2011 Interns: Jeremy, Diana, Katherine, Logan
Our featured intern this week is Katherine Ackerman. She is a Biology major at Colby College in Maine. She is also working on a double minor in Creative Writing and Art. She is an ambitious young lady! She found Stoney Lonesome Farm by googling “farm apprenticeships in Northern Virginia,” and aren’t we glad she did? Here in her own words are a little bit about her.
“I'm a member of Colby's organic farm and garden club and its environmental coalition (EnviroCo for short), so over the course of the past year I've gotten interested in the role of sustainable farms in the green movement. I've romanticized living on a farm for a while, too :) Additionally, I've become increasingly concerned with the weird stuff that grocery stores and dining halls feed me--it's become important to me to know where my food comes from, what's gone into/onto/around it, and to make sure that it tastes good and makes me feel good.”
She has enjoyed “learning practical tips for growing things (like mounding around tomatoes! Who knew!), spending my Sunday and Wednesday mornings harvesting, developing relationships with our harvest helpers and members, watching the vegetables' progress...I've gotten very attached to them. The best part is being able to take home vegetables, herbs, and fruit that I've prepared beds for, planted, watered, weeded, mulched, watered, watered, watered, and harvested, and making something for my family with it.”
“I'd never had pac choi/bok choy before, and it was a revelation! I'm obsessed with the parsley, leeks and cucumbers, although I love the potatoes, sun gold cherry tomatoes, swiss chard, garlic, cilantro, squash, and zucchini. Is that everything? I think it might be :) I pass on the fennel for the most part. I made some green bean, potato and cherry tomato tikka masala and it would have been restaurant quality if I had cooked the green beans all the way through! I also love fresh pesto, but I'm allergic to nuts so (for any members with kids or relatives that are also allergic) I've used a spoonful of oats instead. It works perfectly--the real tip I have, though, is that the more garlic in something, the better!”
Thanks Katherine for the tips and for your hard work this summer and feel free to share your tikka masala recipe or better yet, the real deal, with us on a harvest day.
1 comment:
Katherine, I make pesto all the time without nuts. Granted, pesto is better with them, b/c they adds body, texture and richness, but it's fine and tasty without. As long as you're not vegan, a healthy dose of grated, good-quality parm will lend some of the same nuttiness and richness!
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