Although the Christmas season is a time deeply cherished by those who possess the Yuletide spirit, we cannot forget its lesser-known, though delicious, counterpart: citrus season. During a time of year when holiday magic never seems to last long enough, a citrus tree can actually produce an overabundance of its wares, be they oranges, lemons, kumquats or limes. To combat the issue of under-picked fruit, this Saturday, December 5, Baton Rouge Green will host its seventh annual City Citrus Pick Event. The event, empowered by the mantra “share the fruit,” involves the harvesting of fruit from registered residents’ citrus trees that otherwise would have gone to waste. The fruit harvested from the event will be donated to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank to feed families this winter.

“We’ve had an overwhelming response of volunteers and we’re excited to contribute these valuable resources to the Food Bank,” says Sage Foley, Baton Rouge Green’s executive director.

Residents—aka “Citrus Shepherds”—can register their trees to be harvested for free on Baton Rouge Green’s website. And even if your backyard hasn’t been blessed with a cornucopia of citrus fruits, volunteer harvesters—or “Pickers,” as they’re called—can still register online to collect fruit this Saturday. 

Click here to learn more about Baton Rouge Green’s City Citrus Pick Event. For more information behind the Baton Rouge Green organization, click here.