We are so very grateful for our volunteers at Sierra Harvest, and especially for the many talents of Carol Turner, who happens to be married to Phil Turner, the president of Sierra Harvest’s board. She is our featured volunteer this month.
SH: What do you do for Sierra Harvest?
Carol: I helped with the Seeding our Future fundraising lunch and I have made soup for soup night for many years. At the Seeding our Future event, I worked mainly with Deb Chapman, Rachel Berry and Carlos Trujillo. We made the event look and taste great.
SH: Why Sierra Harvest?
Carol: When I was down in the Bay Area, Phil, I would host “SLO Food Dinners (SLO = Sustainable, local and organic.) Our guests would bring dishes made mostly SLO. When we moved to Lake Wildwood, we discovered that the SLO food movement hadn’t made it up there yet – we met people who would drive over an hour to Costco to buy produce instead of buying from local farmers and helping the economy. So we started “SLO Food Dinners” in Lake Wildwood. Unlike Palo Alto, here we brought local farmers to the dinners to tell their stories and answer questions. We were so impressed with these young farmers, we wanted to help!
SH: How else do you support the local food movement?
Carol: We buy from the farmer’s market. I also shop at Briar Patch and look at the bottom of the receipt to see what percentage is local and regional – I try to buy more than 50% local. When I get to 80% I jump for joy!
SH: What is your favorite dish to bring to a Sierra Harvest farm potluck?
Carol: I love salads, Phil brings bread that he makes. For soup nights and family favorites, I make Fresh Pea Soup with mint cream, Tortilla soup with lime and avocado, potato soup with lentils and lemon, squash soup, chicken vegetable, chicken noodle and an Italian tomato with roasted garlic flavored bread crumbs. I make my own stocks. Phil would say my specialty is definitely soup.
SH: What do you do when you are not volunteering for Sierra Harvest?
Carol: I’m a painter and an artist. I also do interior design work – I had a design firm for 25 years in Palo Alto, the last 10 years of which, Phil partnered with me. We learned early on in our relationship that we liked to collaborate with each other. We have complimentary talents. I have several clients still in the Bay Area so am gone about ¼ of my time. I also am involved with the SYRCL’s Wild and Scenic Film Festival– the art competition portion. Last year I was a judge and this year I am on the committee. I am so impressed with the wonderful people up here!!