Topic: Too much produce

[PurpleHeather]

We all have too much of some things at this time of year.

Tomatoes, courgettes, marrows, green beans to name a few.

I wish that we could give them to an organisation who knows where there are needy (not greedy) people who would appreciate them.

Has any one any ideas how we could donate surplus crops to a non profit making organisation to prevent waste?

[tim]

I put them out in the road.

[kt.]

A friend of mine who used to do home deliveries for Tesco,  quite often had small quantity of surplus stock in his vehicle at the end of his shift.  He used to knock at the door of bungalows etc and give the bag or small box of groceries to the older generation prior to returning to the store.

As for surplus allotment produce - I never have enough and always run out.  But feeding a family of four and the outlaws, doesn't leave room surplus.

[Trevor_D]

You could try your local church, or pensioners' dining club. We leave the odd carrier bag of goodies on the door-steps of elderly neighbours - little old ladies always know what to do with a sudden glut of beans or courgettes!

[manicscousers]

we have a home behind us for special needs, we're all always passing over bags of tomatoes and beans, you could try your local salvation army, they need all the produce they can get for their kitchens  :-\

[greenhouse gertie]

Hi, why not try your local soup kitchen run for homeless people? Don't know your location but most towns and cities now have at least one through necessity. Angie. :'(

[PurpleHeather]

We just do not seem to have a local salvation army, soup kitchen, pensioners dining club.  The nearest is miles away and I do not drive.

I do give to the local elderly. But poor souls are limited to what they can eat. Last time I left them out for free taking a couple of local youths thought they were for playing games with and I ended up having to clear up the mess.

Most of the people on our site are simply composting excess because there is no central place for distribution. Others are allowing apples to fall and decay.

I know full well that they would donate  if there was an organised body who would collect/distribute.

[northener]

Any harvest festivals? I hate throwing stuff away but my biggest hate is stuff rotting in the ground on other plots.

[trinity]

How about your local school a few people donate veg to my kids primary school and it is used for snack time or cooking lessons and is very much appreciated as it is the only time some of the kid eat veg as there family's don't regularly serve it at home :o Mind you my kids come and say not ......(runner beans corgets etc...) we had them at school ::)

[TheEssexYorkshireman]

Any excess produced by our allotmenteers is passed on to a local charity ..  "H.A.R.P. - Homeless Action Resource Project" and are always gratefully received. It is such a shame when things go to waste when good causes such as this would benefit.

[OllieC]

Am I the only person to read this and ask, "what is an excess?"?

I have 8 rods (apparently!!) and we very rarely have too much. We eat lots of whatever's in season. The few extra toms get turned into spicy sauce & frozed, the courgettes are grated or sliced & frozen, and the runners are frozen. Frozen stuff is then used during winter...

We do grow a wide range of stuff, and nearly always have something on the go.

So, question for those with big gluts - is it because you have much more land than me, grow less things than me, or get better yields than me... I suspect it's the last one!

[asbean]

Excess - never.  We feed ourselves and the freezer first, then family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, a couple of asylum seekers that I support and people who have donated their unwanted bits and bobs (like the woman who saw me walking down the road to the plot with some chicken wire - came running out and said did I want some more  :) :) :) )  And swaps with fellow plot holders.

People want to pay for the stuff we give, we always refuse, so the "thanks" come in bottle form.  No complaints there.

Seriously, sharing food is a wonderful experience, and very satisfying if it is home grown.

[Hyacinth]

Seems to me that PH is a sensible lady & if she could have frozen, bottled, given away easily, whatever, she would have done so already? :-\

PH you write you don't drive & there's no-where near you can take to  donate, etc.....I'd still suggest you get out your local Yellow Pages, whatever, and phone your nearest Sally Ann or,  dunno, Neighbourhood Office in your nearest town - anywhere which might have a register of charities? Think you may find that, although you don't have a car to deliver, peeps will have volunteers more than willing to drive out to collect from you?....or....advertise the glut on Freecycle....again, loads of charities, at least here in Birmingham, pick up on such messages....here, we have a 'Cafe' section which is neighbourhood orientated in the posted requests - anything similar where you are?

[littlebabybird]

PurpleHeather
where abouts do you live?
lbb

[ugly gourd]

Our allotments do a charity stall each year on the farmers market plot holders put forward a charity they want to raise money for and ones pulled out of a hat at the AGM so far weve raised over £450 for children with liver disease and £460 for BHF this weekend its for the local hospice

[ugly gourd]

Done our stall today and it poured with rain all morning we even had a stream running through the stall but we still raised £390!! ;D

[littlebabybird]

well done ugly gourd good job

[ugly gourd]

When theres a reply from someone Ive not noticed before I admit I have a nose at there profile And looked at your map and put it on picture and is that a greenhouse next to your allotments??

[littlebabybird]

When theres a reply from someone Ive not noticed before I admit I have a nose at there profile And looked at your map and put it on picture and is that a greenhouse next to your allotments??

yes it sure is, http://www.edwardvinson.co.uk/ but please dont get me started on exploitation, miles of glass, crap strawberries,
stealing, nasty spays etc
lbb