Edmonton non-profit uses extra fruit to make jam

 EDMONTON – Apples, rhubarb, cherries or any other fruit that may be going to waste on your fruit trees can now be donated to a fruit rescue.

Carol Cooper, one of the founders of Fruits of Sherbrooke, is making her difference in the world one jar of jam at a time.

The idea to create the non profit organization came to her after seeing all the produce going to waste in her neighbourhood.

“Walking down the back ally of our neighbourhoods, seeing all the apples laying on the ground,” Cooper recalls. “Christina, the other founding partner, said ‘we can’t have all this food be thrown out when people are hungry.’”

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Fruits of Sherbrooke is a local non profit organization that uses fruit that would otherwise be thrown away to make jam and other condiments.

The founders say the goal of the organization is to teach new immigrants and low income families how to make their own locally grown food.

“It really is a crime that all of this food was going to waste,” Cooper explains.

23-year-old Renee Howard has also caught the jam-making bug. Howard started volunteering with Fruits of Sherbrooke in September.

“I like the local food idea, I like the saving food idea. It’s so easy and you can make a lot in a short period of time,” she says.

The organization does not just make one flavour of jam, since you can purchase that in a grocery store. Instead, the team likes to be creative.

“I wanted to make Saskatoon jam and Carol said ‘no we have to mix it up.’ She wanted to put ginger in the Saskatoon and I said ‘do we have to put ginger in it?’ We ended up making the Ginger Saskatoon Jam and it is delicious,” Renee shares.

Fruits of Sherbrooke will be selling its jam at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Sunday. Its Valentine’s Day Cinnamon Apple Jelly, which consists of crab apples, apple juice and red cinnamon hearts, will be available.

The organization also sells its creations at the Castledowns farmers market on Wednesdays and at the downtown city hall farmers market on Saturdays.