Gleaning!

Today my husband and I spent about an hour picking blackberries, raspberries wineberries, and black raspberries from my aunt's berry bushes while she's away on vacation. Of course, I had her permission to do so. I loved the change of scenery, and getting free, perfectly ripe, organic berries. We're going to make some of these into a dessert with some peaches from the farmers' market. The rest we'll freeze. There aren't enough, alas to make it worth the effort of making jam. But we'll use these up with absolute glee, and it'll be worth the few scratches we sustained. (Blackberries, by the way, are far more tenacious of their point than raspberries.)

Now's the time of year to keep your eye out for fruits and other food going to waste. I've got a free basket at the end of my driveway to distribute any oversized zucchini that escape my attention in the garden. Don't be shy about asking a neighbor if you see food going to waste. Many people are happy just to have someone use up what they can't or won't. And many times you'll be saving them yardwork as well.