An estimated 100 billion pounds of food, enough to totally eliminate hunger, is thrown away annually in the United States. It does not have to be this way - and you can help.

Your support of the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign helps many more food pantries receive fresh produce - improving community health while also helping the environment.—AmpleHarvest.org

In my last post, I wrote about the abundant compassion and caring that we all showed each other, in spite of differences, immediately after 9-11. I also asked if it was really necessary for us to experience a major collective heartbreak to bring us back together. I’m thinking the answer is NO!

There must be a hundred ways—some big and some small–that each of us can find in our everyday life to bring back that sense of connection. The Ample Harvest program is one of these.

Here is the scenario: You have a vegetable garden or maybe some fruit trees in your yard. The harvest is usually more than you and your family can eat, so you give some away to friends and neighbors. But still you have more than you can make use of. So what do you do? Let it go to waste? Of course not!

Instead, you glean the extra produce from your garden, and then bring it over to your local food pantry, community organization, or house of worship that has a food distribution program. These organizations will gladly accept your extra produce (or other supplies like peanut butter, rice or pasta that you pick up at the grocery store) and put it to good use. Where ever you might be in the country, you can find one of these pantries at AmpleHarvest.org.

When it comes to overcoming the divisiveness and hostility that is prevalent now, the AmpleHarvest program shows us one way we can light a candle instead of curse the darkness. There are many more. I am sure you can think up some yourself.

Let the evolution begin!

Sylvia Walker, your friendly Sweet Orange blogger

So it is time for me to say farewell. However, since our paths might cross again in either the physical or the virtual world, “until we meet again” might be more appropriate. In any case, I wish everyone well.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me at sylvia.walker.redfin@gmail.com.

Now for nostalgia’s sake, I am going to end this blog with a verse that I quoted in my first Sweet Orange post, written back in March 2009:

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.”—J.R.R. Tolkien

A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well - or ill?–John Steinbeck, quoted in East of Eden

The bright blessed day, the dark scared night,

and I think to myself what a wonderful world.

–from “What a Wonderful World”
George Weiss and Bob Thiele

SEASON’S BLESSINGS TO ALL!

Irvine Median Sold Price/SF-Houses

Median Selling Price in Irvine

• October 2010: $522,000 (down 9.91% y-o-y)
• September 2010: $625,000 (up 16.93% y-o-y)
• August 2010: $580,000 (up 1.9% y-o-y)
  Redfin’s August 2010 numbers: $600,000  (up 4.3% y-o-y) or $344/SF (up 3.3% y-o-y)
• July 2010: $580,000 (up 6.62% y-o-y)
  Redfin’s July 2010 numbers: $570,000  (up 5.1% y-o-y) or $339/SF (up 1.2% y-o-y)

Irvine Median Sold Price/SF-Condos

Number of Sales in Irvine

• October 2010: 174
• September 2010: 222
• August 2010: 229
  Redfin’s numbers: houses sold=113, condos sold=102
• July 2010: 226
  Redfin’s numbers: houses sold=106, condos sold=112

Source unless otherwise noted: DQnews

Graphs Courtesy Redfin

Irvine Median Price/SF--Houses

Median Selling Price in Irvine

• September 2010: $625,000 (up 16.93% y-o-y)
• August 2010: $580,000 (up 1.9% y-o-y)
• July 2010: $580,000 (up 6.62% y-o-y)
  Redfin’s JuLy 2010 numbers: $570,000  (up 5.1% y-o-y) or $339/SF (up 1.2% y-o-y)

Irvine Median Sold Price/SF--Condos

Number of Sales in Irvine

• September 2010: 222
• August 2010: 229
• July 2010: 226
  Redfin’s numbers: houses sold=106, condos sold=112

Source unless otherwise noted: DQnews

Graphs Courtesy Redfin

The photo is of 4931 Karen Ann Lane, a five-bedroom, single-family, custom-built home in El Camino. This home was built in 2009 and is currently the most expensive home on the market in this ZIP. However, at $217 per square foot, this home has a low price per square foot when compared to other homes in the area.

92604 Median Selling Price

• July 2010: $440,000 (down 15.4% y-o-y)
• June 2010: $575,000 (up 5.5% y-o-y)
• May 2010: $530,000 (up 6.2% y-o-y)
  For comparison: Redfin’s May 2010 number is $538,000 (up 8.8% y-o-y) or $340/SF (down 2.4% y-o-y).
• April 2010: $587,000 (up 17.4% y-o-y)
• March 2010:$525,000 (up 3.96% y-o-y)

92604 Number of Sales

• July 2010: 19 (down 20.8% y-o-y)
• June 2010: 31 (up 47.6% y-o-y)
• May 2010: 25 (up 8.7% y-o-y)
• April 2010: 35 (up 191.7% y-o-y)
• March 2010: 36 (up 89.47% y-o-y)

Source unless otherwise noted: DQnews

92606 Median Selling Price:

• Ju;u 2010: $584,000 (up 9.5% y-o-y)
• June 2010: $457,000 (down 25.4% y-o-y)
• May 2010: $408,000 (down 16.7% y-o-y)
  For comparison: Redfn’s May median numbers are $457,000 (down 30% y-o-y) or $347/SF (up 1.5% y-o-y)
• April 2010: $498,000 (down 20.3% y-o-y)
• March 2010: $613,000 (up 12.07% y-o-y)

92606 Number of Sales:

• July 2010: 14 (down 22.2% y-o-y)
• June 2010: 17 (up 6.3% y-o-y)
• May 2010: 21 (up 40.0% y-o-y)
• April 2010: 12 (up 33.3% y-o-y)
• March 2010: 15 (up 25.00% y-o-y)

Source unless otherwise noted: DQNews

325 Tangelo #324, Irvine (Orange Tree)

92618 Median Selling Price

• June 2010: $605,500 (up 89.2% y-o-y)
• May 2010: $628,500 (up 44.5% y-o-y)
• April 2010: $690,500 (up 29.4% y-o-y)
  For comparison: According to Redfin, the April median selling price for this ZIP was $615,000 or $315 per square foot.
• March 2010: $602,500 (up 28.26% y-o-y)

20 Small Grove, Irvine (Portola Springs)

92618 Number of Sales

• June 2010: 140 (up 775.0% y-o-y)
• May 2010: 76 (up 300.0% y-o-y)
• April 2010: 25 (up 92.3% y-o-y)
• March 2010: 35 (up 483.33% y-o-y)

Note: The photos are of the least expensive ($208,800–a short sale) and the most expensive ($1,799,000) homes that are currently on the market in this ZIP code.

Source unless otherwise noted: DataQuick