For my service learning, I work at the Edible School Yard with their Budding Entrepreneurs after school club. Basically the kids learn about how to use what they grow in their garden at the Green school to create things to sell (hence the name of the club). Today, we were harvesting okra and loofah plants to make things to sell for Christmas. I've hardly ever eaten okra, let alone harvested it, and before today I thought loofah came from the ocean (it actually grows on a vine). The kids are going to dry out the okra to decorate to sell as Christmas ornaments, and they are going to sell the dried loofah sponges as well. If you're interested (and I think you should be because I am going to be decorating some beautiful okra), they will be selling them at the December Freret Street market so I suggest you all go. Also I am trying to post a photo but the internet in my room is SO BAD that I can't email it from my phone so I will post it as soon as I can.
Definitely keep us posted on the December activities. I'm super interested in what you guys are making. What other kinds of things have you guys made this year? I think its super cool to take something natural and make it into something festive. Christmas and Halloween decorations are so useless essentially, aside from looking good. Its typically a big waste of plastic and metal wiring that wastes electricity twice a year. Using natural ingredients to promote the same idea of Christmas is awesome. Definitely keep me updated.
ReplyDeleteThis week the students were able to taste fresh Vietnamese fruits and vegetables bought at the Honk Kong market on the West Bank to teach them about the large Vietnamese population of New Orleans (which I just learned existed at this particular class). They cut up the vegetables in their groups and got to taste some really interesting foods, including dragon fruit and persimmon.
ReplyDeleteThe class meets four days a week and I only go on Mondays, so I don't know everything they're making for the market, but I'll definitely find out and let you know!