Photo courtesy of the Daily Sundial.

California State University, Northridge’s Institute for Sustainability and local nonprofit Food Forward invite the public to join their members in the harvesting of oranges in CSUN’s historic orange grove, one of the last of the original groves that dotted the San Fernando Valley in its early days of farming.

The CSUN Institute for Sustainability has partnered with Food Forward to host orange picks for the past three years to ensure that the fruit does not go to waste. This year’s harvest is scheduled to take place from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept 15. The picked fruit will be given to organizations that serve the needy.

“We coordinate two picks per year,” said Sarah Johnson, administrative coordinator for CSUN’s Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing and Institute for Sustainability. “The one next week is in honor of the National Day of Service and Remembrance on Sept. 11. The one in spring is in honor of Earth Day on April 22. ”

The actual events are held on the Sunday closest to that date, Johnson said. “We hope that participants will walk away from the event feeling as though they made a worth contribution to their community,” she continued. “By picking oranges, volunteers are providing a food source to local food pantries that help feed those in need.”

Food Forward regularly hosts fruit gleaning picks in the San Fernando Valley.

For more information about the Sept 15 harvest at CSUN, visit http://foodforward.org/events/signup-form/?id=1290.

Community, Environment, Institute for Sustainability