Fall is Happening!


Wow, we have a lot to talk about. First of all, lunch of course! We are working with a local produce distributor as the growing season winds down and we approach the end of the Intervale Gleaning program. So far we have been really happy with everything we've ordered. Last week we made a great butternut squash soup, sauteed green peppers, ate kale chips that the preschoolers helped prepare, and amazing red grapes and bartlett pears that we ripened to yellow perfection in paper bags. This week we've got baby spinach, gorgeous bunches of organic carrots, and as a special treat... pineapple!

The really big news though, is the brand new BCS website. We were lucky to have the help of a former BCS teacher, Erin Barnaby, and a few other kind folks (including my husband, photographer extraordinaire Sam Simon) and the result is a really great picture of who we are and what we do. Please take a look, and pass it on!

Burlington Children's Space





We also heard from our friend Caroline at City Market about some cool upcoming classes right at the Mc Clure Multigenerational Center - the building that houses BCS. Check it out!


Kids’ cooking class with City Market!

Thursday, October 18, 2012
5:00pm - 6:30pm
At the Multi-Generational Center
We all love flatbread pizza, but did you know many different kinds of flatbreads are eaten all around the world? In this class we will roll up our sleeves, dust our work stations with flour, and have fun learning to make three different flatbreads – Mexican tortillas, Middle Eastern pita breads, and Indian chapathis. These simple breads can accompany just about any meal. For kids and teens accompanied by an adult.

$5 for City Market Members, $10 for non-members. Sign up through City Market: www.citymarket.coop OR 861-9701.







Cooking class with City Market
Saturday, October 20, 2012 11 a.m.- 1 p.m.
At the Multi-Generational Center
Soaking grains, nuts and beans before cooking removes the phytic acid from the outer layer of the bran, improving their flavor and allowing their nutrients to be more available to our bodies. In this class, you will learn the age-old (and recently popular again!) method for properly soaking these foods. Caroline Homan, who teaches food and nutrition education at City Market, will bring samples of a variety of soaked grains, nuts, and seeds from the Bulk Department. We will also prepare a delicious local chili, a perfect pot of brown rice, and a yummy dessert using these soaking methods.
$5 for City Market Members, $10 for non-members. Sign up through City Market: www.citymarket.coop OR 861-9701.




Last but not least... City Market is teaming up with Sustainability Academy in Burlington to celebrate their Eat Local Week October 6th-14th with the First Annual Harvest Fun Run/Walk for Sustainability!
The Simon Family will be there in support, and it should be a great time.

From the event website:


The Sustainability Academy and City Market are partnering up to present the First Annual Harvest Fun Run/Walk for Sustainability as part of City Market's Eat Local Week 2012 (October 6 - 14). We'll have a Kids' 1K and a 5K. After the race, visit with the local food vendors and take part in family activities!
Prizes for Adult Races to include craziest localvore costume! Pumpkin prizes for all registered kids! Some scholarships available for SA families.
The Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes, a collaborative partnership of educators, families and the community, integrates the big ideas of sustainability into PreK-5 curriculum and campus practices.
The goal of the Academy is to prepare students to be responsible citizens and agents for change, in their community and beyond. The Academy is an international model for using sustainability as a lens for place-based education and service learning.  We maintain the highest expectations for academic and personal growth for all of our students and embrace the rich economic and cultural diversity of our community.
Online registration is closed, but you can still register the morning of the run! If you're a Burlington local head on down! 
xo
Erinn








Farms in Addison County

Because I love PDFs so much, here is another one.  This time a guide to local food and farms of Addison County.  Lots of good stuff here if you are ever looking to get out of the "big city".



October is Here!



I can't believe it's October already. This weekend everything changed and it became FALL in Vermont. Cool air, bright leaves, that different smell in the air. Soup weather! That's good news in the kitchen though. It means it's time for not only soup but some comfort food favorites...like pizza! Friday at the farm we picked up the last of the watermelons, lots of mixed greens, some parsley, chives, onion grass and beautiful, beautiful red chili peppers I couldn't resist. For lunch that day five preschoolers and I made some amazing pizzas with whole wheat dough. They had a great time with the sauce and cheese and colorful veggies, and the end result was really delicious.

The real news today is, October is National Farm to School Month! We plan to send a special thank you to our farmers, and the organizers or the Intervale gleaning and food rescue program.
heading for the compost bin


relaxing at the table 


To get you in the mood for soup weather, here's a recipe I'll be making for the kids this month from Real Simple magazine... White bean and kale! (I omitted 2 tbsp fresh rosemary)

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the garlic, celery, onion, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
  3. Add the beans, pasta, kale, 8 cups water, and Parmesan rind (if using). Cover and bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer until the pasta and kale are tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the Parmesan rind. Stir in the lemon juice and sprinkle with the shaved Parmesan before serving. Serve with the bread.
Recipe by By Sara Quessenberry , January, 2010