Things have been busy here at Food For Thought so there’s a bit of updates in store. Our first field trip to the Reading Terminal Market was a huge success. See for yourself!

Photo by Damon Carter

Photo by Harold Williford

Photo by Jennifer Kalamon

Photo by Jennifer Kalamon

The students went on a scavenger hunt where they asked vendors questions about their products like where their ingredients come from, why their food is special or different, and about their favorite foods.

Photo by Harold Williford

At the end of the day we cooled off with some delicious ice cream. What a treat!

We are into our second week of Food For Thought riding out the feverish heat and working hard as usual.

Photo by Emilie Mcl. Barber

Students returned to the farms after a long weekend to get their hands dirty.

Photo by Jennifer Kalamon

Nothing “beets” harvesting at Charlestown Farm.

Photo by Breanna Vanable

Photo by Emilie McI. Barber

The Kimberton farm group got a lesson on mulching eggplants.

Photo by Damon Carter

Photo by Hannah Tucker

In the afternoons half of the group recharges by doing a cooking and nutrition lesson with Yvonne Post from Cooking for Real.

This week we made whole wheat pancakces with farm fresh fruits, dried coconut, or chocolate chips.

Make them at home with the recipe HERE.

Photo by Emilie McI. Barber

Photo by Harold Wiliford

This week the other half of the youth made container gardens with Mr. Mark.

Photo by Emilie McI. Barber

We are looking forward to a trip to the Reading Terminal Market tomorrow in Philadelphia. Until then, be healthy!

With the help of Ms. Emilie a few budding photographers are taking some incredible shots of Food For Thought in action. Here are a handful from the bunch on our first week at work.

Photo by Megan Appling-Lester

Above is a group working at Sankanac Farm.

Photo by Briana Vanable

Melissa, the manager at Charlestown farm teaches the group about weeding.

Photo by Harold Wiliford

One of our students Harold took this photo of his hat, which we’re sure he is thankful for on these hot days.

Photo by Hannah Tucker

Hannah snagged a picture of the beautiful (and half eaten) cucumbers we enjoyed at Kimberton farm.

Photo by Damon Carter

Daman captured the group on our Thursday morning community service trip. Here we are helping out at the  garden in Park Springs.

Photo by Damon Carter

As you can see, we’ve got a talented group on our hands.

ANSWER: ALL OF THE ABOVE!

As you can see in the pictures below, the new garden at the Potter Senior building at Eagleview was launched today with a lovely hands-on ceremony involving gardeners of all ages. After a short introduction by Triskeles staff, Clemens Pietzner and Mark Birdsall, Robert Hankin of the Hankin Group and State Senator Andy Dinniman spoke about their commitment to healthy activities for seniors and the importance of the Chester County Gleaning Project to food equality.

Then Megan Appling-Lester, long time Triskeles Food For Thought Program leader, joined Bob and a senior resident of the Potter building to cut the ribbons and open the garden. All ages then joined the Triskeles staff in planting a great variety of seeds and plants, which will soon fill the garden with health and color!

Yeah!! Together we did it.

Only in the paths, it seems, at the Park Spring garden!  Some residents came to work and weed Thursday evening, but since we did such a good job of mulching the beds last week, there were few weeds inn the beds and the garden is growing beautifully after Wednesday’s rain. As you can see . . .

Well, OK, those are the seed leaves of a newly-sprouted plant, not a creature from outer space. But when the plant is a giant pumpkin vine–even the seed leaves are big.

Oh–the rest of the garden is doing well too!

The Triskeles crew visited the great youth at the Germantown Hope Community Church again on Wednesday, June 9th, bringing some more container gardens (to supplement those they built), organic potting soil, plants, and seeds.

Since they had previous experience, we let them do all the work. The teens got right to work, setting up the CG’s, filling them with the great Organic Mechanic potting soil, and planting tomatoes, peppers, basil, radishes.

Then outside they went to get filled with water and start to grow some nourishing food for summer eating.

Friday of Memorial Day Weekend–what else are you going to do?  Get out there and get those plants in the ground.

A great crowd of staff and parents joined the kindergartens and Triskeles to plant four new beds with healthy veggies and some flowers. Oh–don’t forget the big pumpkin mound.

(link to more pictures is at the right)