Volunteer Newsletter, June 2, 2005

HARVESTING FOR THE HUNGRY - CHERRIES:  Saturday, June 4th

After a couple of years of not having enough winter chill and no cherries to speak of, this year looks to be a really good year for cherries.    We'll be harvesting the Historic Orchard cherries at Guadalupe River Park and Gardens.

There will be last minute instructions and confirmations for this event so if you'd like to join in, you must RSVP, be 16 years and older, and comfortable on ladders as we will be harvesting from ladders nearly exclusively.  Also, good fine motor skills are helpful.

Saturday, June 4th
9:00am - 12:30pm
Historic Orchard, Guadalupe River Park & Gardens
park at end of Seymour Steet, San Jose (between downtown & the airport)

Special Helpers needed:
8-9 am:  Help load the truck at SHFB

Instructions for harvesting volunteers:

• Dress in layers with long sleeves and comfortable covered shoes... Long sleeves are to protect your arms from branches.
• Bring gloves and hand pruners. 
• Feel free to bring a bag/box to take home fruit for yourself. Tree ripened fruit from Santa Clara Valley... it doesn't get any better than this!
• See our Volunteer FAQ's for more information, especially regarding children.

 

HUNGER AWARENESS DAY - JUNE 4th & 7th

Hunger in America looks different from hunger in other regions of the world, but it exists. Almost half of the people served by America's Second Harvest, for instance, live in households with at least one working adult, but these individuals must try to make ends meet on low wages that simply cannot cover mortgage or rent payments, the cost of prescriptions and medical care, utility bills, car payments and fuel costs, and food.  The national average of those who are unable to make ends meet and for whom food has become a discretionary expense is 5%.  That's one out of every 20 people.

National Hunger Awareness Day 2005 is a grassroots movement to raise awareness of about the solvable problem of hunger in America.  If you've participated in Village Harvest events, you're aware of how much waste their is in our own community and how much of a difference every tree, every piece of fruit makes. 

Take a moment on June 4th or 7th to do something to be part of the solution:

• Take a moment to think about what it means to have a senior w/o adequate nutrition to stay healthy, or a child w/o adequate nutrition to learn.  The implications are larger than you think to yourself, your family and your tax dollars. 
   
• Participate in a Hunger Awareness Day event:

Saturday, June 4th, 12 - 3pm.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara & San Mateo Counties
750 Curtner Avenue, San Jose
Open house with activities for the kids!
A unique opportunity for children to experience operations at the SHFB warehouse

• Make a small donation to Village Harvest, America's Second Harvest or Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara County.  Each of these organizations can make every dollar go a very long way in fighting hunger.  Click here to donate now.
• Lighten your own load & share a few items in your cupboards that you're really not going to use with a food closet.  See our community drop-off locations for an agency in your neighborhood.

 

Date / Day	Time	Event	Meeting Place	Notes
June 4, Saturday	9:00 am - 12:30 pm	Harvesting for the Hungry, San Jose - Cherries w/ AACO.	park at end of Seymour St, Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, San Jose	You must RSVP for this event and be over 16 years old.
June 11, Saturday	10:00 am - 11:00 am	Plant a Giving Tree (actually vegetable seedlings) - pilot	Meet 9:45 am, Mt. View CSA	Photographer and a few volunteers needed to help distribute seedlings.  This is a pilot project which we're evaluating for the future.
June 12, Sunday	9:00 am - 12:00 pm	Community Fruit Harvesting, Palo Alto/Menlo Park, Last of the citrus for a while.	Meet 9:00 am, Mt. View CSA	Contact karen@villageharvest.org to join in.
June 14, Tuesday	8:30 am - 3:00 pm	Community Fruit Harvesting, Willow Glen, Citrus.	Meet 8:30 am, SHFB Volunteer Room.	You must RSVP for this event and be registered as a SHFB volunteer
June 15, Wednesday	10:00 am - 2:00 pm	VH Morgan Hill Team:  Prusch Park Heritage Orchard Clean Up	Meet 10:00am Prusch Park, 647 S. King Road, San Jose.  Off 680/280 at King Rd or 101 at Story Rd East.	Contact elaine@villageharvest.org to join in. Bring gardening tools, lunch provided.
June 26, Sunday	9:00 am - 12:00 pm	Community Fruit Harvesting, Cupertino, Santa Rosa Plums	Meet 9:00 am, Mt. View CSA	Contact karen@villageharvest.org to join in.
June 28, Tuesday	8:30 am - 3:00 pm	Community Fruit Harvesting, Willow Glen, Santa Rosa Plums.	Meet 8:30 am, SHFB Volunteer Room.	You must RSVP for this event and be registered as a SHFB volunteer
July  2, Saturday	8:30 am - 12:30 pm	Harvesting for the Hungry, Los Altos Hills, Apricots w/ Tzu Chi Foundation.	TBA	Contact joni@villageharvest.org to join in
July 5 or 12th, Tuesday	8:30 am - 3:00 pm	Community Fruit Harvesting, Los Altos Hills, Apricots	Meet 8:30 am, SHFB Volunteer Room.	You must RSVP for this event and be registered as a SHFB volunteer
July 9, Saturday	8:30 am -12:30 pm	Harvesting for the Hungry, Palo Alto w/ Valley of Heart's Delight	Meet 8:30 am, 222 High St., Palo Alto	Contact joni@villageharvest.org to join in
July 15, Friday	1:30 pm - 3:00 pm	Preserving from the Garden - Tomatoes	Contact joni@villageharvest.org to join in	Comparing tomato varieties and best methods to preserve each.

Remember that the best tasting, tree ripened fruit goes home with the volunteers, as it will be too ripe to go through distribution at the Second Harvest Food Bank. Perfect for people who like to make preserves. All dates subject to change based upon ripening and weather.

OTHER ORGANIZATION EVENTS:

• The following are events by other organizations that may be of interest to Village Harvest volunteers.

Date / Day	Time	Event	Meeting Place	Notes
June 11, Saturday	9:00 am -11:00 am	Free Organic Gardening Workshop	Almost Eden Garden's garden classroom, 701 East Meadow Drive, Palo Alto	Focus on the basics of organic vegetable gardening - how to start a garden, what can be planted in June and how to irrigate appropriately.  Contact Pamela at 650-504-1811 or email almosteden@chesavage.com.
June 18, Saturday	10:00 am - 12:00 pm	Andy's Orchard Cherry Tasting	1615 Half Road, Morgan Hill	$10 admission for tasting & tour.
June 18, Saturday	8:30 am - 12:30 pm & 12:00 -  4:00 pm	Organic Garden Tour - Valley of Heart's Delight	Heritage Center at the Sunnyvale Community Center, 550 Remington Drive, Sunnyvale.	See website for more information: http://www.globalcommunity.org/tour
June 18, Saturday	9:00 am - 4:00 pm	Green Heart:  Sustainable Landscape Faire	Middlebrook Garden, 76 Race Street, San Jose	Contact Middlebrook Gardens at 408.292.9993 for admission and more information.

 

Cheers,
Joni Diserens
Village Harvest
joni@villageharvest.org
www.villageharvest.org
(888) FRUIT-411
(650) 740-7725