Share Backyard Fruit with Your Neighbors
by Jennifer Lance in Food and Cuisine, Fruits and Vegetables, Garden and Yard Care
I grew up with a peach tree in our small suburban backyard. Our next door neighbor also had a peach tree. When the fruit was ripe, much of it was wasted as it fell to the ground. This is a common problem with backyard fruit trees that produce a bounty beyond what one household can consume, but Neighborhood Fruit has the solution!
Neighborhood Fruit is a new website that aims to connect neighbors and their fruit trees to share in the abundance.
Neighborhood Fruit was created to make use of the abundant fruit growing in our urban neighborhoods. Currently, the bulk of fruit grown in back yards in our cities goes to waste, while the fruit we consume is grown in water-intensive orchards far from our homes. We envision a different future, where the bulk of backyard fruit is utilized and shared between neighbors. We envision a future where the food we eat is truly fresh, seasonal and local. Our diets replete with home-made goodies.
There are two ways to use Neighborhood Fruit to seek out local fruit if you don’t have any trees: Fruitfillment and Find Public Fruit Trees. If you have fruit to share, you can register your trees, then share your fruit! Who knows? Maybe joining Neighborhood Fruit will inspire your ‘hood to plant more fruit trees!
In a time when many people don’t know their neighbors living next door, sharing fruit can be a challenge, but it can also be an icebreaker. Imagine a harvest block party in the fall which would truly be a locavore potluck! Neighborhood Fruit can help you connect with your local community, as well as give you access to delicious, local, homegrown food.
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Posted on Jun 12, 2009
community, fruit, Landscaping, locavore, neighbor, yard
About the Author
Jennifer Lance
Jennifer lives on 160 acres off-the-grid in a home built with her own two hands (and several more skilled pairs of hands) from forest fire salvaged timber. Her home is powered by a micro-hydro turbine, and she has been a vegetarian for 21 years. She graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in art education and has been teaching art to children for over 16 years. Jennifer is the founder and editor of Eco Child's Play.4 Responses to “Share Backyard Fruit with Your Neighbors”
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Carrie
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Jun 16, 2009
my local food bank will come out and harvest fruit trees for you. it’s another great way to keep that fruit from going to waste.
Liz M
Jul 04, 2009
You can also start a neighbohood produce exchange or a yard sharing garden with your friends at hyperlocavore.com.
pennyforyourdebt
Jul 14, 2009
This is a great idea. I have an apple tree in my back yard that I have been working on diligently this year to rid it of a fungus. It is doing great now and to be able to share the fruit would be great.
Cindy Nabor
Jul 16, 2009
Green + delicious + connecting neighbors = Better living.
This is a great way to connect with neighbors and create community. A great way to involve everyone – who doesn’t like a nice ripe peach? :)