Comments on: Scandal of wasted food http://www.off-grid.net/2009/07/05/scandal-of-wasted-food/ Microgeneration, Fuel Cells, Environment, inverters, free stuff, Solar panels, Wind turbines, Hydro power, Biomass, Solar power, wind power, water power,Rainwater, Resilience, Survival, Bushcraft, affordable homes, eco-Architecture, Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:43:30 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: hungry anonymous http://www.off-grid.net/2009/07/05/scandal-of-wasted-food/comment-page-1/#comment-230797 hungry anonymous Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:53:14 +0000 http://www.off-grid.net/?p=3875#comment-230797 I belong to a community garden. Because of the contract I signed with the non-profit who manages the community garden I am not allowed to pick food from other plots. 80% of the plots in the community garden have plants which have bolted and thus vegetables which have not been harvested. That alone is deplorable. When I brought this to the attention of the non-profit there was NO attempt to remedy this situation. The same non-profit is the one which runs the food bank in this community which also had very slick marketing campaigns for donations and food drives. I offered my management skills to address the issue of food not being harvested in the garden. Again it was turned down. Moreover, for the second year in a row the "shared garden" foods have not been harvested. Last year, tomatoes were falling off the vines because no volunteer harvested the foods. I don't have a car so its difficult for me to harvest food, then walk to the food bank with the food to be distributed amongst others who need food. My only source of food is from the food bank. There have been weeks and in some cases months where there were NO vegetables on the shelves. I am a vegetarian so it is critical for me to get at least some vegetables. More recently a more troubling even occurred when I was harvesting what was considered a weed by many but is an "edible" weed with high nutrient density. While I was harvesting the "weed" I noticed that radishes which were planted between the beets had not been harvested. They should have been harvested a few weeks ago based upon their size. I pulled three radishes. I immediately noticed damage to the skin of the radish. Clearly the worms had gotten to them. As soon as I put them in my bag a volunteer in the garden began to harass me and told me I had to take those radishes to the food bank for others to eat. His tone was harsh and overbearing. He did not let up regardless of what explanation I gave to him. I indicated to him that I heard that if people were in poverty and needed food they could take some food. I indicated that to him. He ignored me. I didn't have the strength to fight anymore. I had a witness was standing behind me the entire time this was occurring. I packed my bags and as I was leaving the garden I told the witness who decided to walk with me that I will take the radishes I harvested out of the shared garden to the food bank because I felt in my gut that the volunteer might file a complaint against me. It took me 1/2 hour to get to the food bank. I took some photos of the bag with the vegetables from my gardens as well as the three radishes. I entered the building and gave the three radishes to the receptionist, telling her about the incident and also showing her the worm holes on the radishes. I then walked back home. It took me another 1/2 hour to back home. When I arrived home I had immediate thoughts of relinquish the plot at the community garden just to protect what soul and integrity I had left and just to get away from the abuse even though it may affect my health because of the lack of proper nutrients. I found out a week later that a complaint was filed against me for taking the three radishes. Until one has collapsed because one doesn't have food or one is told "you don't need food!" or "you can live on $1 a day" one will never know what it is like. Day after day after day. In this city one doesn't complain. One does what one is told. When others have control over what one eats, one says nothing. I live in Canada in a very rich province. I belong to a community garden. Because of the contract I signed with the non-profit who manages the community garden I am not allowed to pick food from other plots. 80% of the plots in the community garden have plants which have bolted and thus vegetables which have not been harvested. That alone is deplorable. When I brought this to the attention of the non-profit there was NO attempt to remedy this situation. The same non-profit is the one which runs the food bank in this community which also had very slick marketing campaigns for donations and food drives. I offered my management skills to address the issue of food not being harvested in the garden. Again it was turned down. Moreover, for the second year in a row the “shared garden” foods have not been harvested. Last year, tomatoes were falling off the vines because no volunteer harvested the foods. I don’t have a car so its difficult for me to harvest food, then walk to the food bank with the food to be distributed amongst others who need food. My only source of food is from the food bank. There have been weeks and in some cases months where there were NO vegetables on the shelves. I am a vegetarian so it is critical for me to get at least some vegetables.

More recently a more troubling even occurred when I was harvesting what was considered a weed by many but is an “edible” weed with high nutrient density. While I was harvesting the “weed” I noticed that radishes which were planted between the beets had not been harvested. They should have been harvested a few weeks ago based upon their
size. I pulled three radishes. I immediately noticed damage to the skin of the radish. Clearly the worms had gotten to them. As soon as I put them in my bag a volunteer in the garden began to harass me and told me I had to take those radishes to the food bank for others to eat. His tone was harsh and overbearing. He did not let up regardless of what explanation I gave to him. I indicated to him that I heard that if people were in poverty and needed food they could take some food. I indicated that to him. He ignored me. I didn’t have the strength to fight anymore. I had a witness was standing behind me the entire time this was occurring. I packed my bags and as I was leaving the garden I told the witness who decided to walk with me that I will take the radishes I harvested out of the shared garden to the food bank because I felt in my gut that the volunteer might file a complaint against me.
It took me 1/2 hour to get to the food bank. I took some photos of the bag with the vegetables from my gardens as well as the three radishes. I entered the building and gave the three radishes to the receptionist, telling her about the incident and also showing her the worm holes on the radishes.

I then walked back home. It took me another 1/2 hour to back home. When I arrived home I had immediate thoughts
of relinquish the plot at the community garden just to
protect what soul and integrity I had left and just to get
away from the abuse even though it may affect my health
because of the lack of proper nutrients.

I found out a week later that a complaint was filed against me for taking the three radishes.

Until one has collapsed because one doesn’t have food or one is told “you don’t need food!” or “you can live on $1 a day” one will never know what it is like. Day after day after day.

In this city one doesn’t complain. One does what one is told. When others have control over what one eats, one says nothing.

I live in Canada in a very rich province.

]]> By: Tony Francis http://www.off-grid.net/2009/07/05/scandal-of-wasted-food/comment-page-1/#comment-230776 Tony Francis Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:45:43 +0000 http://www.off-grid.net/?p=3875#comment-230776 I made a new years resolution this year not to waste any food. Im not a big eater and find it difficult to fininsh meals at home this is not a problem because I can just store the food in the fridge. However when I eat out at Cafes, restaurants etc. I find this more difficult and usually raise a few eyebrows when ask for a doggy bag. Im must confess I do (stupidly) feel a little uncomfortable in doing so but I do hope this kind of action will rub off on others and make them too question why do we waste so much food?? Very much enjoyed the highlights from the book above, look forward to reading it...thanks, Tony. I made a new years resolution this year not to waste any food.
Im not a big eater and find it difficult to fininsh meals at home this is not a problem because I can just store the food in the fridge. However when I eat out at Cafes, restaurants etc. I find this more difficult and usually raise a few eyebrows when ask for a doggy bag. Im must confess I do (stupidly) feel a little uncomfortable in doing so but I do hope this kind of action will rub off on others and make them too question why do we waste so much food??
Very much enjoyed the highlights from the book above, look forward to reading it…thanks,
Tony.

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