Right now, many folks in qathet are trying their best to process, give away, or eat all the plums, pears and apples growing in fruit trees in their backyards.
Some people don't have the ability to pick all the fruit or nuts, so much of the bounty ends up on the ground or unpicked, and this, as most people know, attracts black bears and other animals.
Awareness Bear, BC has some tips on how to prevent bears and other wildlife from visiting backyards to snack on the sweet windfall fruits.
Pick fruit as it ripens, clear ground of windfall daily and consider using a properly installed and maintained electric fence. Temporary e-fences around fruit trees/crops can be solar powered and easy to use.
Anyone with an unused fruit tree should consider removing and replacing it with a decorative tree that doesn’t attract bears, which in turn is safer for homeowners and the bears. Check to see if there are any volunteer fruit picking programs in the community.
In qathet, since 2013 the Skookum Gleaners project has been rescuing food that would otherwise go to waste. To donate fruit, nuts or berry trees to a gleaner program, go to skookumfood.ca/gleaners.
See if there are any businesses that may be interested in your apples. Are there any farms nearby that would appreciate the windfall to feed to their livestock? Perhaps there are some community groups that would appreciate some free fruit.
Awareness Bear, BC reminds people to also harvest berry bushes, plants and vines.
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