My entire life has been spent on farms. Summers filled with harvesting vegetables, autumns dedicated to packaging and delivering them, and winters focused on maintaining the farm’s website and designing packaging. Spring was dominated by endless weddings, before the cycle repeated itself. My tanned hands, forever etched with dirt. Growing up, I often wondered why it had to be me, working on my family’s farm. As I got older, I realized the larger issue—the lack of support for farmers.
Finding reliable workers has always been a challenge, and with many farmers reaching their 60s, the ability to navigate the modern, internet-driven world is overwhelming. Few understand that, in the 21st century, having a website is critical to making sales. The result? Small, local farms are closing at alarming rates, and fewer young people are choosing to start or continue operating farms. It's undeniable—small-scale farming is a dying business. Farm’s feed the world. What will we do if they’re gone? Then, something happened that I still can’t forget. My father threw away an entire tray of garlic scapes I had just harvested. I couldn’t understand it. My hands were still stinging from their juices—garlic scapes are delicious! My mother’s stir-fries were the highlight of my evenings. But what I couldn’t understand most was: why were we throwing out perfectly good food when so many people went hungry? I later learned the reason—no one wanted to buy garlic scapes. Few people knew how to cook them, and storing them was too expensive. So, we threw them away. The revelation changed me.
If farmers are already struggling to stay afloat, yet have surplus food, and there are people on the streets going hungry, why are we wasting it? We often hear that "farmers are the backbone of society," but it seemed to me that no one actually cared about them. This realization was the catalyst for founding the Food Recovery Alliance. We bridge the gap between surplus farm produce and communities in need. Our mission is to combat food waste by empowering farmers, ensuring that fresh, healthy food reaches those who need it most. We believe no food should go to waste, and every person deserves access to the nourishment needed to thrive. Together, we support sustainable farming and build stronger, hunger-free communities.
Apollin Lu, Founder
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Black Dirt Farm
City's Edge Farm
Littlest Edge Farm
