Every now and then, someone does something so terrific you have to sit back and say to yourself, “Wow, there are some really good people out there.” I recently saw a story in the news about what I hope isn’t a unique program to rescue food right from our collective backyards.

Every major metro area has some kind of food rescue program where restaurants and retailers donate unused prepared food or near to expired meats and cheeses or bruised produce to local food banks rather than toss it all into the dumpsters. In Pittsburgh there is a group that is rescuing food going to waste right under their noses. Or rather, above their heads. That is the unharvested fruits and nuts from neighborhood trees.

There probably isn’t a neighborhood in the country where fruit and nut trees don’t provide shade and beauty to their homeowners. But how often does anybody consider how much food those tress, so often considered solely ornamental, bear? Apparently the Hidden Harvest Pittsburgh group, and now as part of 412 Food Rescue, has considered just that since 2014.

Considering that there are fruit and nut trees all over America there must be similar programs elsewhere. But a quick internet search came up pretty empty. In fact, I had a hard time finding much information about the Pittsburgh group and I was certain that I hadn’t imagine the news report during some weird dream filled night. If that was the case, I would have given up trying to find out more about them. But I pressed on, or more accurately, clicked on.

What I did find out about them is that 412 Food Rescue’s Hidden Harvest team uncovered 2300 pounds of food from backyard and city park trees this year. Now that’s a ton of rescued food. Literally.

That’s what I think. Really. How ‘bout you?

To see the news cast that I didn’t dream up, click here.