38,400 Pounds of Produce Gleaned in 2022

Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Gleaning Initiative collected 38,400 pounds of fresh produce (205,093 servings!) in 2022. Gleaning is the act of collecting excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, farmers’ markets, orchards, grocers, restaurants, or any other sources in order to provide it to those in need. Volunteering as a gleaner offers a meaningful way for community members to give back to their neighbors, help reduce food waste, and support their local farmers. Last year, we engaged 130 volunteers in gleaning activities, more than half of which were students.

Developed in 2013 in partnership with University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the project has distributed 186 tons of fresh food to a network of over 30 food assistance programs in Hancock and Washington counties. "The Gleaning Initiative provides us with as much as 75-100% of our weekly produce offerings in the height of summer,” said Claire Bailey of the MDI Food Access Project. “We are able to distribute a wider variety and quantity of produce to our participants, and keep our menus seasonal and as local as possible."

Thank you to our 2022 gleaning partners: Bahner Farm, Bar Harbor Farm, the Bay School, Suzanne Barrett, Beech Hill Farm, Blue Hill Community Garden, Blue Hill Farmers’ Market, Blue Zee Farm, Camden Rotary Club, Catholic Charities of Aroostook County, Crossroad Farm, Donna Dupuy, Kristin Ede, Eden Farmers’ Market, Hadley Friedman, Folklore Farm, Four Season Farm, Garen’s Greens, Regina Grabrovac, Island Community Garden, Johnston’s Apple Orchard, Josh Pond Farm, Donald King, King Hill Farm, PJ Mallinckrodt, MDI High School, Jeff Milliken, Mueller's Fruit Farm, Murphy Family Farm, Northern Bay Organics, Open Table Garden, Pat & Mike’s Garden, Anna Powell, Rainbow Farm, Rogers Farm, Runwater Farm, Salt Cottages, Katie Sell, Joe Tracey, Triple Chick Farm, UMaine Cooperative Extension, Richard Washburn, Washington Academy, Welch Farm, Whitaker Farm, Lindsey Willey, WhoPaints, and Vidar Zay.

The Gleaning Initiative relies on the support of community volunteers to help harvest and deliver produce. If you would like to get involved in 2023 as a volunteer or as a food producer, contact Lucie.Nolden@healthyacadia.org.