

A BIG THANKYOU

GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
in Fruit & veg
Lots of local people have left a box of Apples or Pears at the end of their drives this year.  Two fruits that have often been thought of as cheap to buy but no longer.  I have just filled my pocket with some Conference pears and waved my thanks towards the house. It is important just to take a few so there are some for others. People are very kind and caring so to anyone who has done the same. Thankyou.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Someone local had a few plants out and an honesty box. Some old git walking his dog stole the box with a few quid in it.  They got him on camera.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    We give pears/apples/beetroot etc to those in our village that don't have a garden for fruit /veg. Always appreciated. We don't expect any payment we just give the produce to them. But it is awful when you do ask for donations and some people just take them and also the money.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited October 2022
    Our local allotment paired up with our new food bank during the first lock down and the relationship continues. It's mostly in late summer and autumn that the produce is given over. It was lovely to see a carful of great veg heading to the church each week - free, healthy, organic, surplus food shared out.

    We started the food bank with 50 people visiting in July 2020. We are now providing food for 1000 people once a week - it recently pretty much doubled. It's going to be a hard winter for so many people.  (Picture by Alison Gardiner)


    A big shout out for Olio food sharing too - for sharing surplus food locally. https://olioex.com/



  • EustaceEustace Posts: 2,290
    Previous years, whenever I used to leave apples, plums, courgettes, runner beans etc. on our driveway, it used to take at least a few hours for the boxes to be emptied. This year I've noticed that they are emptied quite quickly. A few even knocked on the door to say thanks. 😊
    Oxford. The City of Dreaming Spires.
    And then my heart with pleasure fills,
    And dances with the daffodils (roses). Taking a bit of liberty with Wordsworth :)

  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    There is a community garden near me where people can help themselves to fruit and veg. I always try to leave a donation of surplus plants/seeds/bulbs etc. if I visit to collect veg.
    Last time I went I left a box of Lucifer corms and collected a few Fench Beans and some windfall-cooking apples.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    We have that too. Not enough people use it.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I often visit the walled garden at Clumber Park. They have lots of different produce with an honesty box. I love to try something new or enjoy some fresh potatoes. Everything tastes so much better. I am suprised how many people just walk past if only they knew what they are missing. I would love to volunteer there but it is just too far away. It is a 'happy place' for me.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    It's not done at all here, you will see people put up on Facebook that they have a plum/apple/pear tree with tons on it come and get some. Unmanned roadside stands are common selling mainly strawberries, potatoes and peas. Larger ones (like mine) exist which sell a wider variety of vegetables, jams and firewood. In general excess produce is sold rather than given away.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited October 2022
    There is a pretty big drive here now against food waste nationally in the UK - redistributing food from supermarkets and restaurants, linking food banks, linking neighbours. Olio and Too Good to Go. There are lots of good free food and meal apps solidly up and running - now that we have the tech to deliver info in real time. With perishables the tech has to be spot on and and an immediate relay. We have a local neighbourhood group of 200 residents in four streets that share a lot of food. Our Olio locally has thousands on it. Stuff gets taken up in minutes. The UK has a strong gifting economy, if you know where to look.

    The problem with fruit and veg is that it has to get taken quickly. It's good that in Denmark that growers can sell surplus produce that fast and that reliably that there is little waste.




Sign In or Register to comment.