Gleaning Time - Garden Update

Autumn beauty in the Pacific NW

With this stretch of moist weather and cooler temperatures it seems that Autumn is upon us here in the Alpine/Monroe area. The Sharing Gardens are producing over 200 pounds of fresh produce a week and our core group of volunteers is doing a fantastic job of helping us bring in the harvest in time for Food Bank hours in Monroe. It's canning and food-preservation time and many of us are as busy as squirrels storing food for the lean months ahead.

Seasonal Bounty!

Please help us locate fruit and nut trees that are in need of gleaning. We are interested in apples and pears, walnuts and hazel nuts or...? With our team of volunteers we can gather the bounty and share with the trees' owners, the volunteers and the Monroe Food bank.

Apple's gleaned in Monroe

We could still use 12-24 hay bales at the Alpine garden (moldy or spoiled is fine--125 pounds or less). We'd like to build a couple of hay-bale compost-bins and mulch a few more places. If you live near Alpine/Monroe, we can come pick them up, or you could drop them at Alpine Park.

Thanks for your moldy hay bales!

Does anyone have canning jars that need to be put to good use? Our supply is nearing its end and we still have a lot of food to preserve before winter. You can bring them to the Food Bank and we'll distribute them amongst those who have need.

Got canning jars?

Monroe Food Bank Hours:

Thursday mornings: 10:00 to noon (most customers come in the first half-hour)
Third Thursdays of each month: 5:00 - 7:00 (Free Community Dinner at the Methodist Church - 6:00 pm)
The Food Bank is located behind the United Methodist Church in Monroe (the big, white one with a steeple) at 648 Orchard St.)

Monroe's Sharing Garden is located between the church and the Grade School on Chester Crowson's land. It's not too late to come and help in the gardens and share in the bounty of the harvest. Email us if you'd like to find out when the volunteers are meeting at the two gardens.

Gallery of Givers:

Larry and "My" transplant lettuce

Sharing Garden and Food Bank volunteers celebrate the bounty

Judy Peabody weighs the squash before we take it to the Food Bank

Chris shows Ricardo where to apply the manure tea

Bruce on a break

Cindy shows off some of our fantastic onion harvest

Doreen raking mulch

Justin and Stephanie harvest basil

Rann enjoys the pleasures of "just picked" beans

Llyn, transplanting the fall garden