Two Central Bucks organizations announced a bartering agreement that will supply retail produce scraps for chickens and pigs and in exchange a food bank will receive dozens of eggs for distribution to those in need.
Warminster Food Bank, a nonprofit organization that provides food to people in need in Bucks and Eastern Montgomery Counties, recently announced a partnership with Hidden Valley Farm, of Jamison, supplying the farm with produce that is not suitable for retail or daily use will feed the farm’s chickens and pigs while the farm will provide the food bank with 30 to 70 dozen eggs each week to give out in their monthly grocery baskets to food bank guest.
Hidden Valley Farm was founded in 2015 by Eric Kretschman, formerly the Montgomery County controller. Kretschman raises 1,500 chickens on his farm and plans to increase the number of chickens to 5,000. The chickens have access to open fields and this helps to improve the quality of the eggs. The contribution of food waste will serve as a steady resource to feed the livestock on the farm. This arrangement helps local agriculture, ensuring that food waste is kept out of landfills, and is put to good use.
The 1,500 chickens roaming freely on the grounds of Hidden Valley Farm will benefit from food waste provided by Warminster Food Bank in exchange for a donation of 30 to 70 dozen eggs each week from the farm. The eggs will be provided to food bank guests in their grocery baskets each month. Images Credit:: Hidden Valley Farmland/Caption Credit: Warminster Food Bank:
“I recognized that a portion of donated food was going to end up as waste because of the nature of food spoilage. But chickens and pigs love this food. It’s still nutritious to them,” said Eric Kretschman, owner of Hidden Valley Farm. “I figured we could feed it to them and basically recycle out-of-date produce into new eggs, which we could donate back to the food bank. It’s not a new concept, but it’s always a good one.”
“We are grateful for this partnership with Hidden Valley Farm,” said Warminster Food Bank Executive Director, Michael Cerino. “This initiative is an excellent example of conservation and sustainability, demonstrating the commitment of both of our organizations to community service and responsible resource management.”
These piglets at Hidden Valley Farm are waiting to feed on food waste being provided by Warminster Food Bank. In exchange, the food bank will receive 30 to 70 dozen eggs each week from the farm, which will be provided to food bank guests.
Images Credit:: Hidden Valley Farmland/Caption Credit: Warminster Food Bank:
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