PRESS COVERAGE
Instead of letting old pumpkins left over from Halloween decorations go to a landfill, one Northern Virginia–based organization is working to put that produce to good work by feeding it to pigs. And goats. And sometimes llamas. Through Pumpkins for Pigs, people can choose to donate clean, non-moldy produce — like pumpkins, gourds, and hay bales — to area farms, where the otherwise unused materials are fed to animals. Doing this reduces food waste, provides valuable nutrients for animals, and helps reduce carbon emissions by keeping food out of landfills. Plus, founder and CEO Jennifer Seifert says, “It gives us an opportunity to connect back to the community in which we live that produces the food that we eat.” As the fall holidays embrace us, many New Jerseyans will soon find themselves with an abundance of pumpkins leftover following the Halloween and Thanksgiving festivities. While these decorative gourds often end up in landfills, Jennifer Seifert, founder of Pumpkins for Pigs, offers a sustainable solution that not only benefits local farms but also helps reduce food waste. In a recent interview, Jennifer shared insights into her organization and how New Jersey residents can get involved. PODCAST: We chat with Jennifer Seifert about Pumpkins for Pigs (Pumpkinsforpigs.org), a program that helps farms receive free donations of leftover edible holiday pumpkins (and more!) to feed farm animals. Pumpkins are a symbol of fall, with many adorning homes leading up to Halloween and even after Thanksgiving. But what happens to the gourds once the fall holidays are over? While many of the pumpkins used for decoration often end up in landfills, the organization Pumpkins for Pigs gives the public a chance to put their gourds to good use – feeding hungry farm animals. Watch two live interviews with Jennifer Siefert on the Weather Channel Youtube TV. Jennifer talks about not trashing your carved pumpkins but dontating them to farms for feeding their very grateful animals. Did you know even otters love pumpkins? She also explains that used pumpkins can also be donated to zoos as well as farms. After your jack-o’-lantern has served its purpose on Halloween, don’t toss it to the curb. Experts said it’s spooky just how much damage pumpkins can do to the environment as more than 2 million pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills worldwide every Halloween. Don’t toss your pumpkin after Halloween. Do this instead. When pumpkins rot in landfills, they release planet-warming methane. This year after Halloween, try composting, pumpkin smashing or donating to a farm or zoo. Every year, Americans buy tens of millions of decorative pumpkins to carve, paint and display for Halloween. When you throw those pumpkins out, they wind up in the landfill, where they rot and release methane, an extra-powerful planet-warming gas. This episode features Jennifer Seifert, Founder and CEO, Pumpkins for Pigs Foundation. Jennifer shares her courage journey of starting the non-profit, Pumpkins for Pigs Foundation. Pumpkins For Pig’s mission is to reduce food waste in our communities by diverting viable foodstuffs including pumpkins to farms, animal sanctuaries, and rescues for feed or compost. Jennifer shares her journey from one pumpkin to filling the gap between human-consumable food and compost by redirecting viable foodstuffs to animals. They build a growing network of donation sites – farms, animal sanctuaries, and rescues – that accept a variety of food they can feed to their animals
Put Your Jack-O-Lanterns to Good Use
Green New Jersey Magazine and Podcast
Leftover Pumpkins Help Feed Farm Animals – Fox Weather
Find Donation Sites Near You – Weather Channel
How to Properly Dispose of Pumpkins in the DC Area
Country Pumpkins-Buzz Magazine
Pumpkins for Pigs, a nationwide organization, keeps a directory of farms and animal sanctuaries that welcome pumpkin donations for their animals. Seven locations, including Triangle B, are within an hour’s drive of Houston, with some possibly able to arrange pick-up: Wild Rose Farm in Cat Spring, O’Rourke Farms in Waller, Klovenski Farms in Plantersville, The Least of These Animal Sanctuary in Willis, SkyJax Farm in Cleveland, and Gold and Dirt Farms in Crosby. Contact information for each can be found on the Pumpkins for Pigs’ searchable database.
Don’t Toss Your Pumpkins After Halloween-Washington Post
The Why Not Today? Podcast
Eat or Toss Interview
Today, we’re excited to share a profile of Pumpkins for Pigs, an organization that began with a goal of directing discarded pumpkins to pig farmers eager to give their animals a healthy treat. Today, the group’s mission has expanded; they now work with farms, animal sanctuaries, vineyards and other organizations to find uses for foods and items, especially seasonal goods, that consumers might otherwise trash. Think Christmas trees and wreaths, discarded kiddie pools and plastic playhouses (goats love climbing on them), backyard vegetable garden surpluses and more.
Mailing Address
P. O. Box 1096
Leesburg, VA 20177-1096