40,000 flock to fields for farmers' leftovers

[cali]

Monday, November 24, 2008 3:12 AM


PLATTEVILLE, Colo. (AP) -- A farm couple got a huge surprise when they opened their fields to anyone who wanted to pick up free vegetables left over after the harvest -- 40,000 people showed up.

Joe and Chris Miller's fields were picked so clean Saturday that a second day of gleaning -- the ancient practice of picking up leftover food in farm fields -- was canceled yesterday.

"Overwhelmed is putting it mildly," Chris Miller said. "People obviously need food."

She said she expected 5,000 to 10,000 people would show up Saturday to collect free potatoes, carrots and leeks. Instead, an estimated 11,000 vehicles snaked around cornfields and backed up more than 2 miles. About 30 acres of the 600-acre farm 37 miles north of Denver became a parking lot.

"Everybody is so depressed about the economy," said Sandra Justice of Greeley, who works at a technology company. "This was a pure party. Everybody having a great time getting something for free."

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/national_world/stories/2008/11/24/ap_colo_gleaners_1124.ART_ART_11-24-08_A2_2DC04MB.html?sid=101

[4dsc]

1. Holy shit.... nt

[codjh9]

2. Wow! I'm glad all that food wasn't wasted, but yeah, that's pretty amazing that so many people

showed up.

[sufrommich]

3. That's sad,however it makes no sense to idle in a traffic jam

to pick potatoes and carrots,easily 2 of the least expensive vegetables in the grocery store.I'll bet that was more expensive than shopping for them.

[cali]

4. I'm not so sure

say you filled a sack with 25 lbs of potatoes and another with the same amount of carrots, you'd have to idle a long, long time to make that more expensive than buying potatoes and carrots at the store.

[sufrommich]

5. Well, that's true and they keep better than most vegetables. nt

[AnneD]

8. From some one that has been there....

They may be cheap vegtable but when you are not working and money is scarce......you'll pick them and save your money for a luxury like canned or powdered milk.

Also, they have a very long shelf life for produce. As one of my elderly Irish friends once told me, There's not a hole in a stomach that a potato can't fill.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. I wonder how many were there to get stuff for resale.

[lakeguy]

7. wow, could have charge each person a measly $2

and made 80k, assuming there was enough left for that many people.

[doodadem]

9. mmmmm........

Potatoes, leeks, and carrots.....mmmmmm.......put all in the crockpot with some lamb and a little balsamic vinegar, and you have one of the most lovely stews!

[cliffordu]

10. Folks burned a lot of gasoline for those free veggies.....heh.

[greguganus]

11. We do that here in NC, digging up sweet potatoes after the workers are done. n/t