Food Access & Gleaning
Helpful Harvests
Gleaning is the gathering of unharvested food from farm fields, which is then donated to local food banks and shelters. It’s a wonderful way to bring more fresh, organic produce into our community while keeping our farm fields productive and healthy. Oxbow supports gleaning through regular weekday gleans, gleans held by our young summer campers on their Kids’ Farm, and the annual Big Glean to celebrate the harvest season and the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Learn more about our various opportunities below!
Weekly Gleans
Since 2012, Oxbow has proudly partnered with Hopelink Harvest to hold weekly gleans during the growing season. We’ve expanded our partnerships to include Jewish Family Service of Seattle (JFS) and FareStart. From July through October, volunteers gather weekly to harvest fresh, nutritious food options for our community.
Join us in our gleaning efforts, whether for a day or the entire season. Each day is coordinated by a different partner, and weekday groups are limited to 10 people. To volunteer, please register through our partners:
The Big Sukkot Glean
It is a longstanding tradition at Oxbow to honor the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, a celebration of the fall harvest falling shortly after the Jewish New Year. Each year for the past 11 years, we have gathered with our community in the fields for a Big Glean. Harvesting together to share with those in need is a beautiful way to honor the tradition of “Tzedakah,” or good deeds and charity while aligning with Oxbow’s mission: to inspire people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food and to steward our natural resources for future generations.
This is a family-friendly event full of hard work and good cheer! All ages are welcome. After the glean, we invite you to check out our organic Farm Stand, bring a picnic, and stay to enjoy Oxbow with your friends and family.
We are joined by our many partners, including:
What to Bring
Dress for the weather! We glean rain or shine, so dress in layers and be prepared for everything from muddy fields to hot sun. We recommend you come prepared with the following:
- A water bottle (no glass bottles, please)
- Closed-toe shoes or boots
- Sun protection for sunny days
- A rain jacket and pants for rainy days
- Snacks or a picnic for after the glean
- Face mask
- Hand sanitizer
Pets are not allowed on our working organic farm, so please leave your furry friends at home!