SEATTLE -- There are tens of thousands of apples growing on roadways and front yards in Seattle, but last year, many of them were inedible due to pests.
"Every time you see a crate of apples getting dumped, it's a missed opportunity to feed hundreds of people," said City Fruit Harvest Manager Luke Jersperson.
This year, City Fruit launched a campaign called Save Seattle's Apples. Maggots and coddling moth sent 12,000 pounds of apples to compost after last year's harvest.
"The 12,000 pounds of fruit we sent to compost could have fed 40,000 families," Jesperson said.
City Fruit has distributed and placed 30,000 pest barriers across Seattle, working with both private land owners as well as with trees in public parks and on roadsides.
Some of the barriers include large nets covering entire trees on roadways. Red pest traps also hang by branches in public parks beside white bags covering individual apples.
"The baggies are a physical barrier that you wrap and tie around individual apples," Jesperson said.
It's a lot like Bill Thorness' private tree in Ballard. It's covered with nylon foot socks.
"Put them on when they're small," Thorness explained, pointing to his apples. "As the apple grows, that will expand."
One of the campaign's sponsors is Seattle Public Utilities.
"Getting rid of a single apple is like flushing a toilet seven times," explained Eberley Wedlake.
City Fruit will donate much of the harvest to food banks.
The goal of the Save Seattle's Apples campaign is to empower tree owners to care for their tree, provide organic pest prevention techniques and tools, and to organize the community to care for trees on public land.
"Apple pie for Thanksgiving from your own garden? What could be better than that," Thorness said.
The Seattle harvest season kick-off is at Meridian Playground in Wallingford (4649 Sunnyside Ave North) Saturday, June 20 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. There will be free food, cider, games, crafts, and the opportunity to learn more about pest prevention, how to use your fruit, and if you are a tree owner, the opportunity to meet the harvester that collects and donates your fruit.
