And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the stranger. – God.

Our suburbs are a gleaners paradise, the overhanging branches and diverse pickings are tribute to our bountiful subtropical climate and multicultural heritage. But the decades of nativist plantings, and the overly-cautious policies that keep food producing trees off of our nature strips lest somebody slip on a macadamia, or be offended by fallen fruit, has dampened the cities potential as a veritable food forest.

The edible streets tour offers an introduction to foods, fungi, weeds and other functional plants that inhabit our urban environment. Along the way we discuss the ethical considerations of harvesting, share maps, surplus and ideas to contribute to our edible landscapes.

The lovely Kat from Forgreenies has just posted a short video from the most recent edible streets walking tour. Be sure to check out the other great videos on her website, including this instruction piece on how to make a fruit harvester.

Most of the fruit we can buy in the city has traveled long distances, sometimes it even comes from overseas. This wastes huge amounts of energy, and alienates us from our food and farmers. If you own property why not consider planting fruit trees and other edible and functional landscapes along the perimeter. It is a great way to provide for your community and share with your neighbours. You can also petition your council to plant and support foodscapes and community gardens, or just start doing it yourselves.

“It was a joyous day filled with collaborative sharing, and I gained knowledge of the local abundance that our streets really offer,” enthused Teia, one of the lucky participants on the day. If you think you’d like to join in the next tour register your interest by joining the blitzbrisbane newsletter and keep an eye on our calendar of upcoming events.