Sharing the bounty of Toronto’s urban orchard

If you’re lucky enough to have a fruit tree on your property in Toronto, it doesn’t have to be a raccoon buffet! You can connect with a harvesting program.

It’s estimated that Toronto’s urban orchard produces 1.5 million pounds of fruit every year and some tree owners can’t keep up.

Volunteers with Not Far From The Tree (NFFTT) pick fruit and share the bounty with social agencies. It’s split three ways – 1/3 to the tree registrant, 1/3 is split amongst the volunteers and 1/3 donated to one of the group’s social service agency partners.

Program Manager Rachel Lissner tells CityNews it’s a combination of putting food on the table and reducing fruit waste.

“Some people have shared with us that it does supplement their grocery bill. Some people also just like having access to fruits that are native to this part of the world but we have seen an increase in people saying that it does help a little with their wallets.”

NFFTT says it’s harvested over 250,000 pounds of fruit from yards across the city since 2008.

They average about 300 to 400 picks a year with more than 60 partner agencies such as food banks, shelters, community fridges, housing programs and meal programs.

Not Far From The Tree also believes in limiting its carbon footprint. The fruit is typically delivered using a fleet of eleven cargo bikes.

You can register your tree or volunteer to pick the fruit at notfarfromthetree.org.