Fries and New Friends Caitlin Breaton's Grade 5 Class!

Hey all!

This is a late post but nevertheless I want to share with you the great experience our Garden2Table team had with Mrs. Beaton's grade 5 class at the Organic Garden Centre! We took the students through the garden and had them doing a variety of tasks and harvesting. We then took the kids and their bountiful hull to the University of Guelph's very own food lab to prepare the same produce they harvested!

Teh class arrived at 11am bundled up and ready to go! We started the tour with an short introduction from the woman that makes everything at the garden possible, Martha Scroggins. She told the class about all the cool things that go on at our garden and ho we use alternate energy sources to irrigate the fields.

  

First we took the class to the back fields where we had them leatn the intricate proccess of harvesting organic potatoes! We had alittle fun doing all the harvesting by hand and explained to the eager students that by harvesting by had we can save on eneegy costs and we dont polute the enviroment with exhaust from big machines! Big shout to a good friend of the team and sustainability enthusiast Nicholas Hughes Mussio, for all his volunteering in the garden!

Now it was time to move from the garden to the kittchen! Unfortunatly, it was too cold for the class to harvest the tomatoes but we had gathered them from the garden earlier in the year for the class to use! We had the class guess what we were going to be making and they were very excited when somebody guessed that we would be making a classic, Fries and ketchup!

With help from a few more firends we broke the class up into small groups and had them cook their fries and homemade ketchup with their leaders. The class was enthussiastic and well mannered and made for a smooth day in the kitchen!

 It was hard to get a photo of the finished product because they were all gone so fast! We did however, send the kids home with a reusable jar of their own ketchup for their family to enjoy! Here are a couple more photos of the class. 

On behalf of the Garden2Table team id like to say this was such an enjoyable experience and we are honored to have shared it with such a great class! Mrs. Beaton and her class are welcome back to the Urban Centre for Organic Gardening any time and i hope we were able to achieve our goal and spark some passion for sustainable practices in these future garden stars!

-Garden2Table Team 2017/2018

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.

Honey and Harvest

Wednesday, October 12th was a bright, sunny, perfect fall day. Will, Lindsay and I woke with excitement as we anticipated Mr. Fords' class arrival. The bus rolled into the Honeybee research facility with a load of excited Grade 4 students.

Upon meeting Paul at the facility, we were blown away by his knowledge of Honeybees and his ability to appeal to the kids' interest. The room filled with "Oohs" and "Aahs" as he buzzed around speaking about the duties of bees and the huge role they play in our everyday life.

For some of the students, they pushed their limits to feel safe around the bees, which challenged them on a personal level. It also involved a bit of quick-thinking on our part to find alternatives for the kids that weren't comfortable with the situation. 

After learning lots about the anatomy, responsibilities, and importance of honey bees, we re-boarded the bus and headed for the gardens.

 Will went ahead to prepare everything with our wonderful gardener, Martha Gaye, while Lindsay and I played some 'review' games with the kids and got them excited for the next part of the visit. A short bus ride and lots of laughs brought us to the University's on-campus organic gardens (the Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming). The weather, being pleasantly cooperative, showed a beautiful array of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and trees.

At the gardens, the kids were given a tour of the property, and explained some fun facts about the different types of plants. They were very engaged in the process!

After the tour, they were given the opportunity to harvest 2 wheel barrows full of butternut squash out in one the fields. This was an amazing hands-on learning opportunity for them because it taught they could see and feel where the food comes from, and make a conscious effort to be a part of that process.

Will was a big fan of the squash as well!

As the afternoon was coming to an end, we took some fun pictures with the class, and sent them home with a brand new "Garden to Table" shirt so they could remember their experience- and hopefully share it with others.

The day was a great success, and we're ready to gear up for the next one!

Garden 2 Table 2016- The New Team

Hello everyone,

My name is William Boulter and I am a 2nd year student here at the University of Guelph.  I am enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce Hotel and Food Administration program.  I am also  a member of the Varsity Swim team.

I am very excited to get Garden 2 Table started this year! I think it is very important for people to know where their food comes from and with bringing students to the garden here at Guelph, we can show the the value of local organic food.  Not only do the students learn about organics, they get the opportunity to harvest food right from our organic farm at the university and then go cook it in our food lab, literally brining their food from the garden to the table.  I have always had a passion for food and I am excited to learn more about organics myself and find ways to incorporate what I've learned into my cooking.

Myself along with my team can't wait for the first visit to get underway and we are looking forward to a very successful year!

Hello foodies, gardeners, and general listeners!

My name is Emily Robinson, and I am a second year student at the University of Guelph, also doing my Bachelor of Commerce in Hotel and Food, with a Coop. I have been drawn to food since about the time this photo was taken. However, I didn't always know exactly how I could make it a part of my life longterm. Cooking, eating, and staying healthy are three prominent pillars in my everyday life. Cooking reminds us to slow down and check in with ourselves, eating allows us to indulge in simple pleasures multiple times a day, and a healthy lifestyle allows us to take care of our bodies in appreciation for all that they can do for us. It wasn't until the last few months of grade 12 that I realized I wanted to pursue food and health, as a result of wanting to find passion, not paycheques. It truly is a rewarding industry, especially when given the chance to go further, and to make a difference within the parameters of the 'norm'.

I have been excited about Garden 2 Table since starting at Guelph, seeing as it lines up perfectly with my values towards food. It is so so important to understand where your food comes from, from a personal, environmental and economic standpoint. I am glad to be able to share my passion and vision as we get prepared for our first classroom visit to the Gardens this coming Wednesday (October 12th). There is no better way to shape the future, than to reach out to the children of today, and in doing so I hope we can influence even one or two of them to make more conscious decisions every day.

I'm not even entirely sure what we'll get up to over this next year, but stay tuned for much more excitement and inspiration!

Greetings fellow garden to table followers,

My name is Lindsay Weatherall and I too am in my second year with Will and Emily, also in the same Bachelor of Commerce Hotel and Food Administration program, with a Coop. We spend a lot of time together. I have been involved with the hospitality industry since I was 14, working in a bakery, then a restaurant, and recently a country club. I spent the summer working at Piping Rock Club which allowed me to wrap my head around hospitality even more. I've always loved the hospitality industry, I'm a very social person and really enjoy creating experiences for people every chance I get.

When I heard about the garden to table program in my first year Intro. to Hospitality course I fell in love with the idea. Reaching out to elementary schools and being able to teach students about where food comes from and show them the different components that go into creating the food that is put on your table is an incredible opportunity I wish I had when I was younger.I feel it is very important for young students to get a grasp on the concepts that the Garden to Table program can teach them, because not every child has the same opportunities or access to gardens at home or confidence to try cooking their own food. I am really looking forward to reaching out to the classes and experiencing these visits. Food and people are my passion and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be apart of a program where I can teach students about both. As we are preparing for this Wednesday being our first visit with a classroom also have the amazing opportunity to visit the Apiary in Guelph, it should be a great time!

I am very excited to see what's in store for us year, and I am even more excited about the new Garden to Table team and the experiences we will have this coming year!