Seasonal Cooking Demo - autumn
September 15, 2022
In this Seasonal Cooking Demo we began by sharing thoughts about seasons. We then watch a clip from a documentary about Edna Lewis’s influential perspective on eating fresh and seasonal food. Next, we visited a farmstand to see what is available in Autumn and shared recipes for cooking the produce we find. In the culinary activity, we walked through an apple tasting lesson that introduces students to apple varieties, drawing their attention to and developing their vocabulary about the many characteristics of apples. Finally, we made and tasted applesauce.
poultry farming
October 20, 2022
Our Poultry Farming workshop began with a presentation by Mike Webster, director of Tory Hill Dining, Tory works within the contract food service model to support the production, purchasing and preparation of locally and regionally grown food. Next, Will Conway, Manager of Stone Acres Farm, took us on a tour of the turkey pasture and talked with us about the benefits and challenges of poultry farming in Southeast CT. Next, Yellow Farmhouse staff shared resources about how eggs are produced and what the egg carton labels mean. Finally, we demonstrated a classroom activity about making sense of egg carton labels and how they impact our purchasing decisions.
local Procurement discussion
November 17, 2022
This Workshop explored the possibilities and challenges of using local foods in culinary classrooms. Local food in culinary classrooms has the potential to improve flavor & nutrition, strengthen access to locally grown community connections, and improve the local economy..
GRAINS & BREAD
December 8, 2022
This program began with a discussion of grain in the Northeast. We learned that over 95% of the grain consumed in the NE today is grown industrially and shipped from the midwest. But that wasn’t always the case. Before 1825, most towns in the northeast had a grist mill where people ground homegrown grain into flour.
seasonal cooking demo - winter
January 19, 2023
Join us for a virtual cooking demonstration featuring the flavors of winter in Connecticut, including overwintered greens and storage crops. Registered participants will receive recipes ahead of time so you can cook along, or just watch to get some new ideas and cook later with your students.
Dairy farming & added value products
February 9, 2023
Once a thriving local industry, dairy farming in Connecticut has been declining for decades. In this program, we’ll learn about the benefits and challenges of running a small dairy farm and talk to a local farmer about the future of dairy in Connecticut.
Ocean Farming part I : Shellfish
March 23 2023
Shellfish are one of the most climate-friendly protein sources available. In this program, we learnt about the local aquaculture industry and shared some ideas for incorporating more shellfish into our diet.
bees & honey
May 11 2023
This program highlighted the importance of pollinators, explored the concept of “terroir” as it applies to local honey, and discussed the joys and challenges of small-scale beekeeping.