Skip to content

Waste not, want not - local farm animals enjoy their own treats after Halloween

Loop Resources diverts grocery store food waste to the food bank and local farms
23212041_web1_201105-WLT-pumpkins-loop-food_1
Roland Mailhot of Ridgeway Farms at Big Lake picks up frozen pumpkins out the Real Canadian Wholesale Club on Halloween day Saturday. The pumpkins were ruined during last week’s cold snap and Mailhot was grabbing the pumpkins to give to his pigs and chickens, as part of the LOOP Resource zero food waste program. (Angie Mindus photo)

Thanks to local grocery stores in Williams Lake, area farm animals got a few extra treats this year during Halloween.

Stores that use the Loop Resource program, which diverts unsellable food to the local food bank and area farms, saw their unedible pumpkins that were ruined during a cold snap picked up by farms to feed to their animals.

“The pigs just love them,” said Roland Mailhot of Ridgeway Farms, who picked up pumpkins Halloween day from Real Canadian Wholesale Club. “And so do the chickens.”

The Loop program ensures any edible food first goes to the food kitchen and food bank. Then, if it’s not suitable for human consumption, it is donated to a network of area farms to feed their animals. Quite often, farmers are so pleased with the program they will often re-donate an animal for food back to the food bank.

Tamara Robinson, director of family services and community outreach director with the Williams Lake Salvation Army, has previously said the Loop program bolsters the Salvation Army’s lunch program and provide fresh offerings for food hampers.

READ MORE:Turkey ‘Dinner Out the Door’ coming up Nov. 7 at seniors centre



Do you have a comment about this story? email:
editor@wltribune.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.



Angie Mindus

About the Author: Angie Mindus

A desire to travel led me to a full-time photographer position at the Williams Lake Tribune in B.C.’s interior.
Read more