Since the snow has melted and the beds were prepped, there
has always been something to pick in the Laraway gardens. Thankfully it’s
expanded recently to include things other than weeds and those pesky potato
bugs! The 3rd week’s summer programming featured one of the first
groups focused on harvesting for the kitchen. While the lunchtime salad bar has
had a pretty strong supply of freshly picked greens since June, students helped
to supplement it this week with multiple trays of snow and snap peas. Not to be
outdone, the zucchini plants produced several fruits at an alarming alacrity. Many
vegetables lose nutrition over time after being removed from the plant due to
their continued respiration, so the kitchen staff have been doing their best to
take advantage of the fresh produce as it’s ready. This turns into quite a feat
when you consider the requirements of keeping over 60 active students (and the
staff) energized through the summer heat. Even with all the planning and
creativity available, there are still times when some harvests have to be
processed for the future. Luckily for the remaining garlic scape crop, school
director Julie Landry is an experienced canner and pickler. Below are pictures
of the adventure, preserving our fresh harvest for months to come!
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| Photo courtesy of Julie Landry |
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| Photo courtesy of Julie Landry |
On a similar note, be sure to stay tuned for our up and
coming berry muffins! This month, according to the three local Vermont partners
that make up the VT Harvest of the Month program, is Berry Month! Some of our young
students have been exploring the berries we have available on campus (including
those nutrient dense currants!) and will be making muffins at summer’s end. Previous
Laraway VISTA Marcella Houghton led the students on a campus berry tour this
past week, and it’s assured these muffins will be a creation you don’t want to
miss!
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| Photo courtesy of Marcella Houghton |
Submitted by Hannah Bober, VYDC AmeriCorps State member
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