Welcome to our first blog for FruitShare Barrie. We’re glad you made it!
FruitShare Barrie is beginning it’s second year. Our pilot season was a resounding success with over 1000 lbs. of fruit harvested! Our aim with this blog is to educate, entertain and engage you. FruitShare is a movement taking part in communities all over North America and Europe. The premise is simple. Local fruit tree owners with a surplus of fruit make the choice to share their bounty with the community. FruitShare Barrie does the rest. We arrange for volunteers to pick your fruit, and it is shared between the fruit tree owner, the volunteer pickers and the Barrie Food Bank. Everybody wins, including the local landfill since the fruit is now being consumed and not end up as waste.
Our objectives are to:Improve community food security by improving access to fresh local food,Provide volunteer opportunities for community members, Enhance neighbourhood well-being by promoting connections and common interests, Change citizen attitudes with respect to fruit/nut trees (from ornamental or nuisance trees to part of the food system), Educate participants on the value and care of their trees (value of edible landscaping).
We hope to get the word out to all fruit tree owners in Barrie that they can make a difference and contribute to the food security of their city. Today the percentage of people that are relying on Food banks is increasing. Fresh fruit and vegetables are critical components for a healthy diet, but for many it is a challenge to afford them. Being able to add fresh fruit for the food bank gives the recipients more healthy choices for their family.
What can you do to help? If you are a fruit tree owner – contact us at 705-715-2255 to schedule a tentative date to have your fruit tree harvested. You can also contact us on the web to fill out our simple fruit tree owner application form. Our volunteers will get back to you and answer any questions you may have. If you would like to volunteer to be a picker, or if your organization would like to help us with the picking we would love to talk to you. Once again you can call us at 705-715-2255, or fill out a volunteer application.
FruitShare Barrie is made up entirely of volunteers who believe in communities helping community members. Because we are a volunteer organization we can always use your help. Whether it be as a volunteer picker, fruit tree owner, a financial partner, or a blog contributor. There is always something for you to do.Contact us with your ideas, articles, words of wisdom. As they saying goes it takes a village…well we are here to prove there is truth to that. Please pay this service forward and tell your neighbours about us. Get the word out, find us more residential fruit trees and of course plant a fruit tree of your own.