Black Currant Harvest Help-Out at the Refuge Food Forest

Join us for a meaningful summer evening of fruit community and giving back! 

On Monday June 30 from 6–7:30 PM (rain date July 2 same time same place) join our gathering at the beautiful Refuge Food Forest (701 E Lincoln St Normal IL) for a community black currant pick-and-share event.

Nestled in one of the town’s most scenic spots the Refuge Food Forest is home to many black currant shrubs. Black currant is an antioxidant-rich superfruit with tremendous nutritional value. This year they are shaping up to give us a bumper crop but we want more people to experience this amazing berry.

Our goal: pick as many black currants as possible for donation to local food co-ops and pantries getting this powerhouse berry into the hands (and meals) of those who need it most! Let’s share the abundance raise awareness and make this a deliciously impactful evening together.

Details

This will be a hands-on event so please wear clothes that can handle a few stains—black currants are known to leave their mark! Bring a water bottle and insect repellant if you’d like. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early so we can outfit you with harvest buckets and kick things off right at 6 PM.

Agenda

• 6 PM: 5-minute introduction about the Refuge Food Forest’s history followed by a 5-minute lightning talk about black currants including their history their ideal growth conditions why they were planted at our site and most importantly recommendations for how to eat them!
• 6:15 to 7 PM: Volunteers will pick as many ripe black currants as possible using Extension-provided or personal harvest vessels and will bring full berry baskets to a designated post-harvest washing station.
• 7 PM to 7:30 PM: Volunteers will glove up and pack quart-size freezer bags with washed black currants for donation to various food access organizations in the tri-county area (Bread for Life Co-Op Midwest Food Bank and others). 

Finally: volunteers will be compensated for their harvest help-out assistance with a 3-pack of black currant “fruit-wowzers” made by Funks Grove Heritage Fruits and Grains complements of University of Illinois Extension.

Starting Point

We will meet for harvest bucket outfitting at 5:50–6 PM at the Grape Arbor on the western side of the Refuge Food Forest where the arbor meets the gravel lane. 

Parking

Park on either side of the gravel lane on the western border of the Refuge Food Forest—the gravel lane runs North/South between Lincoln Street and Pine Street. Alternatively park in the lot just north of Pine Street south of the Town of Normal shelter and walk 100 yards north. 

Other Notes

• This is a family-friendly event but if you are bringing your children please keep them close by or have them help you harvest!
• We may run out of u-pick berry vessels to pick in to so you have your own at home or something (clean!) that could work for harvesting prior to washing please bring it.
• There is a porta potty on site just south of the Town of Normal shelter. There is also a drinking fountain on site to refill water bottles.
• In the case of inclement weather this event will be rescheduled for July 2.

Also check out other Nonprofit events in Normal, Nonprofit events in Normal, Food & Drink events in Normal.