The yards of many Denver homes are full of fruit trees — enough to provide literal tons of food for local communities. For the last six years, Barbara Masoner has led the effort to collect that harvest and ensure it goes to people who need it.
“Last year was our biggest year. We had 11,750 pounds. It was a banner year,” she said last week, as an army of volunteers got to work on a Lakewood yard filled with apples.
Her mission has always been to get spare food to people who need it. Her organization, Grow Local Colorado, spends each autumn gleaning for local food pantries. But, this year, the organization plugged right into a neighborhood that is hungry for produce. The fruit they plucked was delivered to Sun Valley Kitchen as it fed the neighborhood at its annual Harvest Fest last week.
The time was ripe to partner with the neighborhood. Sun Valley is home to most of the city’s publicly funded housing, which is just completing a transformation from old rowhomes to affordable highrises. As the area moves into a new era, some are working to ensure fresh food has room to grow here, too.
You don’t need to leave the metro to find a fresh harvest.
“I really appreciate you taking your time, sharing your energy with us on this very important mission,” Masoner told her crowd of volunteers. “We think everyone should have access to healthy, delicious food — apples.”…