Healthy soil breeds healthy lives and this is being done by Ladles of Love’s “Feed the Soil” programme; they collect food waste which is turned into compost for gardens that supply soup kitchens and schools.
Cape Town, South Africa (17 January 2023) – Food waste going to landfill is incredibly bad for the environment but food waste going to farming projects has the power to change the world! Bold statement yes, but a true one too!
Did you know that food waste can be turned into nutritious compost which is then used to feed the soil? Good soil is filled with life, and that life is what feeds vegetables and ensures urban farmers can have productive, healthy and organic crops. Richer, healthier soil then has a knock-on effect on the surrounding environment. It retains more water, doesn’t erode in wind or rain, is filled with feel-good micro-organisms that boost mental well-being and so much more! The science of good soil is enthralling and well worth a deeper dive if you have time. But we digress…
In a country where food security is a constant topic, Ladles of Love found a way to connect everyday citizens to urban farmers and prevent food waste from ending up in a landfill. Early last year the organisation launched its food waste kit.
The Feed The Soil programme is an urban farming initiative to help farmers grow better produce. The programme aims to create healthy compost from food waste collected from the public.
Ladles of Love supply a food waste kit that is then handed over once filled with organic scraps and waste. The food waste is converted into compost which is then used to nourish the soil of community and soup kitchen gardens. These gardens play a vital role in adding wholesome fresh ingredients back into the soup kitchens.
To remind followers about the programme, the team shared some insights on social media.
“Ever wondered how you make a difference after dropping off all your amazing food waste from our pop ups? How we get to serve you fresh organic veggies every week from our urban farmers?
Step 1: After dropping of your food waste kits filled with your amazing vegetables, fruit peelings, bones etc that you’ve managed to keep aside using some bukashi and sawdust.
Step 2. The food waste collected at our pop-ups then gets sent to our composting partners YWaste.
Step 3: Once there, our partners YWaste, make sure to sort out the organic and non-organic waste accordingly.
Step 4: All organic waste then goes through a rigorous process of being turned into the rich compost we supply to our urban farmers.
Step 5: Our most favourite part! The compost is distributed to and used by our urban farmers, then produces thee most amazing organic produce that you our lovely family of #LoveActivists buy.
See, you might think you’re not playing a huge role in making a difference, but we’re here to tell you otherwise, none of this would be possible without you spreading the word and telling your friends and families about our programme.”
The process is simple.
- Purchase your Feed the Soil eco-waste kit here.
- Start collecting your food waste at home using your kit.
- When your food waste storage bin is full, meet Danny and the team at the special weekly meeting point in your area to drop off your full bin and swap it for a clean, empty one.
The drop-off day is also a fun market day that you can use to purchase fresh vegetables that are grown in the very compost you are helping to create.
You can find out more about this initiative via the website here.
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