A Bountiful Harvest: Nearly 7,000 Pounds of Apples Gleaned for the Community

The 2026 annual apple glean at Johnston’s Apple Orchard was a wonderful example of what we can accomplish when communities come together to support food access.

Thanks to the generosity of Johnston’s Apple Orchard, 6,848 pounds of apples were gleaned this year through the Downeast Gleaning Initiative. Fifty people from food security organizations and the Downeast Gleaning Initiative joined forces to harvest apples for the community.

The harvest benefited 15 participating organizations:

  • AMHC

  • Bar Harbor Food Pantry

  • Common Good Soup Kitchen

  • Everybody Eats!

  • Franklin Community Table Food Pantry

  • Hancock Grammar School Backpack Program

  • Healthy Peninsula

  • Island Food Pantry

  • Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry

  • MDI Backpack Program

  • Schoodic Food Pantry

  • Simmering Pot

  • The Welcome Table

  • What’s For Suppa? Food Pantry

  • WIC

Gleaning helps connect surplus food with organizations working to address hunger in our communities. This year's harvest is a wonderful reminder of the impact of local partnerships, generosity, and neighbors working together.

A heartfelt thank-you to Johnston’s Apple Orchard and everyone who helped make this year's glean such a success!

POSTTracey CarlsonHFFA, food for all, healthy food, neighbors feeding community, Johnston's Apple Orchard, Downeast Gleaning Initiative, HPM, BN