Learning From the Past to Build a Better Future

Learning From the Past to Build a Better Future
Jennifer Roe

Farm to Freezer could have written the following passage from A Place at the Table, a newly released book and documentary that examines the problem of hunger and food insecurity in America while also providing possible solutions.
“The approach was: since we have an agricultural surplus and it is imperative to help farmers get by, we might as well make sure that surplus gets to the families who are hungry. It was the perfect combination of good intentions and good sense, or empathy  and economics.”

Food Waste: We are the Problem and the Solution

Food Waste: We are the Problem and the Solution
Jennifer Roe

It is difficult to picture mountains of food rotting in landfills across the country when one in six Americans is food insecure, living each day not knowing what their next meal will be.  How about thinking of it in terms of dollars?  The food in these piles add up to $165 billion a year.  Therefore, we are spending $165 billion on food that is never consumed.  According to the report recently published by the NRDC, “Waste: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill”, this is the reality in America right now.

Live from New York…It’s TEDxManhattan!

Farm to Freezer Debuts on  National Stage

What a thrill it was to share the New York stage with famous food experts, respected CEOs, and budding entrepreneurs! On February 16^th, we gathered for the TEDxManhattan Conference to talk about “Changing the Way We Eat”.  The New York audience of 350 people was joined by 70 local viewing parties and an estimated 20,000 people worldwide via webcast. Thanks to an outpouring vote of support for Farm to Freezer, I won the 2013 TEDxManhattan speaker challenge and was awarded the honor of presenting our new social enterprise at this venue. You can view my presentation from this link .

As Jill Bamburg, dean of my business school, the Bainbridge Graduate Institute, advised, “get ready for your 12 minutes of fame and use them wisely!” I had a lot to say in those 12 minutes—time strictly enforced, and not much time to explain how we solved the twin problems of having excess donated fresh produce and providing healthier meals to feed the homeless.

On Tomatoes, TEDx Talks, and Tweets

Learn more about the aspiring #socialenterprise, @farmtofreezermd through our new twitter account! You can check out our twitter handle @farmtofreezermd, and join the conversation about reducing food waste, nutritious meals for homeless populations, community service, and all other values that Farm to Freezer embodies. We’re excited about all of the conversations we’ll have, and are looking forward to your comments and ideas.

One of our first adventures with our new twitter handle was participating with TEDxManhattan in a tweetchat about our upcoming presentation at TedXManhattan’s Changing the Way We Eat conference  – below are some highlights from the  January 24^th chat for you to check out:

Join us at Bethesda Green for a TedXManhattan viewing party!

Dear Friends of Farm to Freezer,

The news has travelled far and wide that Farm to Freezer will be among this year’s ideas worth sharing at TEDxManhattan’s “Changing the Way We Eat” conference. Cheryl Kollin will present our innovative startup on the TEDx stage. Although we all can’t travel to see her present in New York, co-hosts Bethesda Green and Full Plate Ventures invite you to our own local viewing party right here in Bethesda. The day-long conference will be streamed live from New York on the two viewing screens at Bethesda Green. During our lunch break from the conference, you can learn about our burgeoning local food movement and new initiatives in Montgomery County.

Check out the following itinerary for detailed information about the day:

While the Fields Like Dormant – Lots of Growing to Do

In the depth of winter while the fields like dormant and farmers order seeds for next year’s crop, Cheryl is hard at work developing plans for Farm to Freezer as a self-supporting social enterprise. Can Farm to Freezer earn revenue through selling some of its product to support its operations? How will Farm to Freezer scale up so that it can preserve more surplus fresh produce and serve more people in need in our community.

Business planning starts with market research. Last November we tested the sale of our tomato sauce and frozen blanched and roasted vegetables. Along with handing out tastes of our organic tomato sauce, we asked people what they thought of these products. We collected 100 completed surveys from our two test markets: the Fresh Farm Market in Silver Spring and Mixed Greens Market in Poolesville who generously gave us space to demonstrate our products.

Farm to Freezer Wins the TEDxManhattan Speaker Challenge!

By Cheryl Kollin

Farm to Freezer rose to the challenge and won! We are thrilled to announce that I will present Farm to Freezer at the third annual TEDxManhattan, “Changing the Way We Eat,” conference. The all-day conference will be held in New York on February 16, 2013 and webcast live to thousands of viewers worldwide. Farm to Freezer benefits the whole community—this social enterprise preserves donated fresh, local food at its peak ripeness; provides healthier food for Bethesda Cares’ homeless client meals; supports local farmers; reduces food waste; provides community service opportunities; and raises local awareness about homelessness, nutrition, and locally-grown food.

“Your 15 minutes of fame are about to begin. Use them wisely.”–Jill Bamburg, BGI