A 30-year tradition that helped launch our food bank

Gleaning the fields and farms of Ventura County was one of the first activities in launching FOOD Share as Ventura County's only regional food bank in 1978.

Throughout the years, our gleaning program has prospered, with over 100 volunteer gleaners helping us gather produce for the hungry in the fields and farms of Ventura County. More than twenty local farming companies graciously allow us to go into their fields and glean various fruits and vegetables that otherwise would be chopped and dug under. We usually have two different crews out picking the produce on a daily basis, Monday through Friday, throughout the year. Five trucks from our transportation fleet support these on-going efforts.

Harvested produce is then returned to the warehouse where it is sorted, boxed and distributed to over 150 countywide agencies involved in feeding people in need.

We meet at various locations throughout the western portion of the county starting about 8:00 a.m. and leaving the meeting place to go to the field at 8:30. Most of the time we stop picking the crop at 10:00 or 10:15 a.m. All volunteers are asked to come out at least once a week and others do participate more often. Mostly seniors, they enjoy helping their neighbors in need in this important task and enjoy the exercise, activity and camaraderie.

Interested in joining our Gleaning team?

Please call Meg Horton, Volunteer Coordinator 805-983-7100 ext. l05

Typical items gleaned would be: broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, grapefruit, green onions, lemons, lettuce, oranges, radishes and possible seasonal produce such as: avocados, bell peppers, chiles, corn, cucumbers, green onions, kiwis, pumpkins, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, and walnuts.

Many homeowners with trees that have more fruit than they can use also call to ask us to pick their trees. Some volunteers have agreed to help with these requests and arrange to go to these houses, pick the fruit being offered, and bring it back to FOOD Share.

We have gleaned crops from the following companies' fields, and salute them for their care of the poor and hungry:

• Del Monte
• Boskovich Farms
• Chiquita Fresh
• Driscolls
• Calavo Growers
• Purepak, Inc.
• Beylik Farms
• Duda Farm
• Fresh Foods
• San Miguel Produce
• Leavens Ranches
• Fresh Inovations
• Seaboard Produce
• Jimenez Farms
• Angelou Farms
• Western Onion Sales
• Juarez Produce
• Friends Ranch
• Dudley Ranch
• McGrath Family Farms
• Hobson Ranch