Fall Steps to Sustainability
Fall Actions for a Greener Planet
Autumn offers a perfect opportunity to align our habits with our ethics. Read on for some simple steps for you to give back to the planet this season:
Leave those fallen leaves instead of bagging them up — they’re nature’s mulch! Leaves are Mother Nature’s way of protecting and enriching soil, the very foundation of all life on earth. Plus, they are essential for pollinators to survive the winter. So save yourself the work and leave the leaves!
Choose local produce for your fall feasts. Buying from nearby farms cuts down on transportation emissions and supports local growers. And don’t cook too much! Food waste is huge problem that contributes to food insecurity, greenhouse gas emissions as food breaks down in landfills, economic loss, and resource waste. If you know your family won’t eat all of the leftovers, only cook enough for the one meal!
Reduce waste after Halloween:
Swap costumes with your friends so you don’t have to buy new next year!
Rethink what happens to your pumpkins after the holidays! Millions of pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills after Halloween, creating greenhouse gases as they break down, and adding to the waste stream. Compost your pumpkins with your local compost service, or donate your intact pumpkins to your local animal sanctuary! (Read on to learn more…)
Donate Your Leftover Pumpkins
Once the candy haze fades, don’t toss those Halloween pumpkins! Instead of creating greenhouse gases in a landfill, they can become nourishing treats for rescued animals! Sweet Farm (and most farmed animal sanctuaries) gladly accepts unpainted, uncarved pumpkins to feed our sanctuary residents — from happy pigs to grateful goats and sheep. You can drop them off at our farm any time and leave them in front of our greenhouse, and we will share them with our very happy and thankful residents. It’s a small act with a big heart.
Weathering Change Together
We need your help!
This year, the effects of climate unpredictability have hit farms hard. Shifts in rainfall and temperature patterns have impacted both our crops and our pastures, forcing us to purchase hay earlier than usual to ensure our animals stay healthy and well-fed through winter.
We’re reaching out to our community for help. Your support — whether through a small donation, a recurring gift, or even sharing our story — directly helps us provide essential feed and care for the animals who call Sweet Farm home. Click to learn more about our hay fundraiser…
Upcycled Winter Hats by Upstate Stock
What is upcycled cotton yarn? This yarn is a blend of reclaimed cotton fibers from discarded garment scraps combined with a small amount of nylon made from the incredible RPET process of recycling plastic (PET) bottles into fiber. Content: 85% upcycled cotton 15% RPET
Production: Knit in Waterloo, NY by our friends and knitting partners at Mozaic Organization; a not-for-profit employing, assisting, and providing services to thousands of disabled persons in the Finger Lakes, NY area.
