Sources of free fruit (sell, best, old) - Frugal Living - City-Data Forum

Inthesierras · 09-25-2009, 06:27 PM

I don't know if this subject has been talked about here before. Some friends and I do alot of canning. We live in a small town and there are alot of older homes with mature fruit trees. When apricots came into season, we went to several houses and asked if we could pick their fruit. Everyone we have asked said yes. They rarely eat the fruit and it just makes a mess in their yards. Most were older folks and they were happy to hear a group of younger moms were canning fruit. So far this year we have picked apricots, peaches, chokecherries, plums, apples, grapes and soon there will be walnuts.

I am sure many of you have plum and apple trees that are ready to pick in your areas. It never hurts to ask if you can pick some fruit. Today I am working to can and dehydrate two 5 gallon buckets full of plums. I also have huge box of grapes waiting to be juiced and made into jelly.

RHB · 09-26-2009, 08:18 AM

We do a lot with apples here (Maine) while in CA hubby did a lot of field gleening (picking the week after the commerical pick, but before it got plowed under)

It's a great way to get only time invested produce. And doing it with others, is a great social time as well.

Ellise · 09-26-2009, 08:57 AM

I've had access to some blueberries for the last two years. There is a row of large bushes that produce large southern blueberries on the property of a McMansion development nearby. With the recession the development hasn't developed very much and nobody else is even interested in picking them. I get a gallon or two and freeze them.

hotzcatz · 10-02-2009, 01:33 PM

A friend of mine harvests blackberries growing on a vacant lot near her home. I'd do the same if I had the chance.

Call your local small grocery store and tell them you like ripe fruit for canning and when they have extra cases of ripe fruit you'd be interested in buying it at a discount. Fruit goes bad real quick after it ripens and the store wouldn't be able to sell it fast enough so if they sell it to you at a discount they can lessen their losses.

Buburuza 1313 · 10-02-2009, 05:15 PM

very smart mothers!!!!...this is the best..we are canning all every year in europe..healthy and teh best...

jlawrence01 · 10-03-2009, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inthesierras

I don't know if this subject has been talked about here before. Some friends and I do alot of canning. We live in a small town and there are alot of older homes with mature fruit trees. When apricots came into season, we went to several houses and asked if we could pick their fruit. Everyone we have asked said yes. They rarely eat the fruit and it just makes a mess in their yards. Most were older folks and they were happy to hear a group of younger moms were canning fruit. So far this year we have picked apricots, peaches, chokecherries, plums, apples, grapes and soon there will be walnuts.
.

HINT! Slip a couple of jars of preserves with a thank you note to the people who gave you the fruit and you will have a friend for life (and be welcome to come back the following year).

Inthesierras · 10-03-2009, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

HINT! Slip a couple of jars of preserves with a thank you note to the people who gave you the fruit and you will have a friend for life (and be welcome to come back the following year).

Yep, we did that! The people that let us pick fruit were very happy that we did.

jlawrence01 · 10-03-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inthesierras

Yep, we did that! The people that let us pick fruit were very happy that we did.

You'd be amazed at the number of people who:

1) help themselves.
2) assume because they were granted permission once, they can come back for more the following year (and not ask first).

A lot of orchards will also let you cull fruit after the first freeze.