Since getting involved with SHARE Oxford, it’s been a joy to learn more about all the groups in the county helping us to make the most of the fruit and veg available this time of year. It looks like some of us are in for a bumper year after a rainy summer too!
If you’ve got some excess you’re wondering what to do with, need a hand collecting it, or want to help others make sure every apple, pear and blackberry in the county goes to good use, I hope these are useful groups to take a look at.
Need the kit?
We have some handy bits and bobs for harvesting in the Library of Things. Our long-handled fruit picker was ideal for my plum tree which isn’t strong enough for a ladder yet. And we’ve got various buckets, wheelbarrows and festival wagons to help you transport your haul.
If you’re keen to try your hand at juicing, hopefully you’ll find our community apple press near you soon with a local CAG, or we have a smaller hand one and some electric juicers.
If you’re making jam or chutneys, a big saucepan or thermometer might help complete your kit.
And of course, if you’re pruning or preparing for autumn planting, we have plenty of gardening tools for those bigger jobs.
Need or want to lend a hand?
There are so many groups helping make sure no food goes to waste at harvest time. If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few to check out!
Abundance Oxford aim to make sure no fruit in the city is wasted by helping pick excess and donate it to local community groups. Their facebook group has details of upcoming apple pressing and harvesting, or drop them a note at abundanceharvestsoxford@gmail.com if you have a tree you’d like help with.
Cherwell Collective have a “gleaning” WhatsApp group to get people together wherever fruit needs picking in their Kidlington area. Good Food Oxfordshire have written an interesting blog post on gleaning in discussion with the Earth Trust if you’re interested to find out more.
Finally, CAG Oxfordshire’s member’s listing and facebook group are good places to find your local groups who, if not already helping make the most of the harvest, will be happy to work with you.
…and of course, if you’d like to share details of any groups helping to maximise the harvest this year, do add details in the comments below or email them to hello@shareoxford.org!
Seeds to spare?
And a last little reminder, if you’ve got any seeds going spare, drop them down to Christine when we’re open, or leave them in an envelope at our South door letterbox with a note describing what they are, so we can share them in time for spring through our seed library!
