By Erin Dodds, Chairman of the Green Committee

The PIFS Green Committee welcomed Mike Geller from Mike’s Organic Delivery on June 8th to speak with the PIFS campers about farming. Local farmers are an integral part of our community’s food supply and the children enjoyed seeing Mike’s photos of seeds being planted, pasture raised goats, and large tractors!

While the discussion of local, organic farming versus large, commercial operations is a bit advanced for our pre-schoolers, the children understood Mike’s message and his inspiration for starting his business: Food that is grown nearby and eaten soon after being harvested tastes much better than food that has been picked early, shipped across the country on a large truck, then placed on a grocery shelf for two or three days.

Our students have already experienced this on campus with their own gardens. The juicy cherry tomatoes and crisp peas don’t last long around here! Children who supposedly “never” eat vegetables are often our most frequent snackers in the school gardens. Our June campers had a real farm-to-table experience last week when the PIFS cafeteria featured their own salad on the lunch menu! The tiny lettuce seeds they so carefully planted grew to be crisp, crunchy leaves on their plates. Yum!

If you haven’t heard of Mike’s Organic Delivery yet, it is a wonderful resource for fresh produce, pasture raised meats, wild caught fish, local dairy products, eggs and more! As a special offer to PIFS families and faculty, Mike is offering a $100 discount on any summer delivery package. The code is PIFS100. Go to www.mikesorganicdelivery.com and scroll down to the Summer Season Sign Up icon. If setting up a regular delivery is too much for you this year, you can also order items a la carte from his website.

What We Are Reading

Farmers Market season is here… hooray! I love this article from Modern Farmer about the benefits of buying directly from a farmer:

Another Reason to Buy Directly From Farmers: You Could Help the Local Economy More

In case you are new to Greenwich, or just new to the idea of farmers markets, here are two local favorites:

Greenwich Farmers Market

Saturdays 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
May 14 through Thanksgiving
At the corner of Horseneck Lane and Arch Street

Old Greenwich Farmers Market

Wednesdays 2:30 – 6:00 p.m.
May 31 through the end of October
Wednesdays 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. in November
The market is held in the parking lot of the Presbyterian Church of Old Greenwich, 38 West End Avenue, Old Greenwich.

What We Are Cooking

When Mike Geller visited PIFS, he brought a selection of beautiful produce, including some delicious beets. Here is a simple recipe from Mike that is easy and kid friendly:

Roasted Beet Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch beets
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Cut tops and tails off beets
• Wash and scrub beets of any dirt
• Lay beets on their side and cut into “chips” approximately ¼-inch thick
• Place beet chips in large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss
  until fully coated
• Arrange on baking sheet, dust with salt and pepper
• Bake for 6 minutes, flip chips and bake for another 6-10 minutes or
  until for tender and lightly browned
• Serve hot as a side, cold over a salad or as a snack

What’s Happening

Family Pond Exploration at Greenwich Audubon
June 17
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
All ages welcome

Experience the Sound: From Streams Through Soil to Sea at Greenwich Point Park
June 25
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Please note: No sticker or beach pass required for this event. Inform the guard you are there for Experience the Sound.