Freebie Fruit
Online Mapping Points the Way
Falling Fruit (FallingFruit.org), created by Caleb Philips, co-founder of Boulder Food Rescue, and Ethan Welty, a photographer and geographer based in Boulder, Colorado, uses a map to cite locations of fruits and vegetables that are free to forage around the world. It looks like a Google map, with reported locations marked with dots.
Zoom in and click on one to find a description of what tree or bush is there. The description often includes information about the best season to pluck plant fruits, the quality and yield, a link to the species’ profile on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website and additional advice on accessing the spot.
Welty compiled most of the half-million or so locations from various municipal databases, local foraging organizations and urban gardening groups. Additionally, the map is open for Wikipedia-style public editing. He says, “Falling Fruit pinpoints all sorts of tasty trees in public parks, lining city streets and even hanging over fences from the UK to New Zealand.” It also lists beehives, public water wells and even dumpsters with excess food waste.
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