Charlie Breitrose
A Watertown student measures orange juice to make a berry smoothie.
Students at Watertown’s three elementary schools planted gardens at their campuses, and last week they tasted some of the fruits – and vegetables – of their labors.
This spring, Watertown students got their hands dirty and planted vegetables in garden plots set up at Lowell, Cunniff and Hosmer elementary schools.
On Thursday, a group of students gathered at Watertown Middle School to enjoy some simple and nutritious dishes – some of which used veggies grown in the school gardens. The dishes were prepared by Watertown Public Schools’ Food Service Director Guy Koppe and Sally Sampson, founder of ChopChop, a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire and teach kids to cook real food with their families.
The started with a Berry Bold Smoothie which contained blueberries, strawberries, orange juice and yoghurt. They put it all together in a blender and whipped it into a tasty drink.
Charlie Breitrose
Sally Sampson of ChopChop Kids mashes up the creamy avocado dip while two students look on.
Next was Creamy Avocado Chips, which included avocado, yoghurt, fresh basil and lime juice. After the adults removed the pit from the avocado, the kids scooped out the avocado, put the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and crushed and mixed it up with a spoon with holes.
“Normally we would not use the spoon to smash the avocado, but that’s another thing about cooking – you use what you have,” Sampson said.
Finally, the kids prepared the ingredients for a Summer Quesadillas – black beans, cheese and corn – and the adults heated up the quesadillas and put the filling to create a melty meal. The slices of quesadilla were served with lettuce grown in Hosmer School garden.
Charlie Breitrose
A student enjoys a chip with creamy avocado dip made during a healthy eating event at Watertown MIddle School.
The kids got a taste of all three dishes, and gave them good reviews. Koppe cooked up some other dishes using food from the school gardens, including collard greens.
“I asked how many had tasted collard greens and I got one or two,” Koppe said. “After they tried it, I got a number who really like collard greens. It was amazing to be with kids who like collard greens.”
School Gardens
The gardening program was overseen by Judy Fallows, who started working as School Garden Coordinator in April. With the help of teachers and parents she worked with several students at each school to plant the gardens.
“It’s different at each school,” said Fallows, who is also on the board of the Watertown Community Gardens. “At Hosmer there was a teacher who takes kids out in small groups. I do the same thing with parents at Cunniff.”
Charlie Breitrose
Some seedlings ready to be planted in the school gardens at Watertown’s three elementary schools.
Next year, Fallows hopes to work more closely with teachers.
“So many things from the garden can be connected to the lessons they are learning,” Fallows said. “Obviously the health curriculum and physical activity. But also the seasons and plants.”
She can also see links to what people traditionally ate in the area, and other ways to work it into the curriculum already being used by Watertown teachers.
The program received funding from a number of areas, including the PEP Grant (Carol M. White Physical Education Program), a federal grant received by Watertown to improve the fitness, health and wellness of the town’s students.
Fallows’ position was funded by the Watertown Community Foundation and one from the Massachusetts Medical Society.