Want To Save Money? Start Gleaning!

Want To Save Money? Start Gleaning!

Gleaning is one of my favorite ways to save money! Gleaning helps supply our food stores, gives me more to can, and helps food not go to waste. Gleaning is responsible and helps one to be sustainable as well as economical.

But what is gleaning? Gleaning is gathering and collecting food from a field or a garden after someone else has harvested what they wanted. Historically, people would go into the fields after farmers were done harvesting and collect any grain that may have been missed or had fallen to the ground. This would help feed their families and livestock for another year.

For me, gleaning would mean keeping my ears open, listening for people who have extra garden produce, and putting out the word that I will take any extra garden produce. When someone contacts me about having extra produce they cannot use, I gladly pick any leftover produce. I have gotten lots of tomatoes, yellow squash, and cucumbers that way!

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for extra produce. I have seen ads for people looking to get rid of extra produce and I have customers who will mention they have some produce to get rid of. My friends and family might mention they are trying to get rid of produce. I will also put out the word if I am looking for more tomatoes, any kind of fruit, and vegetables that I can put up easily.

Be polite and respectful when picking it. I do offer to pay for what I have picked. No one has ever asked for money and usually refuse payment. I do try to drop off a jar of what I have canned or I will offer homemade goods in exchange. Some people will take it and some will not.

If you have produce you want to get rid, please put the word out. I hate to see good food go to waste! Someone will have need of it. Otherwise, put an ad on Craigslist or a local trading page (both are free in my area)! Someone will come glean it!

Thanks for reading!
Erica

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