Healthy Summer Harvest Program

For two weeks in July, Chef Guy Koppe from Project Bread, visited two Somerville Schools as part of the Healthy Summer Harvest Program. This collaborative program among Project Bread, Mass Farm to School and the Somerville Farm to School Project focused on eating different plant parts. Did you know that broccoli is a flower and asparagus is a stem? Now you do and so do 94 students from the Somerville Public Schools!

Guy Koppe demonstrating knife skills

Each lesson built on topics from the previous day. Some had the students identifying plant parts or discussing Lois Elhert’s Growing Vegetable Soup. One day they even planted cucumber seeds to take home with them. They also learned about MyPlate and make sure they are eating foods from each of the food groups.

Identifying parts of the plant and what plants need to grow

Each cup holds a single cucumber seed for the students to take home.

Each day’s lesson and recipe highlighted a different fruit or vegetable: carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peaches! Students had the chance to try these familiar fruits and vegetables in unique combinations. Day one featured a Moroccan Carrot Salad, pairing carrots and apples in a sweet and sour dressing. The week culminated with students making homemade ice cream in freezer bags (recipe coming soon!). Of course, the ice cream was topped with yummy, seasonal peaches. Everything was fresh and delicious!

Guy showed the students all each ingredient as he added it to the bowl.

All you need is a chip to enjoy your salsa!

Every student who tried the recipe received an “I Tried It!” sticker and was entered into a drawing to win a gift certificate to the Union Square Farmers’ Market in Somerville. The students were also given two recipes each day to share with their families.

Materials provided by Mass Farm to School and Project Bread

Ninety-four students participated in the program, 78 from a Kindergarten Transition Program at the Capuano Early Education Center and 16 from Special Education Programs at the Capuano and Kennedy Schools. Not surprisingly the ice cream with fresh peaches was the most tried and liked recipe. That being said, we are very proud of all the students for trying so many fruits and vegetables they had never eaten before.

By the end of the week, more than a few students were saying they wanted to be chefs when they grew up!

Content provided by Karyn Novakowski, Somerville Farm to School Project Director

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