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NATIVE AND URBAN FOOD GLEANING
For years now, our group has been involved with annual citrus gleaning projects between the months of January and May, when there is a surplus of citrus on many Phoenix Metro Area residents' trees. In the past, we have volunteered with United Food Bank and the Phoenix Permaculture Guild. Currently, we are 
volunteering with the "Glean Team" from Arizona Homegrown Solutions to pick and deliver citrus to homeless youth through the Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development as well as to others in need through the Salvation Army and various food banks. This service-learning activity benefits the environment and the community in three ways: (1) elderly home owners who are not able to pick the fruit from their trees or clean up beneath them are helped; (2) roof rats are deterred, (3) thousands of pounds of citrus fruit are donated to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. During one very special gleaning event, we partnered with refugee children from the International Rescue Committee, making for a unique collaboration of youth from different cultures speaking different languages, working together to help improve the environment and the quality of life for other people. 
In addition to citrus gleaning, we are gleaning native foods too! Mesquite pods, which are ripe and ready for harvest during the hot summer, can be ground into a healthy flour at the Southwest Desert Harvesters' annual mesquite milling in the fall. Fruit from prickly pear cacti, also known as "tunas," can be juiced and made into delicious smoothies, jams, syrups, and more. Our youth leaders additionally have been involved in teaching prickly pear fruit gleanings and cooking classes!
For years now, our group has been involved with annual citrus gleaning projects between the months of January and May, when there is a surplus of citrus on many Phoenix Metro Area residents' trees. In the past, we have volunteered with United Food Bank and the Phoenix Permaculture Guild. Currently, we are 
volunteering with the "Glean Team" from Arizona Homegrown Solutions to pick and deliver citrus to homeless youth through the Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development as well as to others in need through the Salvation Army and various food banks. This service-learning activity benefits the environment and the community in three ways: (1) elderly home owners who are not able to pick the fruit from their trees or clean up beneath them are helped; (2) roof rats are deterred, (3) thousands of pounds of citrus fruit are donated to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. During one very special gleaning event, we partnered with refugee children from the International Rescue Committee, making for a unique collaboration of youth from different cultures speaking different languages, working together to help improve the environment and the quality of life for other people.
In addition to citrus gleaning, we are gleaning native foods too! Mesquite pods, which are ripe and ready for harvest during the hot summer, can be ground into a healthy flour at the Southwest Desert Harvesters' annual mesquite milling in the fall. Fruit from prickly pear cacti, also known as "tunas," can be juiced and made into delicious smoothies, jams, syrups, and more. Our youth leaders additionally have been involved in teaching prickly pear fruit gleanings and cooking classes!
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