Fruits of the City
InCommons Collaboration Challenge
Fruits of the City
The Minnesota Project launched the Fruits of the City initiative in 2009, we gleaned over 15,000 lbs of fruit from residential and local orchards that were donated to area food shelves. We engaged over 125 volunteers and 100 tree owners the first year - couldn't get to all the trees as we were overwhelmed with requests. In 2010 we grew the program by including "neighborhood coordinators" and went to an online registration for volunteers and tree owners. To date we have harvested and donated about 12,000 lbs. of fruit this year - even though it has been a bad year for Minnesota fruit.
We are providing fresh food access to those who don't normally have it. Food shelves don't typically have access to locally produced fresh food, this program addresses it. We have provided over 2,000 family servings this year and are looking to grow that to 3,500 family servings next year.
We want to grow the program by establishing "mini-orchards" on publicly owned or underused property in neighborhoods throughout the metro area. We envision teams of trained volunteers "adopting an orchard" to provide on-going care and maintenance and then a more efficient harvesting of higher quality fruit. Typically the trees of homeowners have not been well cared for. While we provide educational classes to change that, we expect that through the mini-orchards we can care for them more effectively. We would like to engage the support of the Tree Trust to work with our volunteer arborist from the U of MN Landscape Arboretum.
About You
About You
First Name
David
Last Name
Glenn
Country
United States, MN, Ramsey County
About Your Organization
Organization
The Minnesota Project
Organization Website
Organization Phone
651-789-3325
Organization Address
1885 University Ave #315, Saint Paul
Organization Country
United States, MN, Ramsey County
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Your Story
Collaboration Title
Fruits of the City
Country your work focuses on
United States, MN
Describe your locally-based collaboration and the problem it sought to address
The Minnesota Project launched the Fruits of the City initiative in 2009, we gleaned over 15,000 lbs of fruit from residential and local orchards that were donated to area food shelves. We engaged over 125 volunteers and 100 tree owners the first year - couldn't get to all the trees as we were overwhelmed with requests. In 2010 we grew the program by including "neighborhood coordinators" and went to an online registration for volunteers and tree owners. To date we have harvested and donated about 12,000 lbs. of fruit this year - even though it has been a bad year for Minnesota fruit.
We are providing fresh food access to those who don't normally have it. Food shelves don't typically have access to locally produced fresh food, this program addresses it. We have provided over 2,000 family servings this year and are looking to grow that to 3,500 family servings next year.
We want to grow the program by establishing "mini-orchards" on publicly owned or underused property in neighborhoods throughout the metro area. We envision teams of trained volunteers "adopting an orchard" to provide on-going care and maintenance and then a more efficient harvesting of higher quality fruit. Typically the trees of homeowners have not been well cared for. While we provide educational classes to change that, we expect that through the mini-orchards we can care for them more effectively. We would like to engage the support of the Tree Trust to work with our volunteer arborist from the U of MN Landscape Arboretum.
Tell us about the community in which this collaboration took place
The program included trees and gleaners throughout the 7 county metro area & beyond. We took calls from Winona, Jordan, Hastings, Pine City and more - more than we have had the resources to serve. By expanding our "neighborhood coordinators" we can train more folks how to organize and operate a fruit gleaning initiative. By establishing "Mini Orchards" we can improve fruit quality and efficiency.
Issue Selector
n/a
Partnership
Who was involved in co-creating or implementing your collaboration (other organizations, leaders, community members, etc.)?
Minnesota Project staff have developed the program. Our partners are SUPERVALU Foundation, Second Harvest food shelves and Edible Twin Cities and the over 150 volunteer gleaners and over 100 tree owners. We are working with the City of Minneapolis Sustainability, Property management and HomeGrown Minneapolis staff to establish "mini-orchards" on vacant, underused and unused city properties.
To what extent does your collaboration involve partnerships that are outside or cross traditional organizational or sector boundaries?
Allowing the use of public property to grow and harvest food for others is new territory for the City of Minneapolis. Homegrown Mpls is going through a lengthy process of expanding community gardening spaces. The establishment of mini-orchards is providing an expedited and more direct approach that we want to replicate in other communities. The MN Project will serve as the project coordinator.
Innovation
What makes your locally-based collaboration innovative and unique?
