Project Green Leaf Resources

Gleaning is a concept that puts people into fields to pick fruits and vegetables that remain after harvest.  Much of this food may be unmarketable or not worth picking for the farmer.  However, gleaners harvest this perfectly edible food and donate it to local assistance agencies that distribute it through their network of social service programs.

The gleaning agency that operates in the Piedmont of North Carolina is The Society of Saint Andrew Gleaning Network.  Gleaners are volunteers of all ages and backgrounds.  Many are involved through churches, clubs, schools, and senior citizen groups.  In addition, growers can receive a 10% tax credit for the crops they permit to be gleaned.  Farmers interested should contact:

Society of St. Andrew
PO Box 25081
Durham, NC 27702
Email: sosanc@endhunger.org
Website: www.endhunger.org
Toll Free Produce Recovery Line: 1-877-783-3011

Community gardens are plots of land where individuals and groups garden together. Below is a list of community gardens within North Carolina.

• UNCG Gardens
  123 McIver Street
  Greensboro, NC 27403
  Website: uncggardens.uncg.edu
  Contact: s_andrea@uncg.edu
• Camden Street Learning Garden
  315 Camden Street
  Raleigh, NC 27601
  Website: www.foodshuttle.org/camden-garden
• Keeley Community Garden
  4100-4198 Keely Road
  McLeansville, NC 27301
  Website: www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/parks-recreation/parks-gardens/keeley-park/community-garden
  Contact: (336) 373-4549
• Geer Street Learning Garden
  110 E. Geer Street
  Durham, NC 27701
  Website: www.foodshuttle.org/geer-street-garden

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle

Contact: (919) 250-0043

Additional Resources

• North Carolina Community Garden Partners
  Website: www.nccgp.org
  Garden Directory Link: www.nccgp.org/garden_directory
• NC State Community Gardens
  Website: nccommunitygardens.ces.ncsu.edu

Links:

• United States Department of Agriculture
• North Carolina Department of Agriculture
• North Carolina Cooperative Extension
• Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
• Small Farms – Cornell University’s Small Farm Program
• SARE-  Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (USDA)
• RAFI – Rural Advancement Foundation International
• American School Food Sevice Association (ASFSA)
• Robyn Van En Center for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Resources
• “Growing Small Farms”  Sustainable Farming Program of the Chatham Co. Cooperative Extension
• National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs
• Cooperative Grocer Online- A Bi-Monthly Magazine for Food Cooperatives
• Growing for Market Newsletter- “News and Ideas for Market Gardeners”
• American Small Farm Magazine
• The Vegetable Growers News Online Newspaper

Organic Certification and Resources Links:

• Oregon Tilth- Organic Certification Agency
• Florida Organic Growers and Consumers, Inc.- Organic Certification Agency
• Organic Trade Association
• Organic Gardening Magazine

Resources/Books:

• Corum, Gibson & Rosenzweig. 2001, The New Farmers Market: Farm Fresh Ideas For Producers, Managers & Communities. Auburn, CA: New World.
• Gibson, Eric. 1994, Sell What You Sow!: The Grower’s Guide to Successful Produce Marketing. Auburn, CA: New World.
• Goodall, Jane with Gary McAvoy and Gail Hudson. 2005, Harvest for Hope. New York: Time Warner Book Group.
• Gussow, Joan Dye. 2001. This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing.
• Hamilton, Neil. 1999, The Legal Guide For Direct Farm Marketing. A USDA Publication.
• Henederson, Elizabeth. 1999, Sharing the Harvest: A Guide to Community Supported Agriculture. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing.
• Ishee, Jeff. 1997, Dynamic Farmers’ Marketing: A Guide to Successfully Selling Your Farmers’ Market Products. Middlebrook, VA: Bittersweet Farmstead
• Kingsolver, Barbara with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. 2007. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. New York: HarperCollins.
• Lappé, Frances Moore and Anna Lappé. 2002. Hope’s Edge. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc.
• Magdoff, Fred and Van Es, Harold. 2000, Building Soils for Better Crops. Publication of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN – Outreach Component of USDA-SARE Program)
• Pollan, Michael.
  2008. In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. London: Penguin Press, Ltd.
  2006. Omnivore’s Dilemma. London: Penguin Books Ltd.
  2002. Botany of Desire: A Plant’s Eye View of the World. New York: Random House.
• Stephenson, Garry.
  2008. Farmers’ Markets: Success, Failure, and Management Ecology. Amherst, New York: Cambria Press.
• Sustainable Agriculture Network. 1998. Managing Cover Crops Profitably. (SAN – Outreach Component of USDA-SARE Program). .