Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bring my kids?

Community Fruit Rescue welcomes children of all ages as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Parents/Guardians must sign a waiver that includes accepting responsibility for any minor attending a harvest. You can read the waiver here. Some harvests may be more conducive to child participants (with shorter trees and low hanging fruit) so feel free to reach out and ask!

Can I bring my dog to a harvest?

We absolutely love our pets and furry friends, but because our harvests are held on private properties - some of which have their own pets present - we unfortunately cannot allow our volunteers to bring their own pets along with them. We respectfully ask that you keep your dogs and other pets at home. Services animals are, of course, excluded from this policy. Thank you for your understanding.

What should I do if my contact information changes?

If you are changing contact information like your email address or phone number, go to the Volunteer page and click on 'Update'. If you need to make a name change, write to Dick Yates at fruitrescue@gleanweb.org.

If you picked a password when you first registered, you can go to My Page at any time to update your contact information, see your harvesting history, or review the information about harvests that you have signed up for. If you did not pick a password, you can add one by using the Update button on the Volunteer page.

Why won't the signup page let me on the roster?

You may have typed your name differently than you did when you first registered as a volunteer, or you may have put your first and last names in the wrong spaces. If the system still does not recognize you, contact Dick at fruitrescue@gleanweb.org or (503) 991-5525.

I forgot to write down the harvest address!

The email you receive after you sign up includes a link to information about the harvest, including the address. If you have signed up for the harvest but have lost this email, go to the Community Fruit Rescue website and click on the 'Volunteer' button. Click the 'Signups' button there to get another email. If you have any trouble, contact Dick. You are also welcome to contact us at harvest@fruitrescue.org

How will I know where the harvest is?

After you sign up, you'll see a page with the address of the harvest and helpful information about what to bring. This is the only place the actual address appears on the website so write it down or print it out.
You will also receive an email with the same information and a link back to that web page. If you want to check out your history of participation or have the email resent, go to the 'Volunteer' button on our homepage.

You can go to My Page at any time to update your contact information, see your harvesting history, or review the information about harvests that you have signed up for.

Who can I contact with questions that are harvesting and event specific?

Contact our Harvest Coordinator at harvest@fruitrescue.org.

What do black bears have to do with picking fruit?

Because of Boulder’s close proximity to the foothills and open space, it is not uncommon to see wildlife like black bears occasionally coming into town. Starting late summer and going through the fall, they are preparing for winter hibernation by eating roughly 20,000 calories per day! Unsecured trash and compost is the major “attractant”, with fruit trees being another major issue, as well as bird & hummingbird feeders, small livestock, and beehives. With that considered, CFR harvests help to minimize conflicts with local black bears. Bears will always come into town, we just don’t want them to stay and forage in town for food. We can keep bears and people safe by removing these “attractants” and encouraging the bears to stay in their natural habitat. Learn more here.

How are harvests planned?

Tree stewards contact Community Fruit Rescue (CFR) when they have surplus fruit. They schedule a harvest with CFR and the harvest is entered into the Harvest Calendar and compiled into a weekly email, which is sent to all volunteers and tree stewards. Volunteers can register for the harvest as long as it hasn't reached the cap number of volunteers needed. The number of volunteers needed is determined by the amount of fruit available and the time required to harvest.

Why is there surplus fruit available?

There are many factors that contribute to surplus produce being available for Community Fruit Rescue. Typically it is because fruit trees often produce more than tree stewards can use themselves and they'd like to share it with the community. Boulder is especially abundant with fruit due to the fact that it was developed as fruit orchards over a century ago, and many of those heirloom fruit trees still thrive throughout Boulder's neighborhoods, urban areas, and open spaces.

Can harvesters take produce home from harvests?

Yes! Volunteer pickers can take home a combined 1/4 of the bounty at the end of each harvest. 1/2 of the fruit is donated to people in need, and the final 1/4 of fruit is split between the tree stewards and Community Fruit Rescue. Please remember to wait until the end of the harvest; your harvest leader will need to sort, weigh, and document all fruit totals first.

Can I bring friends with me to the harvest?

Please make sure everyone who is planning to attend has registered as a volunteer and signed up for the specific harvest. It is important for us to know how many people will be showing up in order to make sure we have just enough help and not too many helpers for the amount of fruit available.