Los Gatos Hills apple trees and volunteers
 
Volunteer Newsletter
Oct 4, 2026
Woodside Orchard Harvest
Apple Harvest Photos
 


Fall apples and pears ... and pumpkin harvesting opportunities on the Peninsula!

On Tuesday morning October 13, Village Harvest has been invited to harvest special apples and pears from an old estate orchard near Woodside. Unlike most orchards of the Valley's agricultural past, this estate has planted hundreds of varieties to preserve them for the future.

Details and the sign up link are below. Maximum of 2 people in a party (so we can include more parties) and minimum age 12 with parent, 16 without.

There is a limited amount of fruit and consequently only 12 volunteer spaces remaining. Please submit your sign up request soon, within 12 hours if possible, as this event may close depending on the level of demand.

And since its October, it's also time for the seasonal spice - pumpkin! Our friends at 100pumpkins.org are working with local farmers to recover the season's extra pumpkins to share with neighbors in need. Yes, pumpkins are edible and nutritious like other winter squash.

They need your help and volunteer spirit to harvest and collect pumpkins at farms; please visit 100pumpkins.org to volunteer for their events at farms in Pescadero on Thursday Oct. 29 and Portola Valley on Sunday Nov. 1

Last weekend Village Harvest volunteers had a fun and productive harvest  at a small hillside orchard with 14 apple trees surrounded by redwoods in the hills above Los Gatos. The newsletter top photo is from this harvest, and  enjoy a few more photos below. More than 1,000 people in need enjoyed these Golden Delicious and Red Delicious apples!

Thanks for helping the community through Village Harvest.

Craig Diserens

Executive Director
craig@villageharvest.org
 

Woodside Estate Orchard Harvest

This month we're harvesting a special orchard on the Peninsula; sign up for this harvest soon through the link in the table or on the Events calendar.
  • This event will be open for sign up requests for a estimated 12 hours but may close early depending on the level of interest.
  • Sign ups are not first-come-first-served. Depending on the number of sign ups we may select volunteers by lottery or by who haven't been able to get into a harvest most recently or are waiting the longest to get into their first harvest. (Volunteer FAQ).
  • We're harvesting the fruit to help people in need in the community, but they'll be fruit seconds for volunteers to take home and enjoy.
Date Time Location Volunteers Needed
Tue Oct 13 9:00 am - 12:30 pm New! Woodside Estate Orchard 12 spaces available
Maximum 2 per party
Minimum age 12 with their parent, 16 otherwise
 

Los Gatos Hills Apple Harvest, September 27

Last weekend volunteers picked Golden Delicious and Redi Delicious apples from a small orchard with 14 vintage trees on a hillside in the Los Gatos and Summit Road area. There is a home built within the orchard and tall coastal redwoods surrounding it.

These 60 year old trees yielded nearly 600 pounds of apples that were donated to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley to assist local families. That's enough to be distributed to more than 1,000 people.

Beautiful and large Golden Delicious apples (worthy of a premium market!)
 
Golden delicious apples
 
Some of the most productive trees were on the lower portion of the hillside property next to a circular driveway. Apples that fell off the trees during picking rolled down the hill to the edge of the property - the new favorite feeding spot of the local deer.
 
Volunteers picking apple trees on the hillside circle


Another view of the lower front of the property showing the tall redwoods that surround the apple trees and house.

Front view with redwoods

Photo credits: harvest leader Molly Kinder