It’s an ancient practice mentioned in the Bible that later became a right of peasants across medieval Europe.
Now gleaning — collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields and margins — is undergoing something of a renaissance in Britain and its proponents hope that it will become as commonplace as beach cleans or charity walks.
There is a growing network of volunteer gleaning groups that are being welcomed into farmers’ fields to collect tonnes of free produce that would otherwise be left to rot after the commercial harvest. Instead it can be given to local food banks.
Research has shown that up to 16 per cent of a crop can be wasted for various reasons, such as overproduction to ensure meeting supermarket orders, produce not
