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Schools

Students Help Harvest a Bounty in Time for Thanksgiving

Kids from Novato public schools pick cherry tomatoes to donate to Homeward Bound.

On a foggy, chilly day last week, 22 Novato children and adults escaped the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving preparations by participating in the second annual Thanksgiving Harvest Gleaning at the College of Marin in Novato.

Organized by the Food and Nutritional Services and Marin Organic, the group picked just over 100 pounds of organic cherry tomatoes and donated their bounty to of Novato.              

This is the second year NUSD and Marin Organic have joined before Thanksgiving to glean produce from the fields of local, organic farmers for those in need. Typically the produce that is not market ready is left in the fields.  However, the perfectly good produce can be harvested and used by other organizations.

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Every Monday, Miguel Villarreal, director of NUSD FANS, joins Marin Organic and gathers a group of volunteers to glean produce from a variety of Marin Organic farms. The produce is sustainable, fresh, high in nutrients and contains no pesticides.

There is no cost to the schools for the gleaned produce that is delivered the next day by Marin Organic. Once delivered to the FANS kitchen, it is used to prepare meals for the children of Novato participating in the school meals program. 

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