We tend to Grow
Gleaning in 2026?
This spring was one for the books. April was both hotter and drier than normal. The warmer temperatures caused fruit trees to bloom much earlier than usual. Then on April 17th and 18th the temperatures fell. Overnight lows were below freezing. Nearly all of the blossoms and small fruit on our trees were frozen, resulting in little if any fruit to harvest this season. For the past few years we have had an outpouring of support from volunteers and food relief organizations, helping us glean and distribute over 10,000 pounds of fresh fruit annually. It is therefore heartbreaking to report that our gleaning projects will be few, if any.
To find the silver lining to this dark cloud, let's say this season is one for resting and recovering so that next year we will be even more excited to glean those thousands of pounds of fruit and share with our community.
If you have a fruit tree or grape vines that are producing fruit, please email us at: GrowLocalColorado@gmail.com.
What is gleaning?
Gleaning is the practice of collecting unused or leftover crops from fields and trees after harvest for redistribution. It addresses food waste by gathering produce that is missed, rejected, or uneconomical to harvest, providing fresh food to those in need.
2025 Shared Harvest
Thanks to 83 tree and grape vine stewards we gleaned 11,867 pounds of fruit in 2025. We were able to harvest that much fruit thanks to our 340 volunteers. If not for them we wouldn't have been able to organize three to four gleaning gatherings each week in the fall. This bounty was shared with 27 food relief organizations. As more and more of our neighbors rely on food pantries to make ends meet, this fresh, delicious fruit is a significant gift. We are so grateful to those of you who shared the bounty of your trees and vines with us and the hundreds of volunteers that shared their time picking all that fruit.
If you'd like to be a part of our gleaning efforts in 2026, either volunteering or sharing your tree/vine's fruits, please contact us in June. We'll include you on our email list so you'll receive weekly lists of fruit picking opportunities.