“Diggin’ In” with FoodCorps Fin : December 4
Happy December!
It is with great pleasure that I can share some exciting progress we’ve made on the Central Elementary Sensory Garden: with help from our friends at GrandScapes, the stones have been laid that will form the raised bed walls for the edible portion of the Sensory Garden!
In the coming months we will be filling these beds with soil to then plant this Spring! With input from students, we have already begun crop planning for what will be grown in this space. If you have any gardening interest and knowledge and would like to volunteer your skills, let Finley know! (finley.tevlin@foodcorps.org).
In the kitchen, a few very committed 4th grade students have regularly joined our online cooking club: Cougar Cooks! This week, we tried a new tool-- the blender-- to make a delicious white bean dip. With just a few basic ingredients (white beans, olive oil, salt and pepper), we whipped this up in no time and could then flavor this healthy dip whichever way we wanted. Some students chose to add garlic and herbs, others went with chili powder and lime juice. Either way, this mix can be a great snack as a dip, spread or addition to a sandwich or wrap. YUM.
We will be meeting once again next week on Wednesday, December 9th for 5 to 6pm. If you would like to join, simply email Finley by 3pm on Tuesday to RSVP (finley.tevlin@foodcorps.org).
In other news, Central Elementary has been the recipient of a generous gift from First Book, an educational literature retailer. We received $120 dollars worth of books for free! With the help of the library staff, we selected books that had to do with gardening, cooking, and eating which highlighted a variety of cultures. I’m very excited to have these books to use in lessons in the future. All of these books will reside in our school library and will be waiting for you when we return to school. In the meantime, if these titles look fun, I highly recommend finding a read-aloud video online.
In third grade this week, we had a great opportunity to learn about this region’s geology and agriculture. We did this through that wonderful food: BREAD! Together with the students, we retraced the steps in the process of making bread all the way back to the rocks that eroded to become a part of the soil that grew the wheat that made the flour to make that bread. It was a great exercise in being aware and thankful for all the things that were necessary for us to eat our food. The next time you break bread, give thanks with every bite!
Be well, friends!
-Mr. Finley