Volunteering that bears fruit

WITH the region’s fruit trees bearing the goods, not-for-profit The Hidden Orchard needs some volunteer help.

As this year’s 2024 fruit season is underway, president Ellen Burns said the group is seeking harvest leaders who can head-up picking initiatives across the city, and limit the amount of food that’s wasted.

“While we are so grateful to have an amazing list of almost 400 volunteers, we are in need of more volunteers willing to step up into the harvest leader position,” she said.

“Without leaders, we are unable to organise harvests for all of the trees on our register.”

Leaders tend to oversee a specific neighbourhood, and they get a list of the trees on The Hidden Orchard’s register.

Keeping an eye on these trees, they can then line up a working bee for pickers to collect the ripe fruit when it’s convenient for both the tree’s owner, and the volunteers.

“It doesn’t matter if you work full-time or weekends, we have volunteers that will be available when you are,” Ms Burns said.

“During the harvest, the leader will oversee the volunteers and weigh the fruit, with a third going to the tree owner, if they want any.

“A third goes to the volunteers, including the leader, and a third to charity. We provide the leaders with a list of 20-plus charities in Ballarat that they can deliver to.”

Volunteers and harvest leaders are given the equipment they need, and training.

Visit hiddenorchard.org, or contact Ms Burns on 0407 373 645, or volunteer coordinator Marianne Hubbard on 0418 334 786.