Using community/neighborhood based volunteers to manage public land and resources is challenging for public officials. Concerns of liability, equality of access, maintenance expense and vandalism are all barriers to moving forward. The concept simplicity of organizing teams of community members to collaboratively care for trees, their neighborhood environment and grow food for others seems out of reach in our perceived modern culture. Recognizing that there are concerned people who want to return to the chance to grow their own food, provide direct service to others and improve their neighborhoods in a grass roots manner has become innovative again. This program will provide education, interactive participation and a chance to improve the aesthetics of neighborhoods. It will be inter-generational and cross cultural boundaries as well. Providing that partnership with publicly or privately owned land and resources crosses many currently perceived barriers.
Did you take risks in establishing this collaboration? Explain
The Minnesota Project has operated the Fruits of the City program for two years at a loss to the organization. Staff and board leadership recognized it's potential and its possibilities. Once established it can serve as a great vehicle for educating community about the need to access fresh and locally produced food and how many don't currently have access.
How did this collaboration differ from the normal way of doing your work?
The Minnesota Project has historically done their work primarily through funded staff. This program/initiative relies heavily on volunteers and community members from a broad area. We are learning how to effectively work with seasonal volunteers and the skills and resources necessary to keep them engaged beyond the gleaning season. Expanding the orchard program will achieve that mission.
Impact
How do you know your collaboration has been effective?
In 2011 we would plan to establish 4 - 6 mini-orchards with adopt-an-orchard teams of 4 - 8 volunteers for each location. We would expect that they would include 24 - 40 trees throughout the metro area, with the capability to have on-site watering and maintenance capabilities. Each team would have co-captains and all volunteers would have been trained on fruit tree care and maintenance by our arborist from the University of MN Landscape Arboretum.
We would see our retention of Fruits of the City volunteers increase by 20% and volunteer planned events take place to assist with planting and pruning activities. For fun we would like to see some related recipe exchanges or possibly some potluck gatherings.
What progress or impact has been made?
To date we have harvested over 25,000 lbs of fruit and donated that to local food shelves, an equivalent of over 4,100 family servings. We have increased awareness of the need for local fresh food by those who can least afford it. By expanding to include mini-orchards we can add another 2,000 servings and do it in a manner that is sustainable and renewable year after year.
Next Steps
How would you go about continuing, expanding, or replicating this collaboration?
As progress and success is demonstrated we will continue to seek corporate and organizational support. As we build our volunteer base and commitment of core volunteers we will use their efforts and support to generate additional sources of support funding.
We will continue to educate and engage community members in the concepts of "edible landscapes" and encourage their involvement. We would look to expand our mini-orchard concept to other communities and model the contracts we have with the City of Minneapolis to build and maintain the collaborative efforts.
We plan to take what we have learned here and teach other communities - especially in rural food deserts how they can grow more of their own foods (not just crops). They can use the same model for organizing vegetable and extended season gardening to replace their fresh food access in their communities.
Describe the current stage of implementation and desired next steps
The basis for the Fruits of the City program is established. It has been refined and improved from it's first year and the establishment of the "mini-orchards" is the next logical step.
Fruits of the City has engaged "neighborhood coordinators" as volunteer leaders expanding our capabilities. Currently it still requires staff leadership to organize and maintain contacts with partners and providing volunteer training and coaching is necessary to ensure people participate safely.
The "min-orchards" provides a vehicle for deeper and longer volunteer engagement and quality of fruit improvement. It also demonstrates the possibilities each community has for increasing their food security through local production. While we have found models for the Fruits of the City program to emulate (3 other programs nationwide), we have found only one organization that helps to establish orchards. We know that there is still research and procedural issues to develop and test to ensure public officials can be assured of their concerns.
In 2011 we plan to develop service learning curriculum to engage school and volunteer groups of youth to participate in both the gleaning and the orchard maintenance and care as well. That curriculum will be presented to schools, youth organizations and others to encourage their involvement in the Fruits of the City program.
Funds are being sought to assist with the purchase of trees for public spaces as well as site improvements to achieve the establishment of the "mini-orchards". Continuing those efforts are paramount to the program success.
Additionally, communicating throughout the year with current and past volunteer gleaners, tree owners and supporters is necessary to keep them engaged and thinking about the next season's harvest. Spring pruning and tree care classes will be offered to keep tree owners engaged in the process.
| 137 weeks ago David Glenn updated this Competition Entry. | |
| 138 weeks ago David Glenn submitted this idea. |
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