Volunteer Newsletter, May 18, 2006

5back to top

BECOME A VILLAGE HARVEST "ROADIE"

• Want to help regularly with Village Harvest but need a flexible schedule?

• Want an excuse for a drive into the country and farm areas and help our community at the same time?

As a virtual organization, serving cities and farms in the majority of Santa Clara County, Village Harvest has many errands to run to make sure there are plenty of boxes, equipment, snacks, and fruit, moving items from a source of abundance to a point of need.  We need a driver about once a week for a couple of hours to help us move items around.  Experience with driving large vehicles, and SUV, Mini-van or pickup is helpful but not necessary.  This is a great way for adults  wanting to help on a flexible schedule and teens that drive to earn community service hours.  Contact joni@villageharvest.org for if you're interested in this opportunity.

5back to top

LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH QUARANTINE

Oh the things you learn when you're a farmer of our urban orchard...   Last year, we learned all about Mediterranean Fruit Flies with the quarantine in San Jose.  This year, it's the Light Brown Apple Moth.  It's a native of Australia and the recent finds in the Bay Area are the first on the mainland US.  The concern with the Light Brown Apple Moth is that it's not at all picky.  It's caterpillars will eat pretty much anything -- the list of host plants is 4 pages long!  With California's diverse agricultural climate and crops, if this insect were to spread, it would have a devastating effect on our local farms.  So, it's important that we do our part to adhere to the quarantine while doing our best to continue to serve the hungry. 

There are quarantines in effect in San Francisco, Marin, Alameda (including Berkeley), Santa Clara County, (including Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Cupertino), and Santa Cruz counties.  People inside of the quarantine area are being asked not to move plant material (leaves, cuttings, fruit, vegetables,....) off of the property that it was grown.  The Light Brown Apple Moth doesn't fly well so it's method of spreading to different areas is mostly through us humans.  There are provisions being put in place for community and school gardens. 

Village Harvest has continued our harvesting for the hungry programs outside of the quarantine area.  Additionally, for any orchards inside the quarantine zones we're working with the county on the proper inspections and agreements to have this fruit harvested and distributed for the hungry.  We're continuing with the tradition of working with what nature brings us and making the most of it.

More information to be sent out to homeowners and available on our website soon.  In the meanwhile, see http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/

5back to top

UPCOMING VILLAGE HARVEST EVENTS:

• Please RSVP for the dates that you're available to help. 
• Click on the links for a map to the location.

 5back to top

Subscribe / Unsubscribe to this Newsletter:

You have been added to this list because of past participation or interest. Please REPLY to this email to be removed from this distribution list. 

If you have received this newsletter through a friend and would like to receive it directly, send an email to info@villageharvest.org.  Include your full name, email address and phone number.