Our harvest season has been off to a successful but busy start! We have so far received just over 1,000 lbs of fruit through our Harvest and U-Pick program, which would not have been possible without the dedication from our participating tree owners and seasonal harvest staff. This year, we welcomed Ella Gostisha and Zoe Warren, Capstone Interns from the University of Washington’s Program of the Environment, and Aria Sanya from Teens in Public Service (TIPS). We cannot express how incredibly helpful and amazing this crew has been so far this season! Get to know more about them below:
Zoe
•What brought you to City Fruit?
I was interested in City Fruit for my summer internship because the idea of picking fruit sounded much better than sitting in an office or on a computer all summer. I was right! It’s amazing, and I’m having so much fun!
•What are you most excited for during this internship?
So far, picking fruit has been my favorite part of this internship, despite the heat, but I’m also really excited to participate in the Fruit-For-All events we have coming up!
•Favorite fruit as of late or all time? (Or both!)
My favorite fruit right now is plums, and my favorite fruit of all time is papaya.
Ella
•What brought you to City Fruit?
As a senior at UW, I am paired with a host organization to complete a senior capstone project before graduation. Out of the applications I submitted to multiple host orgs. City Fruit was my top choice, and so I was thrilled to find out that I had been accepted to be one of their seasonal harvesting interns for the summer.
•What are you most excited for during this internship?
I was most excited for the harvesting aspect of this internship; I love all kinds of fruit and it’s a wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about things such as fruit production, harvesting, and ripening. Plus, I get to taste fruit varieties that I otherwise wouldn’t have come across in a supermarket!
•Favorite fruit as of late or all time? (Or both!)
My favorite fruit has to be fresh tomatoes. Organic ones specifically, I can tell the difference right away!
Aria
•What brought you to City Fruit?
I was introduced to City Fruit when I was searching for service opportunities for my school’s climate justice club. We loved the idea of preventing food waste and redirecting it in a sustainable way—we also loved how local it was! We volunteered as a group last year, and I came back a few times over the summer to help with harvests. I was reunited with City Fruit this summer through my Teens in Public Service internship.
•What are you most excited for during this internship?
I am excited to learn more about ways to address fresh food inaccessibility in Seattle and all the work that City Fruit does to further food justice. Of course, I’m also excited to try some delicious fruit from all around the city!
•Favorite fruit as of late or all time? (Or both!)
Mangos!