Fruit Tree Project

We turn falling fruit into a whole new way to think about life in the Greater Victoria region. By changing the way folks interact with the Urban Orchard and their community, we can transform their relationship with the local food system.

Through connecting dedicated volunteers with fruit tree owners in the Greater Victoria region, we distribute fruit that would otherwise go to waste to those in the community who will use it. Want to learn more? Keep scrolling to find out how the harvest works or learn about volunteer roles!

Register your tree, become a volunteer, or log in below

Gleaning Hub

How does the harvest work?

The harvest begins with Tree Stewards (tree owners) registering their trees in our online portal, the Gleaning Hub. After providing information about their property and their fruit tree(s), the Steward can request to have their trees picked by our dedicated team of volunteers.

Our staff team reviews each pick request – ripeness and yield can be tricky to judge, and fluctuate from year to year! If we need more information about a tree, we’ll contact the Steward for photos, or send a volunteer Tree Assessor to take a closer look. Once the details are confirmed and approved by staff, the tree is put on a ‘Ready to Pick’ list. Learn more about what trees we will and won’t pick here.

Next, our volunteer Harvest Leaders choose from the pool of trees that are ready to pick and book an outing. Volunteer Fruit Pickers are then invited to join the harvest, and the Steward is notified of the scheduled pick. Afterwards, the Harvest Leader, Fruit Pickers, and Tree Steward take their share of the harvested fruit, and the remaining portion returns to LifeCycles for redistribution into the community. Learn more about the redistribution process here.

Ready to join the harvest? Register as a Tree Steward or Volunteer on our Gleaning Hub!

What do volunteers do?

Volunteers are at the heart of what we do here at LifeCycles. They take on a variety of roles in the harvest process to help keep the Fruit Tree Project running smoothly.

Harvest Leaders are the backbone of the whole operation. These volunteers schedule when and what to pick, drive the LifeCycles van, coordinate volunteers onsite, document the harvest, and help pick the fruit.

Fruit Pickers are our casual volunteers. These volunteers can choose when and where they want to harvest by joining one of the picks scheduled by Harvest Leaders in the Gleaning Hub.

Tree Assessors are trained to help us gather important information about trees in their neighbourhood to ensure a successful harvest. They’re also often the first point of contact between Tree Stewards and the LifeCycles volunteer team!

Fruit Sorters are the linchpin in our Community Sharing Model. These volunteers come together twice a week during harvest season to grade the harvest and redirect it into the community.

Ready to become part of the LifeCycles volunteer team? Register on our Gleaning Hub!