Let Neighborhood Harvest Back into the RVGCM

Thank you for all your efforts to organize the markets.

I recently learned that the Board of the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market (RVGCM) decided not to allow Neighborhood Harvest to continue to sell fruit at the market this year. Apparently, this was primarily due to the determination that Neighborhood Harvest is a 'gleaner' and not a 'grower.'

I would respectfully ask that you reconsider and change your decision, allowing Neighborhood Harvest to participate as a vendor.

Neighborhood Harvest is not a gleaner as that term is defined, but a unique model for a grower. The organization leases trees and has agreements with multiple property owners to harvest all of the fresh, quality fruit from their trees and vines. Property owners agree not to use pesticides and Neighborhood Harvest, via its paid staff and harvesters, agrees to mulch, prune and otherwise care for the trees and vines, and gives the property owner 25\% of the harvest. This effectively represents a unique small-scale growing collaborative.

There are additional points in favor of Neighborhood Harvest

1) They offer fruit, which is less common at the markets. Much of the fruit in stores is not local, even in season, representing income lost locally, and added fuel use and emissions. Neighborhood Harvest's market presence helps localize fruit supply, benefiting our economy and the environment.

2) Neighborhood Harvest is a non-profit that provides some of its fruit to local food banks. The community has really rallied around them via media and volunteer support. It would reflect well on RVGCM to include Neighborhood Harvest in the markets, while news of its exclusion would likely bring a negative public reaction.

3) Neighborhood Harvest models the kind of solution we need to face our world's increasing sustainability challenges. They engage community around positive change and ensure good local food is made available to all, equitably.

4) Neighborhood Harvest is a new, small-scale operation, unable to tap wider markets like larger and more established growers. I would hope our Markets would support vendors like this,serving as fertile ground for them to build strong roots and grow into new opportunities. Having many growers of diverse size on the Board, surely you understand the need for cooperation over competition, and are willing to lend a hand as others have done for you.

Thanks for considering my request and allowing Neighborhood Harvest to participate as a RVGCM vendor, and for all that you do.