In April of 2012 I started collecting weekly boxes of food scraps from my local grocery store, and over the past year and a half I’ve noticed there is a seasonal roller coaster effect as to what gets but in those scrap boxes.
Fresh corn for instance. There is always plenty of it during the summer months. Corn is cheap, easy to ship and stores probably sell a lot of it. But the thing is, corn breaks down pretty fast. It get’s moldy, and when refrigerated too long, it starts to get slimey and gross.
Now I’m all for salvaging what I can from the free produce boxes, but I’m certainly not going to feed my family slimey corn. If this were the depression, I might cut out the 25% of the corn that was still good, but it’s not. And I’m thankful for the luxury.
Luckily we have a compost bin and chickens to feed our food scraps too.
Chickens eat bugs, so a little corn slim isn’t going to bother them.
Even the fancy smancy chickens will eat it.
So is reclaiming food the grocery stores won’t sell really worth it?
Well for me it is because it cuts down on my feed bill. And anything else I can salvage, is just a bonus.
Life is good.
~Mavis
Would you like to see what else we have brought home over the past year?
Head on over HERE to read all the past stories and to see all the pictures.
If you have just stumbled upon this series and are wondering how I got all this food for free, you’ll want to read this story first.
Nada says
Even on your “poor” pickup days you come away with a profit. I have yet to see you not bring in at least something from the discard bins. So yes, it’s always worth it.
Challice says
Totally worth it. Free chicken food + some for ya’all. Win/win in my book! 😀
Lisa says
Always worth it! I got excited when I saw all those strawberries…that’s not weird, right?! hah
Tracy Sch says
I agree, it’s totally worth it. I wish more stores would allow people to pick up produce like this. I completely understand why they don’t, but it’s just sad.
Mavis, you do a great job repurposing the produce, either for your family or your chickens.
Good for you!
Paula says
Are those blue-laced Wyandottes in the second photo? They are gorgeous!
Judy says
Mavis I’m a corn snob I’m afraid.. only will buy and eat it off its fresh picked from the field because corn within hours turns to starch and starts breaking down.
have you tried growing your own? you pick what you need for dinner and get it right into boiling water or on the grill! it’s the best you’ll ever have!
Mavis Butterfield says
I was suscesful at growing corn 1 year. I think I’ll try and grow it again next year though. And I agree, fresh corn rules. 🙂
Judy says
Mavis they are heavy nitrogen feeders and moisture hogs, not wet feet but constant moisture they love. grow them in blocks instead of rows. they pollinate better insuring better ears. also throw some pumpkin seeds at their feet, the leaves makes a good mulch for keeping the soil most during those hot summer days.
Gardenpat says
I am always grateful for the reclaimed “discard” produce my favorite produce guy gives me and, yes, there is some that goes out to the composter because nothing’s worth making anyone sick. That being said, hubby & son at home love the way we’ve been able to use so much of the free and deeply discounted produce. However, we don’t share with most others where we got this produce that we may have turned into apple pie filling or jam or salsa because, sadly, there is a stigma associated with gleaning discard produce even though my produce guy is giving it to me in a box inside the store (I’m not dumpster diving in the shadows at night!) some people just don’t get it! My shelves and freezer and filled and I have enough to share in the form of meals or home canned treats to those around me! I feel blessed and that I’m being a responsible steward.
Ellen in Clackamas says
I am glad to see there are places that have decided not to just throw out good but damaged food. One year when we were down on our luck the food bank called and asked if I was interested in peaches and/or apples that the gleaner organization had picked. I was thrilled!! Got many, many boxes of slightly bruised fruit..just had to cut out the spots and turn the fruit into pies or sauce or jelly. They told me I was the only person who was willing to take “spoiled” food. We are too lazy (and wasteful).
Judy says
Ellen you are so right! Americans are ago lazy and want instant,easy, gratification.
this is another factor why Americans have such a high obesity rate. To lazy to process their own healthy food so they eat out so much.
Jamet says
My daughter-in-law, who is from Iowa where the people know lots about corn, told me her father saves and dries out the leftover corn cobs and stores dry over the winter. The uses the next year he puts them in the bottom of the hole when he’s planting the tomatoes. The cobs absorb the excess water when we overwater and saves it up for those times we make the mistake of not watering them deeply, which is my mistake every year.
Alicia says
Oh Mavis!! Please tell me what kind of chickens the fancy gray pair are. I’m not allowed to have chickens in my neighborhood, but that hasn’t stopped me from making my wishlist. I HAVE to have one of those one day! They are gorgeous!
Mavis Butterfield says
Blue Cochins. 🙂
Alicia says
THANKS!!! 🙂
April says
Unfortunately, our local stores aren’t willing to give the non-sellable produce away. They are fine with throwing it in the garbage and having it go into the landfill but giving it to someone who could feed it to livestock or even salvage a few things for themselves is taboo. Oh and they padlock the dumpsters where the stuff is thrown away. It’s a sad commentary on our way of looking at food that this is considered acceptable behavior.