Why Harvest Urban Fruit?

(An excerpt from Solid Ground’s Urban Fruit Harvest guide)

Unlike planting a garden, owning a fruit tree is often unintentional.  Many tree owners find that they have ‘inherited’ a fruit tree. Growing and harvesting the fruit may seem intimidating, if not an actual nuisance. But there are many reasons to think differently about urban fruit.

• Urban fruit is local food.  Apples from down the street have the same benefits as apples from the store, and they are typically fresher.
• Many people can’t afford to buy organic produce – while most people with fruit trees have more than they can use. This creates opportunities for sharing.
• Harvesting fruit can build ties between neighbors and promote an interest in fruit trees, thus building community knowledge and resources.
• Unharvested fruit poses sanitation and pest problems. Dropping to the ground, the fruit creates a mess, may attract animals, and serves as a host for next year’s fruit pests.
• Unharvested fruit is a moral hazard, creating waste out of a much-needed resource.
• Harvesting and eating urban fruit can show children exactly where fruit comes from.
• Urban fruit is a potential source of revenue to support individuals and causes.