if you build it. they will come.

The famous poet, Robert Frost, once said, "don't ever take a fence down until you know why it is put up." Well today, the Green Thumbs built a fence...more like a trellis, but we built it with purpose.  Our sugar snap peas are about two inches in height and they are almost ready to start climbing. 

I'm fairly confident this was everyone's first time making a trellis, but each farmer displayed great teamwork. 

Check out our trellis!!

Those pea plants are almost ready to start climbing.

Farmer Sharon making minor adjustments. 

In other planting news...the arugula is showing it's first set of leaves.  

We also planted kaleidoscope carrots and kale on our plot.  Many of the farmers have never eaten or heard of kale, so it will be interesting to harvest the leafy green and make some kale chips! 

the tomato forest.

I had a chance to water the tomato plants over spring break and I was delighted to find that many of the plants have grown a few inches over the week!  In a few week's we will be able to transplant (no pun intended) these into the farm.  

in go the the radishes and arugula.

Today's task was to plant our radish and arugula seeds before the spring break.  These vegetables will be part of our early harvest and will go great in a salad. 

 the seed handoff

 farmer lauren brings over a decomposer (earthworm) to place in our dirt.

 a single sugar snap pea plant grows in battery park.

 smoothing out the dirt. 

 how cute are these farmers?

 victoria is one of our star waterers. 

each farmer handling the dirt and planting seeds in their section. 

windy afternoon at the farm.

It was a cold and windy afternoon at the farm on this Monday.  Luckily, sugar snap peas are one of the few seeds that sow directly into the dirt during the cooler temperatures of the spring.  The plants should grow about 4-5 feet in height and we are hoping to see some sprouts next week.  Last year's crop did exceptional and we hope for the same this year. 

 Look at these farmers making parallel lines with the seeds....making connections to math!

 A nice row of sugar snap peas.  Looking to get sprouts next week.  

 Kenix taking some time to feed the plants some essentials. 

 a little baby heirloom tomato plant. 

Baby marigolds...crucial for keep the pests away from our fruit-baring plants.  

monday's thumbs meet.

Monday's Green Thumbs had their first meeting for the spring.  They planted marigolds and a variety of tomatoes.  After clean up, the crew was officially initiated into the club by dipping their thumbs in green paint and then taking a photo in Bowling Green Park.  It's bound to be a great growing season with this crew!

chicken gyros with the cooking club.

Ms. Pitkin and Ms. Bell invited me to join them for cooking club again this week...this time to make chicken gyros with a wide array of fresh ingredients.  I really enjoyed seeing the kids take part in all the stages to prepare this meal....the cutting, food processing, heating up the pitas, cooking the peppers and onions, making the sauce and crumbling the feta.  This group really worked together to produce a great meal...even their clean up skills are impeccable!  

pure amazingness: the chicken gyro with sautéd onions and peppers, tomatoes, fresh tzatziki sauce, and lettuce.

 the pepper station.

 the girls prepare the tzatziki sauce with greek yogurt.

 Alex showing off his knife skills while cutting a tomato.

 Winta and Xavi making sure there is enough oil on the peppers and onions.

 Ms. Bell overseeing the sautéing station. 

 the natives are restless to eat.

 going back for seconds.

the finished product!

vegetable dumplings with the cooking club.

LMC's cooking club invited Ms. Ribaudo to be guest chef for an afternoon to make vegetable dumplings and a spicy dipping sauce.  The session started with slicing, dicing, chopping and food processing of all the vegetables.  Then we made a soy sauce based dipping sauce with a kick of thai chili sauce.  Students then stuffed their own dumplings and we steamed them before indulging in a delicious snack!

young chefs chopping the cabbage for the dumplings.

 the vegetable stuffing for the dumplings.

 LMC's youngest chefs slicing zucchini.

 chef ribaudo demonstrating how the dipping sauce is made.

chef ribaudo demonstrating how to stuff a dumpling.

student chefs stuff their first dumplings with care and precision.

Special thanks to Ms. Bell & Ms. Pitkin for inviting Ms. Ribaudo to chef it up with the mini-chefs. Every week they do an amazing job getting the kids in the kitchen to make something creative and delicious.