Community Fruit Tree Harvest: Farmers Market Fruit Drop-Off
Evan Stout picking apples with Bear Awareness Gardiner.
We’re excited to partner with Bear Awareness Gardiner to collect local tree fruit at the Livingston Farmers Market this fall. Help us keep bears wild by turning your extra fruit into a community resource. We’ll donate the fruit to those who can use it, while reducing human-bear conflicts by minimizing attractants in our neighborhoods.
Farmers Market Fruit Drop-Off: Harvest Fruit to Protect Bears & People
When: Every Wednesday, August 19 – September 16
Time: 4:30–7:30 PM
Where: Zero Waste Station at the Livingston Farmers Market
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 — especially 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.
As Evan Stout and Blakeley Adkins from Bear Aware Gardiner put it, it's human behavior that puts bears at risk — apples are essentially the "gateway drug" for habituation. And this isn't just about grizzlies: black bears that learn to associate people with food can become dangerously aggressive, a pattern seen in communities across the country.
Harvesting your surplus fruit is a simple, tangible way to keep bears out of trouble. It's up to us to secure attractants and reduce the opportunities that lead to conflict—our actions make the difference, and when we do nothing, the consequences are often lethal for bears. Feeding wildlife of any kind is illegal and does more harm than good.
Grizzly eating apples in yard—Image courtesy of Evan Stout.
How It Works
Bring your surplus fruit to the Zero Waste Station at the Livingston Farmers Market, and 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 local fruits.
Get Involved
We’re working to identify fruit tree hot spots and areas in need of support in Park County—let us know if you have fruit trees or know of any in your neighborhood. 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.
It may seem early to be picking apples, but we want to be prepared before the bears move down this fall. We’ll collect your fruit even if it’s not ripe yet. Together, we can provide fruit to the community while reducing human-bear conflicts by minimizing attractants in our neighborhoods.
More ways to keep bears and communities safe
Securing your home and property is one of the most effective ways to prevent human-bear conflicts:
Pick those apples—don't let fruit set or fall to rot. Bears follow their noses, and nothing smells sweeter than apples on a cool fall evening.
Remove bird feeders until winter. Natural seed sources are abundant this time of year, and FWP generally recommends removing feeders from April through at least December 1st.
Secure your trash—in a bear-proof container or enclosure with secure locks. Bears are smart and strong.
Electric fencing (outside of city limits) is a must if you keep honeybees.
Talk to your neighbors—let them know if a bear is in the area, help them secure attractants and call FWP 1-800-TIP-MONT.
If you're headed outdoors:
Always carry bear spray—know how to use it and make sure it's accessible.
Be smart while hunting and properly secure carcasses.
Be aware while fishing—bears use riparian corridors for forage and travel.
Report any unusual bear behavior to FWP 1-800-TIP-MONT
If you need support, please reach out—we're here to help.