Dean Forbes Grade Four Class June Garden Visi

 This is a late post but still a good read! Last June we had the pleasure of taking Dean Forbe's grade 4 class to visit the organic garden and do some harvesting with them! We took the class through the garden and taught them some of the basics. We then took the kids, as well as their harvest, to one of the food labs on the University of Guelph campus to make some fun recipes to take home to their families!

The first activity we did with the class was go to the garlic fields and pick some scapes! We taught the class the importance of harvesting these scapes. We taught them that trimming the scapes help the garlic cloves keep their shape and grow better. the class was very enthusiastic in the process, picking, and even some more adventurous the taste!  

We also took the kids to the strawberry bushes and let them pick (and eat) as many as the could! We couldn't believe how much  the children were involved and the questions they had.

Leaving the garden the class was excited beyond belief to make some food with the produce they had just picked!

In the kitchen we made a strawberry-rhubarb chutney to put on ice-cream as well as a organic honey and chocolate oatmeal bar!

With the volunteers we had we found the cooking process a breeze and the kids once again enthusiastic as ever. Her is a picture from Dave's group where they bonded over hockey and decided to decorate some of their oatmeal bars.

 Dean Forbes has agreed to bring the new 4th grade class to participate in an event with the Garden2Table team later this October and we are ore than excited to see what fun we get up to this time around!

P.S. Don't worry, we'll be sharing all the details on the Blog!!

Thursday Organic Farmers Market!

Hey folks, as you know the Garden2Table team is passionate about organic farming practices and have a strong relationship with the Guelph Center For Urban Organic Farming. Every Thursday for the past month or so we have been volunteering at the garden doing everything from planting and watering to harvesting and selling!

 Featured at the farmers market is a wide selection of exciting fruits, vegetables, and flours! Some of the Garden2Table team's favorites are the plump raspberries, super sweet carrots, and all fresh herbs!










We can't forget to express our gratitude for the woman who makes it all possible! Martha Scroggins has worked hard every week to keep the garden alive and blooming, she has amazing knowledge and passion for organic farming! If you are ever at the garden, definitely take a minute to say hi and ask Martha about her garden!

If you want to drop in to the market the final day is Thursday October 5! We will be showcasing all your thanksgiving favorites for prices you can't beat!!

Garden2Table 2017-2018 Team!

Introducing this years Garden2Table team! We will be keeping you updated on all the amazing events we put on as well as sharing our passion for sustainable food!                                          

Monika Kruszka

Hi everyone: 

My name is Monika Kruszka. I got involved in Garden2Table because I really wanted to learn more about the food I eat. I love to cook (and eat) and that’s what brought me to Guelph to study Hotel and Food Administration. I began my career in the hospitality industry in September 2016, by participating in a high school coop program at Fraticelli’s Restaurant in Burlington. I want to get my Red Seal with Earl’s, my current employer. I see myself become a Sous Chef with them, and eventually work towards the Head Chef position. The industry definitely needs more women in BOH leadership roles. Anyways, eventually, I want to open a restaurant of my own. I see myself having a small retro diner, filled with vintage knick-knacks, serving burgers, milkshakes, and other kinds of comfort foods. This specific program at Guelph has opened doors for me, and given me the opportunity to expand my knowledge about the industry, so I can then open my restaurant. Garden2Table is an example of how special the HAFA program at Guelph is. A business student like myself gets the chance to teach elementary school students about organic farming, while volunteering at the garden once a week. It is such an amazing thing to be a part of. I love it so much already. And I cannot wait to explore more of this course and learn more about where our food comes from. 

                                                         

Brennan Moro

Hello everyone, 

My name is Brennan Moro and I am a second year student at the University of Guelph, and I am doing my Bachelor of Commerce in Hotel and Food Administration.  

Throughout my life I’ve had a strong relationship with food, in fact, I have been cooking since before I was allowed to.  I would sneak downstairs in the dark of night at a remarkably young age in an attempt to make myself something to munch on.  Whenever I’d visit my grandparents I’d get immense satisfaction from helping out in the victory garden in their backyard, and even more satisfaction from eating the food that had been covered in dirt just hours ago.  The world of food grabbed hold of me very quickly, but at first I didn’t realize that the food industry was one in which I could turn into a career that suited my talents and needs. 

I am very excited to have been chosen to help lead the Garden 2 Table team this year in order to try to inspire as many children as possible to see the wonder of food that I was exposed to at an early age.  My personal goal for the Garden 2 Table program is to share my passion for food with these students and hope that it excites them as much as it has excited me. 

                                                               

                                                       

David Barton-Hammond 

Chef, Bartender, Lover of Food 

5th Year Hospitality Student 

University Of Guelph 

Hey folks, you can call me Dave. I am a 5th year student at the University of Guelph finishing my Bachelor of Commerce in the Hotel and Food Administration program. I have always loved what Garden2Table has stood for and I am happy to be part of the team this year! My teammates and I all share a passion for food and drive for sustainability. Being a cook myself (chef to be) I love cooking with organic ingredients because they provide so much more flavour and nutrition to food. Through Garden2Table I will hopefully get to spread that appreciation with the community and younger generations. I take pleasure in having the opportunity to share my knowledge and passion with the up and coming generation to hopefully spark the passion they may not know they have themselves! Looking forward to a great year, if you ever want to meet my team and I come see us at the Guelph Organic Farmers Market Thursdays from 3-6pm! 

  

On Wednesday, November 23rd, we had our second successful visit of the year! Waking up to a cold rainy day is not the best way to start an outdoor garden adventure, however we had planned how to make the trip as wonderful as possible despite the weather. Fortunately, we had managed the visitor's expectations, and everyone arrived prepared with warm clothes, boots and umbrellas.

We started the visit in the gardens doing a tour of the area as Martha Gaye explained the whole operation. The kids got to pick their own kale to use later as well! The rain held off for us so everyone got to experience the outdoor part of the visit.

We ended up cutting the garden tour in half in order to get the students in from the cold. In place of the extra garden time, we took the students to a classroom where they engaged in an impressively in-depth discussion about organics, farming, and GMOs. We were taken back by their appetite to learn about food and willingness to act.

Wrapping up the discussion brought us to the best part of the day; the cooking! We made a butternut squash and carrot soup, and kale chips. Both dishes used almost entirely ingredients from Martha's organic garden. The best part was that this actually excited the kids, and allowed them to see the direct transition from the earth to their mouths.

This hands-on process from picking, to discussing, to cooking was an incredibly rewarding experience seeing as the kids were so receptive to the process.