Iron County Gleaners

A group of senior people harvesting apples in an orchard, smiling and collecting apples in baskets and crates.
Multiple hands holding small seedlings planted in soil during a gardening activity.
Person picking ripe apples from an apple tree in an orchard.
Group of children harvesting tomatoes and carrots in a garden, with a sign that reads 'Good food. Less waste. Stronger together.'
A woman picking oranges from a large orange tree in a sunny backyard, holding a basket for collection.
A diverse group of adults and children gardening together, harvesting vegetables like carrots and tomatoes, in a community garden with a sign reading 'FRESH PRODUCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY' and a chalkboard sign saying 'GLEANED WITH LOVE, Donated to LOCAL FOOD PANTRY' on a sunny day.
Two children, a girl and a boy, pick cherries from a tree in an orchard. The girl has long blonde hair and is smiling as she reaches for cherries, holding some in her hand. The boy, wearing a cap and dark shirt, holds a basket full of cherries and reaches up to pick more. There is a box labeled 'Iron County Gleaners' in the background.

Recovering local food. Supporting local families. Reducing waste together.

Iron County Gleaners is a volunteer-led community effort focused on rescuing surplus produce from gardens, fruit trees, farms, and local growing spaces and helping redirect that food toward neighbors who can use it most.

Our current gleaning efforts support Iron County Care and Share and the families they serve throughout Iron County.

What Is Gleaning?

Gleaning is the simple act of harvesting extra food that might otherwise go unused.

Sometimes that looks like:
an apple tree producing more fruit than a family can use
a garden overflowing with vegetables
fruit trees dropping produce before anyone can harvest it
extra crops from small farms or backyard growing spaces

Even a single tree or garden bed can provide fresh food for multiple households in our community.

How It Works

If you have surplus produce you’d like harvested, reach out to us.

We’ll:
• talk through what’s available
• assess whether a glean team is needed
• organize local volunteers when appropriate
• harvest usable produce safely and respectfully
• help distribute food through community support networks

No harvest is too small. Every little bit matters.

Why Participate?

Reduce Food Waste

Fresh produce often goes unused simply because harvesting takes time and energy. Gleaning helps keep good food from going to waste.

Support Local Families

Recovered produce helps support neighbors experiencing food insecurity through local community partnerships.

Build Community

Gleaning brings people together around something practical, meaningful, and deeply local.

Keep Food Local

Whenever possible, volunteers are organized based on proximity to help reduce transportation needs and strengthen neighborhood connections.

Volunteer With Us

We’re always looking for kind, community-minded volunteers who want to help during harvest seasons.

Volunteers may help with:
harvesting produce
sorting and packing food
transporting donations
identifying local glean opportunities
supporting community food access efforts

No prior experience is necessary. We’ll teach you what you need to know along the way.

A Community Effort

Iron County Gleaners exists because small acts of generosity add up.

A few extra tomatoes. One fruit tree. A single afternoon of volunteering.

Together, those things become meals, connections, and support for people throughout our community.

If you’d like to volunteer, donate produce, or help us identify future glean opportunities, we’d love to hear from you.

Ready to get involved?