July 10, 2012 Dumpster Diving

Early on in my chicken education, I read in "Chickens in Your Backyard" that some grocery stores let you take the old produce for your farm animals. So I started checking around. Well, Whole Foods turns their old produce into compost that they then bag and sell back to us: Safeway says they compost and give/sell it to farmers. BUT, I have 2 local independent stores that will let you pick through certain trash cans at certain times of day for goodies.

Free Veggies in Here!

The guy that gets first dibs on these cans has made an arrangement with the store: we chicken-feeding scroungers have to wait until 12:30 to do our diving!


I look for corn on the cob, the Girls' favorite. Then, any melons or grapes. Also, bok choy, cauliflower and broccoli. I must have the only chickens who don't really like lettuce. Another gal that dumpster-dives says her chickens love lettuce. Go figure.


One day I had a nice conversation with a gal in her 70's that makes the rounds of the dumpsters: she wouldn't give me her other source, though. And I can understand - you don't want competition from other chicken aunties cleaning out all the produce before you get there  - ya wanna keep your spots a secret!


It's an interesting dynamic to hop out of the SUV in my nice clothes, walk up to a large plastic garbage can and start picking through the throw-aways. You can get some pretty good looking stuff, and in the back of my mind is the thought..." okay, this is almost good enough for humans not cows and chickens!" Maybe only a bruised spot, or a little damage,  and you could cut around it...who would know?   I actually have a family member who lived for a while making visits to dumpsters for food. It must be a very humbling experience.


And I remember when an episode of Top Chef Masters had the chefs using food that was going to be thrown out or disposed of. I don't remember all of it, but I do know they got some pretty amazing stuff and were, themselves, enlightened on what has to be thrown out in this country that could actually be eaten. You know if you visit a foreign country that they are less cavalier about what is thrown out.  I guess, tho, if it goes to cows, pigs and chickens at least it doesn't go to waste.


Today's haul: an over-ripe canteloupe, a couple of bunches of kale, some brussel sprouts and carrot tops.  Salad anyone?