When local, needy families are gifted with the bounty from Richmond’s farmlands, that is only half of the equation of ensuring they have healthy and nutritious meals.
The other half is to prepare and cook the fruits and vegetables donated through The Sharing Farm.
That’s why a pilot project run during the past 14 weeks in the kitchen space at the farm out by Terra Nova, which grows fruit and produce principally for the Richmond Food Bank, was a hive of activity with the Family Food Camp.
The camp is a partnership between The Sharing Farm, the Richmond Schoolyard Society, and the Terra Nova Nature School. It immersed a group of 10 families in a series of cooking classes that not only provided them with easy-to-follow recipes, but guidance on how to prepare the items the farm grows.
Since many of the participants are recent immigrants and not familiar with the types of foods they receive, the information was especially important, said Gretchen Gerish, community coordinator of The Sharing Farm.
“We have one family from Hong Kong, another from Iran, and others from Taiwan, China and the Philippines,” Gerish said, adding they were all selected by the food bank to take part in the camp.
Some of the recipes focused on preparing large-batch meals that are easily divided and stored until needed, such as simple tomato sauces.
“That was nice, because the kids of the families were able to pick out what vegetables they wanted to go with it,” Gerish said, adding the hope was to make locally grown produce a regular part of their diets.
“Instead of offering some one-off classes, the idea is to provide an experience, especially for the kids who will have long-lasting memories, and parents to acquire long-lasting skills.”
The classes ended with a shared meal, after which the families went home with a harvest box of produce from The Sharing Farm.
Also included on the list of produce was kale — which, Gerish said, grows like weeds at the farm — and a variety of squashes.
Gerish said many needy families can struggle to afford fresh, healthy food, and often, with work commitments, meal preparation can be stressful.
While providing healthy meals, fresh produce, and food preparation skills for families in need is the most immediate goal of the program, the larger aim is to preserve “food dignity” and create positive experiences around food and meal times, she added.
This Thursday (Oct. 15), the families were set to return to the farm with some items they have prepared, displaying what they learned, Gerish said.
