How Our Gleaning Program Reclaims Fresh Produce for Minnesota Families

Fresh produce is critical for people’s health, yet many Minnesota families are fighting hard just to keep it on their tables. The cost of fruits and vegetables in the Midwest has jumped nearly 20% over the past five years and it keeps rising. Parents like Kriana are feeling the pressure and turning to food shelves to supplement their fruits and vegetables.

One in five adults in the US received food from a food shelf last year. Meanwhile, locally grown food is waiting to be harvested and shared. At the end of growing season, many farmers are left with extra produce they can’t sell at market and don’t have the time or resources to harvest. From apples to tomatoes to eggplants, this nutritious food would go to waste. Instead, it helps to feed a local family.

The Food Group’s Gleaning Program helps address both food waste and rising hunger. We partner with local farmers to reclaim quality produce from fields and distribute to local food shelves. The program supports local farmers by providing the resources to harvest surplus food while expanding access to nutritious, locally grown food for everyone.

Earlier this month, volunteers Bill and Judy were hard at work collecting extra cilantro, eggplant, and cabbage from fields at Waxwing Farm. Our dedicated gleaning volunteers, affectionately known as “The Glean Team,” have already reclaimed approximately 14,700 servings of produce from five local farms in 2026. This food is distributed directly to local food shelf partners at no cost, ensuring that families can continue to access fresh fruits and vegetables.

Farming is hard work and surplus crops are a natural part of the process. Many farmers lack the time and capacity to do more than clear their fields to prepare for the next growing season. The Gleaning Program provides trained staff and volunteers to help close the labor gap.

Waxwing Farm, a 5-acre diversified family farm in Webster, has been a gleaning partner since the program began. They grow 40 different types of produce using sustainable, chemical free, and organic-compliant practices. Our program ensures that all that great food reaches Minnesota tables.

Waxwing Farm invites gleaners to reclaim extra food so they can clear a field, but they also plant crops for gleaners to harvest. Through the program, Anna learns what foods are easier to distribute or are in high demand in local communities, like the globe eggplants she planted this year especially for the glean team.

Our Gleaning Program is powered by passionate volunteers who care about their neighbors and believe in the power of local food. Volunteers Rita and Dave are third year of gleaning and view the program as essential for fighting hunger.

Rita loves knowing that the food provides immediate relief to local families because it’s often harvested and delivered that same day.

The Food Group is committed to uplifting local food and upholding the dignity of our neighbors by always providing the best quality food to local food shelves. The produce we glean from local farmers and share with food shelves is not damaged or about to expire. It’s freshly harvested and delivered quickly, because that’s what Minnesotans deserve.

The Food Group is proud to partner with local farmers like Waxwing Farm to reduce food waste and share fresh, quality fruits and vegetables with local families. By investing in programs that support local food and farmers, we are building a Minnesota where food is abundant and fresh produce is available to all.