Information for New Volunteers
Thank you for registering as a volunteer with Salem Harvest! We look forward to meeting you. Here’s some helpful information.
First, registration
Everyone who attends a harvest must first be registered as a volunteer. Once you are registered, you are eligible to sign up for harvests, and you don’t have to register again. If you don’t have consistent access to a computer for any of the activities below, please call 503-991-5525 for assistance.
Find out about harvests
For large harvests, we will send an email with a description of the harvest and a link to the Harvest Parties page.
An email is not sent for smaller harvests, but they are posted on the Harvest Parties page. Often, we find out about crop donations on very short notice, so check your email or the Harvest Parties page regularly.
Sign up for a harvest party
Open harvests are posted on the Harvest Parties page. To sign up, click on the harvest link, and then type in your name. You must type it exactly as you did when you first registered, so we can match your record in our database.
If you can spare a half hour and want to help at the harvest, check the box below your name, and the harvest leader will talk to you at the harvest if we need help.
You must read and check off the Release and Waiver to be added to the roster. Then click on the button that says ‘Signup for this harvest.’
How will I know where the harvest is?
After you sign up, you’ll see a page with the address of the harvest and helpful information, such as whether a ladder is needed. This is the only place the actual address appears on the website so write it down or print it out.
You’ll also receive an email with the same information and a link back to that web page. If you want to check out your history of participation or have the email resent, go to the “Volunteer” button on our homepage.
Please cancel if you can’t make it!
If your schedule changes, please cancel so someone else can take your spot. The email you receive will include a link where you can cancel. Your courtesy will also help us schedule the right number of volunteers for the available produce.
When you arrive …
When you arrive Salem Harvest volunteers will show you where to park and help you check in. We’ll provide a brief orientation with helpful tips and information about the property.
Every adult who attends a harvest must be a registered volunteer and must have signed up online for that harvest. Children do not need to register or sign up, but must be supervised by an adult who is on the roster.
Volunteers donate half of what they pick to the Marion-Polk Food Share and can keep the rest. Produce is not weighed until after the harvest, so just use your best judgment to determine how much to pour or place in the food share bin.
That is all the basic information! Please keep reading to find answers to questions that volunteers often have about Salem Harvest.
We depend on you!
At each harvest we depend on help from volunteers who are willing to volunteer a half hour of their time. If you are available to help direct traffic or assist with intake, check off the volunteer box when you sign up for a harvest. If your help is needed, the harvest leader may email you beforehand or assign you a task when you arrive.
Who runs Salem Harvest?
Salem Harvest is an all-volunteer organization started by a group of South Salem neighbors in 2010. Our mission is to connect people with food that would otherwise go to waste, reduce hunger throughout the city, and build a sense of community. The leadership team volunteers many hours of their own time to make harvests happen.
As a non-profit organization we are entirely dependent on donations to support our efforts. If you share our mission and would like to help, click the “Donate” button on our Support page.
What should I do if my contact information changes?
Don’t re-register. Instead, send your name and new information to Dick Yates at dyates@salemharvest.org.
Why won’t the signup page let me on the roster?
You may have typed your name differently than you did when you initially registered. You also need to check off the Release and Waiver of Liability. If you are still unable to access the roster, contact Dick at dyates@salemharvest.org or (503) 991-5525.
I forgot to write down the harvest address!
The email you receive after you sign up includes a link to information about the harvest, including the address. If you have signed up for the harvest but have lost this email, go to the Salem Harvest website and click on the “Volunteer” button. Click the button there to get another email. If you have any trouble, contact Dick.
How are harvests planned?
Harvest leaders meet with crop owners to scout the property and discuss harvest logistics. The size of the roster is determined by the amount of produce, the number of available volunteer staff, and parking space. Our goal is to accommodate as any people as possible.
Salem Harvest partners with Marion-Polk Food Share. The food share trucks typically deliver the produce to food pantries or the main MPFS facility.
We are indebted to property owners and commercial growers who share our mission. Commercial growers are able to donate for a variety of reasons. Sometimes produce is left over because it wasn’t sold or wasn’t ripe at the time of harvest. Some crops are unsuitable for machine harvests, and other crops are too small to fulfill a cannery contract. These factors mean that we don’t know which large-scale crops will be available each season, and often have only a few days’ notice to plan harvests.
Can I bring my kids?
We encourage parents to bring their children, but please be aware that some harvest parties will be more suitable for kids than others. No one under the age of 13 may climb a ladder, and climbing trees is never allowed. If the lowest fruit is not accessible from the ground, there are few opportunities for younger children to help. We always provide as much information as possible about the height of the tree and the lowest fruit, so that you can make the decision about whether or not to bring your kids. Youth under age 18 don’t need to register as volunteers, but parents are required to check off the waiver form, agreeing to provide supervision.
Volunteers under age 18 must be actively supervised by an adult who is on the harvest roster.
We believe that picking with Salem Harvest is a valuable educational experience and a fabulous opportunity for young folks to give back to the community. When we announce new harvest parties, we will call special attention to those that are appropriate for children.
Do I have to live in Salem?
Most of our harvest parties take place in the Salem area. However, you do not have to live in Salem to participate. We have many registered volunteers throughout the Willamette Valley.
What should I bring to the harvest?
- Bring containers for the produce you pick.
- Bring water to drink, and please take care of any bathroom needs before arriving. We will not have access to a restroom.
- A ladder will be helpful at many harvest parties. We always provide as much information as possible about the height of the trees and the fruit, so that you can make the decision about whether or not to bring a ladder. We will usually provide orchard ladders when they are useful, and we ask volunteers to share in shifts. If you have an orchard ladder, you are encouraged to bring it. Step ladders are not as stable as orchard ladders, but they can be useful where the ground is level. Extension ladders are not useful. No one under age 13 is allowed to climb a ladder.
- You may want to bring gloves for handling wooden ladders or latex gloves for picking fruit.
What should I wear?
We suggest sunblock, a long-sleeved T-shirt, long pants, comfortable closed-toe shoes and a hat (trees are often dusty).
Has the produce been sprayed with chemicals?
Our harvest parties take place at a wide variety of properties, from 10-acre orchards to urban backyards. We always ask the property owner whether or not their fruit has been sprayed with non-organic chemicals in the last three years, and we include that information when we schedule the harvest party.
Do I have to stay for the entire time?
You are welcome to leave at any time. Some volunteers leave early; some volunteers stay for the duration of the harvest party. Most harvest parties are scheduled for about two hours. We do encourage volunteers to stay and pick extra for the donation boxes even after they have picked all they can use for themselves and their families.
Why do harvests fill so quickly?
More than 2,000 people have registered with Salem Harvest. When a harvest is posted, we believe it is most fair to notify all volunteers at the same time. Unfortunately, at this time there is no practical way to rotate signup opportunities.
Why aren’t there more harvests?
Salem Harvest relies on donations from crop owners. While we do want crop owners to be aware of our service, we do not contact specific farmers to ask them to participate. After a crop is donated, our leadership team considers how many harvests will be needed to harvest the produce. We also consider our ability to staff the harvest, provide parking space and accommodate requests from the crop owner.
Who should I contact if I have other questions?
Please check out the Contacts Page. We are always happy to help.