End-of-market produce goes to families that need it
At the end of every market day, our farmers donate the produce they haven't sold to a network of DC food banks, shelters, and community kitchens.
What gleaning means at our markets
Gleaning is the practice of collecting leftover produce from farms and markets so it doesn't go to waste. Historically, gleaners were people who walked behind harvesters to pick up what was missed. Today at our markets, gleaning means our farmers donate what hasn't sold by 1pm to a rotating list of food access partners across DC.
This is voluntary — our farmers donate because they hate seeing food wasted just as much as anyone else. Most weekends, at least half of our farmers donate produce, herbs, eggs, bread, or flowers at the end of market day.
Where the produce goes
Surplus produce from our markets has gone to a rotating mix of DC food access partners over the years, including Bread for the City, Martha's Table, neighborhood food pantries, soup kitchens, and senior centers. The exact partner depends on the week and what produce is available.
How much produce moves through this program
It varies by season. A peak summer Sunday can mean 200+ pounds of produce gleaned across the whole market. A slow winter weekend might be 20 pounds. Over a full season, the cumulative donations are substantial — easily multiple tons of fresh produce that would otherwise be composted or carried home unsold.
Volunteer with gleaning
The gleaning program runs on volunteer help. At the end of each market day, volunteers walk the market with bags and boxes, collect what farmers want to donate, sort it by type, and load it for transport to that week's partner.
It's a great volunteer commitment — 45 minutes to an hour at the end of a market day, no advance training required, and you see exactly where the food goes. To volunteer, visit our volunteer page or email [email protected].