First of all, what is composting?

Composting is a natural process that breaks down organic materials into a biological soil amendment. A popular use of compost material is in your yard or garden.

Why should I compost?

Did you know that on average we generate 1,700 pounds of yard waste a year? And that amount keeps growing. Backyard composting is good for the environment, cost effective, can heighten the growth of your lawn and garden, reduces yard waste and helps to recycle the SAME compost continually in your yard.

What should I compost?

Greens are high in nitrogen and include: grass clippings, pruning clippings, fruits and veggies, houseplants, livestock manure, and kitchen scraps like bread, egg shells, coffee grounds (including filters!), tea bags, citrus rinds, veggie peels, corn stalks and diseased plants!

Browns are high in carbon and include: leaves, bark, straw, woodchips, sawdust, shredded newspaper, chopped brush, dairy products and weed seeds!

DO NOT USE: bones, dog or cat manure, oil, grease, fat, wood ash or meat and fish scraps.

The Perfect Recipe: 4 parts green to 2 parts brown: keep a balance of moist greens and dry browns, and you’re good to go!

How do I compost?

The UF/IFAS Extension offers a program called “Compost Happens.” Once you attend a workshop, you take home your own compost bin! For more information visit http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu/ffl/compost_happens.shtml. If you are interested in purchasing your own composting bin, here are some standard rules to picking out your composting bin:

• Bin volume: 3’ x 3’ x 3’
• Particle size: less than 2-3 inches
• Food: carbon and nitrogen (browns and greens, see above^)
• Water: moist, not soggy
• Air: oxygen

There you have it! Once you set up a designated bin in your yard, you’ll be composting every week and helping to reduce yard waste!

Include video link here embedded: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqDQD8cvO5Y&sns=em

Sources:

https://www.tampagov.net/solid-waste/programs/recycling-and-waste-reduction/residential/backyard-composting

http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu/ffl/compost_happens.shtml

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqDQD8cvO5Y&sns=em

A lot of misinformation has been spread about organic’s counterpart, conventional produce. Unscientific lists, specifically the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) so-called “dirty dozen”, are propagating misleading claims about pesticide residues. The argument that conventional produce isn’t safe flies in the face of empirical, peer reviewed research. All produce grown and imported into the US, must meet very strict safety measures.

View the full USDA report here:

http://safefruitsandveggies.com/residue-research/what-consumers-should-know-2015-pesticide-data-program-report

According to the USDA’s study, “the data shows that 99 percent of the samples tested had residues well below the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established tolerances, and 15 percent had no detectable pesticide residue. Only half of 1 percent (0.53 percent) of the samples exceeded the limits, and just under 4 percent had residues with no established tolerance for that particular commodity. USDA tests fruits and vegetables the same way consumers use them: USDA rinses them in water (no detergents, bleach, washes, etc.).”*

Ultimately, scare tactics discourage people from enjoying perfectly safe and healthy produce. Fruits and vegetables have been long-established to improve health and prevent disease. In fact, eating 7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day can cut your risk of premature death by 42%! The sad fact is that Americans don’t get enough of these “superfoods” in their daily diet. Lower income folks are most affected. Organic produce is great, but it can amount to a big expense for a struggling family. Conventional varieties are more reasonable in price and readily available. Please stop spreading fear and do as Mom always said: “eat your fruits and veggies” (whether they are organic or conventional)!

*Produce Marketing Association, USDA Pesticide Study Reveals the Truth: Produce is Safe! 

http://www.pma.com/content/articles/2016/11/usda-pesticide-study-reveals-the-truth

All produce deserves a home whether it is pretty or ugly!!

Carrot Hand! 

Don’t get me wrong, I think it is wonderful that people are becoming more aware that misshapen or deformed fruits and vegetables are still healthy, nutritious, and delicious (and funny looking!). But sometimes there is an oversupply or glut in the market. These economic factors play a bigger role than most people realize. That fruit could be the most beautiful thing you’ve ever laid your eyes on, but it won’t find a home if there is no room for it on a store’s shelf.

Eggplant face!

Hence, the all-encompassing term “orphan produce” seems to be a better description. At Harvest Heroes, we don’t want to leave any edible fruit behind. We aim to connect people in the Tampa Bay Area with affordable fresh produce, and find a home for the orphan fruit and veggies. Sign up now!

Volunteers help break down large quantities of donated produce into smaller packs.
This makes it easier for food banks to distribute to individuals and families.

Last week, I got the chance to tour Feeding Tampa Bay. Wow! I was blown away by their operation and by all the nice people who do amazing work there. They reminded me why I started Harvest Heroes in the first place – to help people by connecting them with low-cost, healthy, fresh produce.

Feeding Tampa Bay is an affiliate of Feeding America which is the largest food relief organization in the US. Acting as a hub for food banks throughout West Central Florida, Feeding Tampa Bay partners with a diverse cross-section of organizations, businesses, grocery stores, farmers, and individual volunteers to deliver healthy food to food insecure people in 10 counties.

Hunger is a serious problem in our community. It’s hard to face that reality, because so much of everyday life seems normal on the surface. When you scratch a little deeper, you begin to find out that things are tough out there.

Here are FTB’s 2016 by the numbers:

• 9,000 square mile service area
• 43 million meals provided by FTB
• 115 million meals (Current annual meal gap)
• 700,000 people are food insecure
  

  Their warehouse is 50,000 square feet and distributed over 48 million pounds of food in 2016. 

• 250,000 of them are kids
• 15,000 people volunteered their time and worked almost 50,000 hours

Some of those statistics make me very sad, because there is plenty of food out there – and healthy, fresh produce! But, Feeding Tampa Bay is exactly why I’m “Hope-full”. Sorry, that was cheesy…But seriously, if we all work together, we can do great things! Feeding Tampa Bay needs your help! Learn more about what you can do to make a difference:  http://feedingtampabay.org/you-can-help/

Hi! My name is Hope, as you might know by now…. I’m kind of a big deal around these parts. Despite how it looks from my picture and my shiny red cape, I’m not a superhero. I’m just a regular person like you (I do wish I could fly though!).

I saw the problem of food waste and hunger, and I wanted to do something about it so I started The Harvest Heroes. The concept connects farmers, consumers, and food banks so that everybody wins. The consumer gets a great deal, the farmer gets paid for his crop, and food banks get a steady stream of donations.

I love to write about my travels, people I meet, and things that make our world a better place. So stay tuned for more posts! Will you sign up today and be a Harvest Hero with me?

 http://theharvestheroes.org/