Thanks to all who joined in person, via Zoom, or in spirit for the 6th Annual Harvest Dinner, October 19th, 2022, at Finnriver Farm. It was truly wonderful to gather for a meal and share stories of progress from the past year—and together we raised $23,000 for Farm to School programs in East Jefferson County!
These funds will: 1) help school Food Service Directors purchase locally grown food products for service in school meals; 2) support cooking classes and food education across the grades K-12; 3) fund school gardens and garden education; 4) support specific initiatives to lower barriers for purchasing and preparing local food in school food services programs. In other words, these funds will make a real, tangible difference in the health, resilience, and wellbeing of Jefferson County students and their families!
We are grateful and honored to do this work with you and among you, who value, prioritize, and invest in our community’s children. Thank you for your vision and your values.
A delicious, locally-sourced meal was planned and prepared by our team of Food Services Directors from Quilcene, Chimacum, and Port Townsend. High School Culinary Arts students crafted delectable desserts. Several of you asked for recipes from the evening; here are a few to make and share with your nearest and dearest through the dark winter months:
Syrian Pomegranate Spread
2 cups roasted walnuts
½ cup roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 garlic clove minced
Pinch of sea salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon Aleppo chillies or cayenne
3 tablespoons olive oil
Add roasted walnuts to food processor; blend until almost walnut butter
Add roasted peppers and puree until combined
Scrape bowl, and add all other ingredients; blend until fairly smooth
Taste and adjust as needed
Allow to set a few hours to allow flavors to blend
And as always, a warm and hearty thanks to our event sponsors—without whom this wonderful evening would not have been a success. Please thank them for their generosity, and patronize their businesses!
Now, like all good gardeners, we dig deep and begin to plan, strategize, let the winter rains wash over us, and germinate these seeds you all have planted—so next year we can continue to nourish our students, and build flourishing schools with joy and abundance!