“Animal farming produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all transport combined. However, as individuals we are often told, ‘You should use public transport and cycle’, which are all good things, but we are not very often told, ‘Let’s reduce our consumption of animal products and The will have a huge impact on the environment.'”
This week, Toby Foster talks to the makers of Planteda local plant-based food truck and catering operation in Bloomington, Indiana. We learn more about their inventive, plant-based menu and commitment to sustainable practices.
We have an interview with Julie Guthman about the crisis-ridden strawberry industry and end the show with a recipe for pickled carrots.
A lot has changed in recent years about how we eat out, or perhaps more accurately, at home. During the height of the pandemic, takeout was the only option many people felt comfortable with, and it seems that this trend is here to stay, amplified by the proliferation of delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats. In Bloomington, Indiana, a food truck called Planted is trying to develop a new and thoughtful approach by putting extra emphasis on sustainability with an all-plant-based menu and avoiding single-use plastic. They opened to the public in September 2023 and I wanted to talk to them about their mission and how it’s been going so far. I was surprised when five members of their team came to our interview.
Nicole Schoenemann.the self-proclaimed “instigator,” also owns a goat farm called Goat Conspiracy. Until recently, they made cheese and soap from goat milk, but recently Nicole has moved away from animal products entirely. She describes her philosophy as “reducetarian,” meaning we can reduce our carbon footprint by reducing the amount of meat and dairy we consume. This was a big part of her inspiration for the food truck. (Since this interview was recorded, the Goat Conspiracy has milked its last goat and she has transitioned to a nonprofit goat sanctuary/retirement home.)
Nicole contacted Erica Yochum, previously the owner and long-time chef of the popular local restaurant Feast, and after several attempts they agreed on an initial menu.
Planted serves food with a focus on seasonality and local produce. Their signature dish is the “flat,” which is a sandwich served on locally made bread, followed by the chickpea flat, a patty made from a mix of chickpea flour and vegetables, topped with a variety of toppings. A new bestseller is the Magnolia, which is made with local pumpkin, leeks simmered in white wine, and a sage pesto. Desserts are also a big part of the menu, including coconut ice cream and a vegan marshmallow dreamed up by chef Leah Wolfe. It’s made with aquafaba, the water left over from cooking chickpeas! “I find it really fun and challenging to make everything plant-based,” Leah says of the process. She’s also come up with several plant-based cheeses, which the team affectionately refers to as “Wolfe cheese.”
Cooper Gerard, Planted’s general manager, and Ben Wesenberg, the truck manager, rounded out the group and handled most of the day-to-day operations. “The customer response has been really great,” Ben told me. “That’s not surprising because Erica and Leah make amazing food and the truck is so beautiful that people want to stop and see what’s there.” The team’s chemistry seemed great, and although they were a little nervous about the challenges that running a food truck through a long, cold winter might bring, they were excited and proud of their product and their mission to promote sustainability through delicious food.
Music in this episode
The theme music of Earth Eats was composed by Erin Tobey and performed by Erin and Matt Tobey.
Additional music in this episode of Universal production music.
Credits:
The Earth Eats team includes: Eoban Binder, Alexis Carvajal, Alex Chambers, Mark Chilla, Toby Foster, Daniella Richardson, Samantha Shemenaur, Payton Whaley and Harvest Public Media.
Earth Eats is produced, developed and edited by Kayte Young and our executive producer is Eric Bolstridge.
