Tips to Help Your First Pick-up Go Smoothly

So, you’ve just joined Loop? First off, welcome! Here are a few tips and tricks to help make your first pick-ups go smoothly. Knowing what to expect and understanding some of the best practices for dealing with what you are given can be a lifesaver during your first few weeks as a Loop farm.

At The Store

Set yourself up for success from the beginning and have a good system in place for dealing with the boxes from the moment you pick them up. If you are using an enclosed trailer, such as a horse trailer, a cargo trailer, or a utility trailer you may be able to make different stacks of boxes for different types of food. This is important because you need to keep track of the boxes for the report you submit to Loop.

If you are using a pickup truck or a trailer that is not enclosed, you will need to invest in some sort of netting to cover the boxes. The last thing you want is to spread lettuce leaves and broccoli halfway across town on your way home.

Loop’s Rules

You are representing Loop when you are dealing with people at the store. Always be nice to the staff. Be considerate, and do not make their lives harder. This means always showing up on your pick-up days, taking everything, and being quick and efficient while you are there. It is also crucial that you fill out the pick-up form within 24 hours of your pick-up. And remember that this food is for animal consumption only.

Sorting by Animal

There are so many options for food sorting depending on your storage options, the number and variety of animals you have, the season, and other factors.

This system works really well if you have different kinds of animals. As soon as you get home and have submitted your report, sort the Loop food into different boxes for each animal type. Remove any plastic packaging and other things that you do not want your animals to eat.

Example

You have chickens, pigs, goats, and cows. Make a box or two designated to each animal, then sort the food into the boxes depending on which animal will eat what food.

Some animals will eat almost anything, but that doesn’t mean that they should get all the food. Prioritize picky animals first, and make sure that they get the food that will be most enjoyed by them, and then give the less picky animals the remaining food.

This system works great because it will save you time feeding throughout the week. All you have to do is dump out a box for each type of animal. You don't have to worry about sorting, or removing packaging because it is already done. However, there are some challenges that you may encounter with this plan, so here are some variations that may work better for you depending on your situation.

Variation #1

If you do not have cold storage available, you may have to feed out the Loop food within the first two or three days. If you only have a few animals, this may not work. Investing in a second-hand freezer or fridge could help you get the most out of your Loop pick-ups.

Variation #2

The colder winter months may solve this problem! Turn that extra freezer off and use the great outdoors to keep your Loop food frozen. Obviously, this may cause issues as well such as attracting wild animals, or temperature fluctuation. If it is an option to store your food outside in an animal-proof location during the frigid months of winter, it could save you from having to store it indoors and spend more on your electric bill running an extra freezer.

Sorting by Freshness

This system involves sorting the food depending on how long it can last without spoiling. Early in the week, feed out what will spoil quickly and save longer-lasting produce for later in the week.

Example

Feed out the apples that are bruised and the lettuce that is wilting the day you receive it and feed out the food that is in better condition later in the week.

Variation #1

If you have one type of animal that will not eat a certain food, but you are only sorting by freshness you may want to experiment with sorting by animal and freshness. This will ensure that the animals will get the food that they most enjoy when it is still in its prime.

Variation #2

If you are still having trouble feeding out all the food before it spoils, you could look into having another farm take what you cannot use. This might be food that the animals you have do not prefer, or it could be that your animals are not eating enough of it before it spoils.

You may also have to switch up how you sort depending on the time of year. The way you sort in the summer may be completely different from the way you sort in the winter. Check out the blog posts on specific tips for sorting in each season!

Rapid Fire Tips

Here are some random tips that may make your life easier.

Freeze Yogurt

Freezing yogurt before you feed it out helps keep everything clean. You don't have to scrape it out of the containers, it will slide nicely out after you run the container under hot water.

Storing Food for Freshness

In the summer, storing food in banana boxes to allow ventilation will help keep it in good condition for longer, especially during the hot weather. In the winter, it may work better to store food in totes with lids outside, allowing the food to freeze without animals being able to get into it.

Sort into Smaller Containers

Sorting the food into five-gallon buckets or other pails that are easier to carry could save you from having to haul around awkward, large cardboard boxes.

Bring Tools

Some great tools to have on hand are X-acto knives, cutting boards, and kitchen knives. Use the X-acto knives to quickly open packaging, and the cutting board and knives to portion things out and cut away unusable bits of produce.

Get to Know Your Local Recycling Rules

Getting a handle on what you can recycle is a great idea, you might even want to print out the guidelines to have on hand while you sort for the first few times so that you can organize things more efficiently.

Dealing with the Packaging

In Loop, you will receive a lot of cardboard and it can be repurposed in so many ways around the farm and garden! There is also a certain amount of plastic packaging you will receive. Making sure this does not end up in any pens where animals could ingest it is very important.

Sorting your Loop food the day you get it can help eliminate the possibility that any plastic makes it into the animal's feed. These plastics can be upcycled into many different things, using berry containers for starting seeds indoors for example.

Cardboard can be super versatile and useful; it also takes up a lot of space… Flattening your cardboard for storage can be an effective way to keep it around without it being in the way until you use it.

For more information check out this blog post on 15 Ways to Repurpose or Recycle Cardboard Boxes.

Trial and Error

Every farm is different, with different animals, and different ways to best make use of what is received in Loop. The best way to discover what works best for you is through experimentation. Try different systems, talk to other Loopers, and take note of what works and what doesn’t. Your system does not have to be perfect on the first try, everyone in Loop is always learning.

Engage with the Loop Community

Reaching out to other Loopers can be the best way to get ideas on how to repurpose, upcycle and deal with everything. Join your regional Loop Facebook page! Ask questions, see how others are using what they get, and interact with the community. If you still have more questions, reach out to Loop through social media or email! There is always someone willing to workshop ideas and help with any problems you may encounter.

Dealing with Problems

It doesn’t happen often but on occasion, Loopers have had issues with stores during a pick-up. This usually isn’t a big deal, and often comes from poor communication or a misunderstanding. Remember to always be nice to the store employees and not escalate the situation. Take lots of pictures and notes if needed and call us right away. We are always happy to help.

Work as a Team

There is no need to struggle alone. If you are feeling swamped by the amount of food you are receiving or need help sorting and processing it, reach out. Find a local farmer who would be willing to share the load each week, I am sure you know someone who would be more than happy to get involved.

There are many options for how to make Loop work for you and hopefully, this has provided a base to go off of and build upon as you form your own unique system.

If you have any tips or tricks that you want to share, we would love to read all about them! Shoot us an email at info@loopresource.ca and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!