VALLEY FALLS, N.Y -- Alleged Farm in Valley Falls has a bit of everything -- including extra produce.

The farm often plants extra so they are covered if there is a bad season. But in a typical year, that will produce a lot of additional crops, said Thomas Christenfeld.

“Without a huge amount of sales effort, we don't really have a lot to do with the extra produce. So that's where 'gleaning' comes in,” said Christenfeld.

The age-old tradition of gleaning involves picking crops that would otherwise go to waste, whether that be because of overproduction or they aren’t “perfect.”

“Maybe it's the potatoes that didn't get as big as they should have gotten or something like that,” said Sharon DiLorenzo, the program manager for Capital Roots.

Capital Roots is partnered with about 100 food pantries. Last year, they distributed more than 86,000 pounds of fresh, but slightly less visually appealing produce. That’s food that is in high demand for places that distribute food.

“There's really something special about walking into a food pantry or soup kitchen with boxes and boxes of fresh produce from a farm or an orchard,” said DiLorenzo.

Capital Roots is always looking for volunteers. They participate in gleanings weekly.