Episode 234: Avoiding Waste on the Farm, on the Plate

This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks is taking a closer look at farming and waste with guests Leah Retherford of Queens Farm and Josh Treuhoft of Salvage Supperclub. Leah gives Erin the background of Queens Farm as well as her role in New York City’s largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland. The farm encompasses a 47-acre parcel that is the longest continuously farmed site in New York State and includes historic farm buildings, a greenhouse complex, livestock, farm vehicles and implements, planting fields, an orchard and herb garden. Josh explains the concept of the Salvage Supperclub, which includes serving past-prime food to diners inside a scrubbed down dumpster. Erin talks to Leah and Josh about how consumers should really be thinking about food waste all the way down the chain and trying to get past the mere appearance of a bruised apple or a misshapen tomato and realize that this produce can still go on to be made into something delicious. Leah shares how she plans for a decrease in waste on the agricultural side of things and how Queens Farm decides to grow particular crops to also prevent waste. Tune in for a great episode that is sure to make you think about ‘ugly’ produce in a new light. This program was brought to you by Whole Foods Market. “[I thought] what if we could create exciting, interesting food experiences for people using food that would go to waste commonly to show people that there’s actually this world of food that’s still edible and can still be great.” [7:10] —Josh Treuhoft on The Farm Report “Something like turnips or radishes, we’ll harvest them for a market day, and inevitably there are roots or leaves that aren’t up to our standards of something that we are going to sell. But a lot of times those things are still completely edible.” [18:10] —Leah Retherford on The Farm ReportSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.