FARMINGTON – Despite summertime heat, volunteers have been filling the kitchen at Knowlton Corner Farm to bake, boil and can the surplus of fresh produce from Care and Share Food Closet.
Spearheaded by owner Arleen Masselli, the Food Waste Project aims to transform excess ingredients into useable, often long-lasting food items. Browning bananas into bread and muffins, slightly stale bread into croutons and bread crumbs- the project has been ongoing for several weeks now, and has had no lack of food to work with.
“Just last week we turned a giant, overgrown, unusable zucchini into bread and muffins that will go fast back at the pantry,” Masselli said.
So far, all of the items have been handed back, with their new identity, to the pantry where they came from to get redistributed to local residents. This week, however, Masselli and her team of volunteers will be turning surplus peaches and nectarines into mini pies that will be sold to fund the program. Some ingredients, such as flour, sugar and baking powder, plus all of the packaging materials, have to be bought out of pocket. All of the proceeds from the pie sales will benefit the program. They can be purchased from Masselli’s front porch at 341 Knowlton Corner Road.
Besides the typical breads, muffins and jams, Masselli has experimented with more adventurous recipes, such as cinnamon pita chips from staling pita bread, and “nice cream” (a non-dairy ice cream) using bananas and raspberries.
Masselli said most of the time, fresh produce doesn’t fly off the pantry shelves due to a lack of knowledge. Such as the monster zucchini- most people wouldn’t know how to turn it into bread that can be frozen and last for weeks.
“Someone asked me how I was going to turn bananas into banana bread without a box mix…sometimes it’s just a lack of knowledge,” she said.
The Food Waste Project meets every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and volunteers are welcome to join in. For up to date information, follow Masselli’s Facebook page here.
That zuke can be turned into chocolate cake, too. Just saying. Wonderful work you are doing. Thanks for caring.
Great work, love what you are doing!
Great idea!! A special treat for those who receive them!!
This is truly awesome, she is such a genuine, wonderful and giving lady.. This just makes my ♥️😊 to read this and all the hard work, and dedication that we have a our wonderful community in such hard, unbelievable times that we all are facing these day.. This is just one way that shows how strong we all are here in the grand old state of Maine.. and what a wonderful.community I live in.
Thank you Arlene and all her staff of volunteers!!