Frequently Asked Questions

We harvest nearly all fruit that grows in Marin County as long as it is edible. If it is too sour, rotten, or too unripe, then we cannot donate it. 

For pickups, here are some suggestions that help to make the most of your donation

• Pack produce in boxes, not bags, to prevent produce from damage during distribution.
• Produce donations often need to last several days without refrigeration before being consumed, so items such as lettuce and figs are generally too perishable. Other fruit should be harvested and dropped off while still hard.  Too Soft and overly ripe fruit, while delicious, is too fragile to last.

Harvest Heroes is a volunteer-powered organization, which means the majority of our fruit harvests are led by high-school volunteers. We do our best to get volunteers out to pick all of the properties that register with us but are unable to make any guarantees as to if, or when we will be able to do so. We often have many more properties to harvest than we have volunteer event leaders available. The best way to ensure your fruit does not go to waste is to do a DIY Pick-Up.

Our volunteers can harvest as much fruit as they can safely pick with a fruit picker and extension tool or hand pruner. We can typically harvest as high as 10 - 15 feet (or lower if the fruit needs to be hand clipped), so if your tree is above that height we will not be able to get all the fruit. In addition, if your tree has a lot of dead wood or if there are electrical lines around the tree, we may not be able to harvest the fruit. We will do our best to get as much as we can and we always recommend pruning regularly for the health of your trees.

In most cases, absolutely! One fruit tree can yield up to 800 pounds! Our only requirement is that there should be enough fruit for one or more volunteers to harvest for at least 30 minutes. If you have less fruit than that, you can pick it yourself to donate!

Depending on how much extra produce you have, we may be able to harvest your garden. If you have a few spare fruits or veggies that you cannot eat, we can connect you with a local hunger relief agency so your homegrown bounty does not go to waste. Learn about picking and donating your own garden veggies here.

Generally, no, provided there is no gross negligence or intentional misconduct.  There is a federal Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act and California Code Section 58501-58509 to encourage the donation of food and grocery products to nonprofit organizations for distribution to needy individuals.  The provisions waive donors of their liability for injuries by gleaners/harvesters in the process of collecting the food (except for gross negligence or intentional misconduct) and for providing "apparently wholesome food." 

The harvesting technique that Harvest Heroes volunteers have started to use is quick, doesn't require a ladder, and is perfect for high trees. 

1. With several of your family or friends, stretch a tarp or sheet under the tree, making sure that it doesn't touch the ground.
2. Gently shake the branch above the tarp. The fruit will fall into the canopy typically without being bruised. 
3. When the canopy is full or heavy enough, scoop the fruit into boxes and carry them away. Note that if the fruit hasn't been thinned, you will get a variety of ripeness that falls. The unripe fruit would be falling anyway due to having too much competition for space on the branch. 
4. Do this several times during the season, and you'll have harvested nearly all the fruit without getting on a ladder once!