Allison McKeany is our first Glean Lead in Sonoma and is a Registered Dietitian. She is going to be providing us with some great content on food, nutrition, recipes and more!
The Problem Solved
By Allison McKeany
"Wouldn't it be great to make an app so people with fruit trees that are going to waste could be connected with people who could use it?" I said to my husband on a neighborhood walk in fall nearly ten years ago, as I stepped around spoiled apples on the sidewalk.
You can't imagine my excitement last year when I heard that someone had pulled it off. Not an app, exactly, but a system for sharing excess produce.
I'd stumbled across a call for volunteers for ExtraFood's first glean in the Sonoma Valley. They have a program called Share the Bounty that harvests or picks up surplus backyard and farm produce and redistributes the food to people facing hunger in the community. They had been gleaning in Marin for many years and were now expanding into Sonoma.
Turns out I ended up on the very first glean, picking Gravenstein apples, and there was no turning back. I was hooked.
Strangers, Apples, and New Friends
There's something about gathering with a few strangers who end up feeling more like new friends, on a beautiful Saturday morning harvesting apples, quince, persimmons, lemons, oranges, and more.
The backyard gleaning program does far more than save produce and help address food insecurity in our community. It's given many of us a chance to connect with a sense of purpose in just a couple of hours out of our busy week.
Bringing Together Access & Education
I've enjoyed it so much, in fact, that I'm eager to do more. I'm now acting as Sonoma Valley's first glean "lead," and, as a Registered Dietitian, I've started providing nutrition education and simple recipe resources to recipients and volunteers alike, alongside the harvest itself.
Given my line of work, I'm acutely aware that nutrition education depends first on consistent access to healthy, nourishing food. It's hard for me to imagine doing this work without also doing my part to increase access to both.
So be on the lookout for more of my thoughts on food, nutrition, and community. Throughout my second gleaning season, I'll be spotlighting seasonal harvests — exploring their health benefits, recipes, storage tips, and more.
I look forward to contributing my small part to this great effort to ensure everyone in our community is nourished.
~Allison McKeany, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist