A Noteworthy Gleaning Project in Sherbrooke
Champ d’actions is a collective food security project that was established in the Sherbrooke region in 2021. What makes this project unique is the focus on directly engaging individuals with organizations dedicated to fighting food insecurity and social vulnerability. The team organizes gleaning activities where groups of people can visit farms to gather and process produce left behind in the field, then redistribute the fruits of their labour to various social organizations in the region.
“First of all, participants can experience the agricultural scene and learn about the reality of farmers. It’s also an opportunity for them to get out of town and return with fresh local produce,” explains Olivier Marleau, coordinator at Champ d’actions.
**In 2023, this project saved a total of 3.56 tonnes of fruits and vegetables. **
“Our guides have experience in agriculture. This makes it easier for [farm] owners to welcome us, as they don’t have to walk us through every step of the harvesting process,” he goes on to say.
If you have a farm in the Sherbrooke region and would like to supply your unharvested vegetables for a gleaning initiative next season, please contact Champ d’actions. You can even ask for a third of the harvest once the activity is over!