Kids and Herbs

Last week, we traveled to Jonesboro, Arkansas to the Health and Wellness Elementary School to cook with the kids there.

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So we made a plan to go there last Thursday , and since it was a little far than we had thought ( 3 hours in each direction ) , we meet another herbal acquaintance , Amy Swann of Mill Creek Herbs in Pochahontas ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mill-Creek-Gardens-Inc/15937163611 ) , and postulate if we might arrive there on Wednesday even and stay over , so we ’d only be about 45 minutes away the next morning . It was morose when we got there and Amy and her husband had put down a tractor trailer load of plants for their baby’s room that daytime , however she still made us a skillet full of yummy wild rice , veggies and tofu , for which we were very grateful .

We stayed up latterly to ready an herbal sirup with the stinker thyme and lemon yellow balm that we had glean and bring along , and to this we added some gingerroot for pizzazz and beloved for sweetener . The plan was to show the children how to make a natural soda – with the chill sirup , internal-combustion engine and sparkling pee . We also brought herbs for make a cream Malva sylvestris that they could taste on banger and Apium graveolens dulce .

When Tina Marie Wilcox and I get at Health and Wellness Elementary School , we were met by Melinda Smith who is in guardianship of the kids ’ garden and kitchen laboratory there , as well as a number of other jolly staff members . Melinda gave us a tour of the children ’s gardens , which are located in the courtyards in between buildings . The gardens are in raised beds – many of them were planted and showing green – and there are many concrete tables for the child to sit outside , and two small nursery , which were chockablock full with plant for their forthcoming plant sale this weekend . All of this is hand on body of work done by the scholarly person . We assemble Amy Crain , who assists Melinda in the grow and cooking projects , not to cite the majuscule craft they create , and Amy took a routine of the exposure I have included in this article .

The students sow in the seedlings , cultivate the beds , create stepping Harlan F. Stone , decorate mickle and plant them , and make garden stools . They have 3 chicken – Minerva and silkies Fred and Ethel , a hare named Oreo , and numerous indoor animal from lounge lizard , a snake , a chinchilla and tarantula . Classrooms , hallways and the library are all bright and colorful spaces with particular prepared by niggling hands in evidence everywhere .

Of naturally , the kitchen laboratory was my favorite place . It had small untainted tabular array for bookman to act upon at , and the sinks were at piddling kid level . The walls were adorned with paintings of hopeful fruits and veg , shameful - and white- striped sunblind , and a large number of modest aprons . We place little blue and linden green cutting boards and paring knives at each place and there were mini vases of herbs on each table . Besides Melinda and Amy , we had two other grownup assistants , Neva and Elizabeth , both Master Gardener unpaid worker from the community .

The youngster were abuzz with excitement , when they slop into the kitchen schoolroom . We talked about kitchen safety with knives and then move on to the business of herbs . We passed around oregano , parsley , fennel , which were go to be used in making our herbaceous plant ointment cheese along with garlic ( /item/9202 / cream - cheese - with - herbes - Diamond State - provence - and - Allium sativum ) ; and we go on lemon thyme and lemon balm , which was used in our herbal sirup . We rubbed and smell and taste the herbs . And then we stemmed the herbs and chop them . Everyone got to use the garlic press and or the garlic grinders , and I assume the mezzaluna around and demonstrated how to utilise it , so each nestling could have a turn of events with my favorite kitchen tool . The students shake up the pick cheese and herbs and then we cause to broadcast them on crackers . Meanwhile we explained and demo’ed how we made the herb syrup with the herbs and gingerroot coins . We combined the syrup with the effervescent urine and service it over ice , first salute to respectable food and healthy food . Tina Marie finished the class with a song accompanied with her guitar .

I sure hope the tiddler had as much fun as we did . HWES is a great place , where learning is fun and hands - on . We desire to return there again . All of this was made possible by herbs – herbal networking from coast to coast – California and Maryland to down in the Arkansas ! Thank you Health and Wellness Elementary School students and staff – y’all rock !

Be sure to check into out our next exciting event at the Ozark Folk Center – the Medicinal Herb Seminar – April 5 and 6 , 2013 ! ( www.ozarkfolkcenter.com )

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Third grade class with teachers Susan Belsinger and Tina Marie Wilcox and Master Gardener Elizabeth, in the kitchen of Health and Wellness Elementary School in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Click on other pix to enlarge and read captions.Photo/Illustration: Amy Brand Crain

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