Happy Sunday, dear readers – the last Sunday in August! September and fall are around the corner.

With summer’s close comes the continuing harvest and a flood of produce. My farmer’s market basket this week held eight glorious, deep green poblano peppers, as well as full bags of luscious nectarines and apples. The colors alone make me swoon. And when I’m done admiring them, I will have to quickly find ways to use this bounty.

We are blessed with bounty in the US. Sometimes, over-blessed. I’ve read several items in the last few months about the paradox of food waste in a country where too many people still go hungry. Some estimates suggest that as much as 40% of available food may go to waste for one reason or another. That’ll rock you back on your heels. If I buy ten meals only to throw out four of them while someone in my community is going hungry … Well. That thought feels completely horrible.

There are good people doing something about it. Food pantries and feeding kitchens do a lot. And, in keeping with my current search for “Yes, and” news, I discovered that there is a place in Cincinnati doing even more. I found out about La Soupe in a feature story in Fast Company (a business magazine I absolutely love for its vibrant support of entrepreneurs and thoughtful ideas). At La Soupe, they collect produce from local supermarkets and restaurants that is about to be discarded and turn it into amazing seasonal soups that can be frozen and then distributed to those in need all through the area. The portion of the food that comes in that truly cannot be used for human consumption is turned over to farms for animal feed. This is just brilliant. It takes a problem and turns it into a product that gives food to the hungry, sends less to landfills, and creates a new food ecosystem in the community.

Here is a link to the Fast Company feature: Big Batches of Soup

And a link to La Soupe’s website: La Soupe

It makes my heart happy to share their story and their good work. And it inspires to me think about the ways I can make a difference.

Hoping you are blessed with bounty.