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About Us:
We are a group of organic fruit and vegetable gardeners from Altadena, CA who primarily give away our excess produce to other local neighbors that are Ripe Altadena members. We also sometimes ask for a trade of produce, and do sell some products such as eggs.
It started as a few neighbors (3 miles above Pasadena, in the foothills) who had too much fruit all at one time. We set up a Fruit Stand and sold Blackberries to passers by. We were amazed at the generosity of our neighbors, who liked to stay and chat, and even return with their own backyard fruit to give us. We later traded Plums, Apricots, Lemons, Guavas, Figs, Tomatoes, and other Garden Produce and organic free range chicken eggs with each other. We started talking to other neighbors and more joined with us deciding that it would be a good idea to share when our crops were ripe. Mine being ripe at a different time than yours were. We were then able to extend our season of fresh produce from our own back yards.
We got together and decided to promote the growing and sharing of local, seasonal, organic food not only by trading, selling, or giving away our crops, but by having classes and workshops on things like making jam, making cheese, and hands on how to graft stone fruit trees. We continue these classes with varying topics.
What started primarily as produce sharing has changed our community as our ties with our neighbors have strengthened. Where we first knew few families in our town, we now know tens of families. We can walk through neighborhoods pointing out homes of people we not only know, but have eaten from their garden.
As an aside, we have a database of recommended community workers which we have personally used and can recommend to our neighbors.
By sharing our abundance and resources, we strengthen community ties to create a sustainable, cooperative future.
Do you have fruit or vegetables that grow in your yard and you hate to see it all go to waste every year? Join our group and post what you have, and see what we have to offer you! It will be more than you thought.
Please note: It is a requirement that you have something to share with others in order to join this group. You can be as active or less active as you wish.
