Finding Free Organic Produce
Blackberries ripen in the August sun, cherries plop onto neighbors’ lawns, and squash crops overwhelm backyard gardeners. There is nothing I love more than taking advantage of summer’s opportunities for hand-picked fruit—especially when it’s free, organic, and grown locally.
Here are my favorite food finding tips:
Wild berries: Blackberries seem to be a national favorite but huckleberries, salmon berries, and thimbleberries are just a few of the other choices available here in Oregon. I usually call our city maintenance department to check about which areas are being sprayed, ask about berry hot spots, and end up picking loads of free organic berries! I slather my clan up with sunscreen and scramble out the door in the morning hours before the sun zaps our enthusiasm. Then we freeze the berries or make them into jam to last through the winter months.
Fruit trees: My goal is to load up with fruit from a neglected apple tree this year. When I see a tree with rotten fruit under it, I shall screw up my courage, knock on the door and ask if I can pick some. (My son’s charm might help.) Even if the homeowner wants to use the fruit, chances are he or she will reach a point of saturation with fresh cherries/apples/pears. Also, here in Oregon, we have the Portland Fruit Tree Project, which helps save urban fruit from rotting away on city sidewalks. You can check out their website to donate to their cause or to join a local harvesting party. A large portion of the fruit they save goes to vulnerable people who need healthy, organic food. In other areas, try to call city maintenance to see where city-owned fruit trees are located.
Tomatoes, zucchini, squash and other garden faire: Although it’s wonderful to grow a prolific garden, slogging through twenty pounds of summer squash in a few weeks is no easy task. On the first days of September, my fellow teachers often leave heaping boxes of squash, tomatoes and zucchini in our staff room for the taking. It’s worth it to let your friends and family know that you’ll welcome their garden overflows and then sit back and enjoy the unique flavor of a homegrown food. You may be inspired to grow your own garden next year!
Damaged fruit: According to Parade Magazine, grocery stores toss an estimated $20 billion worth of food annually. While it might be tough to get large chain stores to offer you a discount on imperfect produce, independent grocery stores sometimes have a damaged fruit and veggie section. If not, ask the manager if you can get produce for free or for a discounted rate when it needs to be removed from store shelves for disposal. You can always cut away the bad sections and use the rest to make soups or sauces.
By picking the food yourself or saving it from the grocery store dumpster, you’ll be cutting your costs and ensuring that local food doesn’t go to waste. Instead of buying kiwis from Chile next January, you can happily pull those local blackberries out of the freezer for a low-emissions, no-cost treat!
Every week the Green Baby Guide will be hosting the Thrifty Green Thursday Blog Carnival. If you have a blog and some thrifty green ideas of your own, please join us! See this post for details.










