Farmers Market Fruit Drop-Off: Harvest Fruit to Protect Bears & People
We’re partnering with Bear Aware Gardiner to host a community fruit drop-off at the Livingston Farmers Market.
When: Every Wednesday, August 19th – September 16th
Time: 4:30–7:30 PM
Where: Livingston Farmers Market at the Zero Waste Station
Do you have fruit trees? While fruit is a natural part of a bear’s diet in the wild, easy access to fruit in town can draw bears into neighborhoods, where they face greater risks. This is especially true in late summer and fall, when bears enter hyperphagia and may eat up to 20,000 calories a day preparing for hibernation. A tree full of unpicked fruit can turn a passing visit into a reason to stay, increasing the risk of encounters with pets and people. Harvesting your surplus fruit helps keep bears wild and our community safer.
How it works:
Bring your surplus fruit to the Zero Waste Station at the Livingston Farmers Market. We'll make sure it goes to good use:
Rocky Creek Farms: pressed into fresh apple cider
Local Farms: fed to farm animals
Compost: nothing goes to waste
Other Community Members: let us know if you are in search of some local fruits.
Get involved:
Whether you have fruit to donate, know of trees around town that need picking, want to volunteer as a fruit picker, or have a special request, we'd love to hear from you.
Let us know if you need help picking fruit. Contact Bethany at Bethany@pcecmt.org or Taylor at Taylor@pcecmt.org.
[Sign up link here]
Together, we can reduce human-bear conflicts by minimizing attractants in our neighborhoods.