Joe and Chris Miller of Platteville Colorado were astouned when 40,000 people showed up to pick vegetables after the yearly harvest had ended at the 600 acre farm 36 miles north of Denver. The gleaners showed up to pick the fields clean of what was left of potato, carrot and leek crops.
Joe and Chris had not expected the enormous crowds. Families parked alongside the Hwy. and went to fill bag after bag of the free bounty. The plan to open up the fields after harvest was meant as a thank you to customers. It is estimated that 600,000 pounds was harvested in one day.
There are so many people working so hard today to make ends meet. I hope I hear of other stories similar to this one. If every field in America opened up to gleaners at the end of the harvest then perhaps we could at least see the shelves of the food pantries once again resemble something near stocked. Gleaning is a popular activity in Some European countries where it spreads from the fields and into the cities as well.
It seems that Americans are starting to appreciate the bounty we have taken for granted.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081123/ap_on_re_us/food_giveaway;_ylt=ArIA_EgtkzEXTN6YdqVs8XJvzwcF
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