Community Volunteers Pick Tomatoes in Princess Anne
Princess Anne, Md. — Volunteers from the Delmarva chapter of the Society of St. Andrew gathered at Wood Duck Landing Farm Wednesday morning prepared to glean tomatoes as part of what they called a “second harvest,” saving food that might otherwise go to waste. The organization distributed the picked tomatoes to food partners around the Lower Shore.
The organization holds these gleaning events several times a week to prevent food waste and to give farmers a way to give back to the community. The society works with farmers, who receive a tax credit for donating food picked by gleaners. This season has been busy for the Delmarva chapter, who said they have collected and distributed around 330,000 pounds of food in the last 30 days.
“We live in this farm rich region where we have a lot of farms. Our farmers work hard to feed people, and they want this food to be fed to people. So, we want our farmers to be successful. But also, we really appreciate the generosity of our farmers who do grow healthy food for people in our area,” said Alena Wright, program coordinator with the society.
The gleaning events are always two hours long, but Alena Wright said people who come aren’t required to stay for the full time. She added that participants can pick around 100-200 pounds of food during an event and that people can see the direct impact of their work in the community.
Alena Wright’s father, Rev. John Wright, is another volunteer, and explained what he enjoys about gleaning.
“The reality is that, it can be hard work. I mean, we’re out here in the sun and bending down and that sort of thing, but you get to meet so many interesting people, other people who are volunteering. You get to sort of feel connected to the way produce is grown in this country,” John Wright said.
In addition to saving food and fighting food insecurity, Alena Wright said there are social benefits to coming out and gleaning. She stated that you gain a connection to faces that become familiar as you continue participating.
“Everyone’s full of smiles. They’re sharing stories. One of the volunteers that was out here, he said, ‘Oh, this is my seventh time out at this farm.’ It’s the same people. We get to know each other. We know about each other’s what’s going on in each other’s lives. You have casual conversation. It’s really uplifting for everyone involved,” Alena Wright said.
