Reach. Twist. Pick. Box. Repeat.

To put that in perspective, this year’s volunteer gleaners did that to about 9,345 plums, 2,055 pears, 2,784 Asian pears and 28,014 apples. There was a whole lot of picking going on this harvest season.

The net result came out to 12,363 pounds of plums, pears, apples, grapes and figs. It was a good year for harvesting backyard trees for community use.

The bulk of the fresh local organic fruit went to Port Townsend and Chimacum schools and four Jefferson County food banks. The rest was distributed to 17 other organizations, including senior centers and the YMCA.

Stacey Larson, director of food services for Port Townsend schools, used up to 500 pounds of fruit a week, serving it fresh to students, making it into sauces or muffins. Many teachers also keep apples on hand in their classrooms for hungry students.

In a tandem project at the Blue Heron Middle School orchard, students gleaned nearly 1,000 pounds of fruit from 70 trees. This year, Brett Navin’s class at the middle school started drying the excess pickings. For more information, go to the Blue Heron School Orchard website.

While picking, gleaners learn first-hand that well-pruned trees are more accessible and produce better fruit than overgrown trees. From 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, they work in the trees with new and old friends, take home lots of fresh fruit, and learn how to manage an orchard while they provide food for our community.

Not a bad exchange of time.

They took fruit home for their families to eat, dry, pickle, freeze, can or jam. Many techniques and recipes are exchanged while the volunteers work in a tree.

Then there’s the end-of-year apple-pressing party. It’s one part “thank you” and 10 parts gallons of cider to drink immediately, let harden, make vinegar, or cook down for an apple syrup.  

This year, the two-hour event sent more than 50 gallons of cider goodness home with volunteers.

As crazy as a picking day seems — 5 to 20 people showing up, breaking into teams, grabbing equipment, scattering to pick trees and returning to weigh and distribute the bounty of the day — it’s fun.

Since 2009, Quimper Community Harvest organizer Seth Rolland has been working with a core group, including Sharon Comer, Jim Moore, Paula Vanderheul, Sonny Flores, Doug Van Allen, Cathie Wier and dozens of others.

It is part of the local 20/20 Food Action Group.

A solid community harvest program requires a balancing act to match volunteer help to the ripening trees. Rolland was grateful for all the gleaners who showed up week after week.

Admittedly, gleaning is addictive.

“Just when you think you never want to see another apple again,” Rolland said, “the most perfect tasty bug-free well-pruned tree is ready, and off we go.”

Thank you, tree owners, gleaners, educators and cooks. It all helps to create a more self-sufficient, healthy and kinder community.

Mary Hunt is a gleaner with the local 20/20’s Quimper Community Harvest as well as an advocate for sustainable food systems, cooking from scratch, and growing her own food.