As part of National Farm to School week and National Food Day, last week Sierra Harvest hosted Tasting Week in 12 schools. Guest chefs donated their time to cook up farm-fresh produce into special dishes for the students to help them experience new flavors and learn how to make healthy eating choices.
Chef and Nutrition Educator Wendy Van Wagner prepared winter greens with ginger for students at Deer Creek. We spotted some kids actually licking their plates afterwards! Elena King, a student at Deer Creek, had this to say about Wendy’s greens – “I have two things. First – I love it! Second, I’m wondering how all of those sauces make it so good.”
Chef Ike gets Deer Creek students excited about SQUASH!
At Bell Hill, chef and nutritionist Victoria La Font took a risk preparing beet kvass, a fermented drink made from whey and beet juice. Some kids hated it, but others were asking for the recipe! And they all loved the flavor of the sweet winter beets…
Guest chef Shan Kendall showed Yuba River Charter School students just how good fresh produce from Woolman Farm can be, with pear-applesauce topped with crème fraiche.
A special thank you to all of the chefs who donated their time for Tasting Week:
- Amy Cooke (Summer Thyme)
- Carlos Trujillo (Farm to Table Catering)
- Doug Shma (Briar Patch)
- Elizabeth Lane
- Ike Frazee (Ike’s Quarter Cafe)
- Liam Blackmon (The Fix)
- Mielle Rose (Piece of My Heart Kitchen)
- Pauli Halstead
- Rachel Wegman
- Shan Kendall
- Shanan Manuel (Sierra Farm to Table Catering)
- Victoria LaFont
- Wendy Van Wagner (In the Kitchen)
And another big thank you to our partner farms, who grew the fresh and delicious produce featured in this event!
- Animal Place
- Boxcar Farm
- First Rain Farm
- Food Love Project
- Fulcrum Farm
- Living Lands Journeymen
- Mountain Bounty
- Starbright Acres
- Sweet Roots Farm (produce)
- Woolman Farm