9PM here, just checking in. Will check back later. Wow, I can't believe you got all that for the raccoons. You are so sweet. Mine got their usual dog food, animal crackers and some left over steak and raw ground meat. Oh, and the peanuts in the squirrel feeder ;-) Karen
Heidi - Awaiting the Delivery
Debbie,
It is so very nice of you to be concerned about my costs in feeding the raccoons. I'm fine though, and I wouldn't do it if I didn't want to. I didn't need to get all of the things I got today. I was just on a bit of a spree, enjoying the opportunity to do something nice for Heidi and the gang, to treat them.
It's my understanding that most of the area restaurants and major grocery stores contribute their left overs (including such customer left overs as uneaten pizza slices) to the local food bank for feeding the homeless. I think the idea is that in so doing they avoid having hungry people hanging out in alleys searching through dumpsters for leftovers and, at the same time, make the unused food available for those who need it. I think it's an excellent idea.
I thought about the marked down produce today, but my favorite grocery store (the one I went to today) doesn't sell marked down produce. There is a store near me that sells (paper) bags of overripe bananas for something like 50cents for 5lbs. I've even bought them before as nutritional supplements for my roses. I bought a couple of bags for the raccoons in the past. Oh, and as to the chickens, they put a time on the bag so the chickens don't stay out/warm too long. If a chicken is still unsold when the time expires, they wrap it up in plastic and sell it in the refrigerated section - esp good for those times when there are no hot chickens available when you are shopping.
Bottom line though, my time is so limited these days that I have difficulty finding time to run to the store; consequently, I wouldn't be able to go there on a regular basis to pick up the food even if they would give it to me. Honestly though, I think it is great that they are putting the leftovers to such great use feeding the homeless.
I'll have to think about the coupon thing. If anyone has a good coupon [that they aren't planning to use] for dog/cat food, I might consider that.
Again, Debbie, thank you for thinking of me. I am truly touched.: )
Karen,
It sounds like your raccoons are quite well fed! I'm planning to eat some of the fruit, too, but they will probably get most of it (if the others return that is). Last time I got 2 bags of grapes, one for them and one for me, but ended up giving them both bags. I'm just enjoying "spoiling" them.
I decided that it is past time to start a new thread: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/725222/
Hope to see you all there!
Just a few thoughts,- a garden rake (tines over the top of the fence) would make a handy climbing pole for pregnant or injured raccoons, many store produce departments will give the overripe food for wildlife upon request.
I cannot believe how man hours I have spent reading the Heidi Chronicles from the beginning since finding them yesterday, My eyes are so dry and tired that unfortunately I must stop for the night.
but first thing after church tomorrow I'm coming right back here !!
this is the most wonderful , exciting thing I've found in a long long time and it feels like I am right there involved with you.
Thank You Cheryl.!!! Please write that book!! ^_^
~~Sheri~~
Thank you, Sheri!
We'll see you tomorrow.
Would you believe that I finally got around to asking at my local grocery store and was told that they do not give out overripe food to anyone period. I was a bit surprised by this. However, it is my understanding that all of the local grocery stores and most restaurants in the area participate in a program in which they donate all overripe food, dented cans, opened packages, stale bread, expired products, and anything else they deemed unsellable to the local food bank where these items are made available to local shelters and soup kitchens that feed the homeless. Restaurants donate excess food products, and believe it or not it is my understanding that in some cases uneaten food such as left over pizza slices is even taken from plates left by customers and sent to the food bank.