So sad to see food waste :(

[Branching Out]

It hadn't occurred to me that there are unique varieties of collards. I have only grown Georgia Southern.

Perhaps greater knowledge and experience would gain an appreciation for them during the growing season and I wouldn't need to wait for Autumn harvest.

Variety is the spice of life.

To be honest, I was oblivious to the fact that there were so many unique varieties of most vegetables. My mom only ever planted generic 'carrots' or 'beets', or whatever seed was offered on the seed rack at the local garden nursery. Of course there was no internet back then, so on-line shopping was not an option. One of my gardening friends told me about the benefits of purchasing seeds online, and it was a complete eye-opener for me. Now I spend a LOT of mony on seeds, but they are carefully selected after reading reviews about them and hearing about how they grow in my area. It is unfortunate though that the few remaining local farm-type nurseries that sell seedlings in the spring continue to offer the same varieties of vegetables year after year. They will open in April and I am fairly sure that I could list off with almost 100% accuracy the tomato and pepper varieties that they will have on offer. It is as though they are stuck in a time warp.

Variety is indeed the spice of life!

 

[Branching Out]

My DW grew up in a country where daily meals were not a given, and went through some lean times - so food waste was intolerable to her. I just came across some of her frozen meatloaf while cleaning & reorganizing the freezers, sliced & wrapped in foil individually, and double bagged. The last food I'll ever taste that was cooked by her hand, so I'm eating it a little at a time.

It must have stopped you in your tracks to see her carefully package bundles of food Zeedman; so moving, and very touching. She is watching over you.

 

[AMKuska]

To be honest, I was oblivious to the fact that there were so many unique varieties of most vegetables. My mom only ever planted generic 'carrots' or 'beets', or whatever seed was offered on the seed rack at the local garden nursery. Of course there was no internet back then, so on-line shopping was not an option. One of my gardening friends told me about the benefits of purchasing seeds online, and it was a complete eye-opener for me. Now I spend a LOT of mony on seeds, but they are carefully selected after reading reviews about them and hearing about how they grow in my area. It is unfortunate though that the few remaining local farm-type nurseries that sell seedlings in the spring continue to offer the same varieties of vegetables year after year. They will open in April and I am fairly sure that I could list off with almost 100% accuracy the tomato and pepper varieties that they will have on offer. It is as though they are stuck in a time warp.

Variety is indeed the spice of life!

I try new varieties every year, keeping only the ones that have worked really well in my garden. So far that's not very many! I was hoping to love my tomatoes last year, but that flavor will be seared in my memory forever.

 

[flowerbug]

...
Personally, I'm more than happy with chard as a 'meaty' green.

same here, or a good cabbage.

 

[Branching Out]

I try new varieties every year, keeping only the ones that have worked really well in my garden. So far that's not very many! I was hoping to love my tomatoes last year, but that flavor will be seared in my memory forever.

I have never heard of a bad tasting tomato before. Any idea what may have caused the flavour to be off??

 

[AMKuska]

I have never heard of a bad tasting tomato before. Any idea what may have caused the flavour to be off??

We had a very strange summer, and "everyone's" tomato were bad in the area. At least, per the local nursery. The tomatoes tasted like lumpy vaseline. They tasted so even after cooking them. I've never had tomatoes like that before! I ended up composting an entire crop of tomatoes, and many bitter tears were shed.

Luckily, many members of TEG kindly suggested some varieties, explained about sugar content in tomatoes, and I feel confident my current tomatoes will taste wonderful.

 

[ducks4you]

Sorry I didn't see this thread sooner. I will have to go back and read all of the pages that I missed.
I believe that we can only handle waste in our own kitchens and gardens.
Certainly we can encourage friends and family to not waste, but no amount of effort will send 3 ft of uneaten packaged humus to a 3rd world country with a starving population.
My household makes one bag of kitchen garbage/week.
Just sayin...

 

[Phaedra]

I just saw this video popped up from YouTube ans felt upset. Such amount of food.....

Why can't the market just announce and invite whoever needs the food to get some?

 

[baymule]

I have never saw collards. They sound terrible!

I like collard greens. I picked the younger leaves. The older leaves I picked for the chickens. Those plants lived four years and produced a lot of food.

 

[baymule]

Yes, I know ..

. Polk Salad or Poke Salad is something else.

But, Elvis and digitS' were inspired.

I have picked poke, cooked and eaten it. It’s poor people’s food. It’s free, just gotta pick it. I like it.