Last Gleaning Trip of 2011

If there is no serious freeze, collard greens can be harvested through January, as well as some root crops and other greens as well. This year's freeze occurred at a temperature of 4 degrees in Concord January 4, 2012. Our last trip was on Monday, January 2nd, to pick collards at Verrill Farm, Concord. Myself, Duck’s stepson and his friend, 12 and 13 yrs. old respectively, harvested 10 boxes and 15 bags of collards (weighing between 12 and 15 pounds each). I delivered all the boxes to Food For Free and CEOC food pantry at Central Square Cambridge the bags, saving 5 bags for Medford Food Pantry Thursday night.

The last week of December crews gleaned several boxes of turnips and collards, also kale from the Food Project fields in Lincoln. Earlier in December we gleaned carrots and parsnips and rutabagers from Drumlin Farm in Lincoln and also cabbages and bok choi at Waltham Fields Community Farm, similarly distributed to Food For Free and area food pantries. We also visited Kimball Fruit Farm a number of times to pick perfectly good apple seconds from bins in a weatherproof barn (Brock and (what’s the name of that green apple with some pink, an Irish word) and also Carnival winter squash.

Appreciation to the good farmers who let us glean their fields — Tim Laird at the Food Project, Amanda and Andy at Waltham Fields, Steve Verrill and farm manager ‘Pete’ at Verrill Farm, Carl Hills at Kimball Fruit, Matt Celona at Boyce Field, Drumlin Farm. Two other farmers deserve mention, many apples gleaned from Nicewicz Orchard in Bolton — thanks to Alan and his brothers, and Steve Violette of Dick’s Market Garden in Lunenburg—many boxes of apples and greens! Oh, I neglected earlier gleanings of corn and fall lettuce from Brigham Farm, Concord, Chip Pouttasse farmer, and broccoli and else from Brock Farm in Dracut — Farmer Dave! Winter hibernation now! Though we plan to attend the NOFA workshops in Worcester next weekend. .

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