New Year Ambitions

I have been a very lousy blogger lately. This is not because nothing is going on at North Powder, because in fact vast things are happening. Winter vacation was extended by two days to allow us to “finish” moving into our newly-constructed cafeteria and kitchen.

The cafeteria and kitchen that North Powder has depended upon for decades was located in the basement of the high school. Cold, isolated and too small to fit all of the students we needed to feed, the old kitchen was in dire need of upgrading. Now the kitchen staff is practically giddy with excitement about the stainless steel countertops, enormous pantry, and the office with a window! The kitchen looks out onto the new cafeteria, an enormous room where kids will eat their lunches but will also serve as an all-purpose room thanks to tables which easily fold up into the walls. Although glorious in its own right, the new facility is particularly exciting because it will expand the opportunities for us to work with students and their food. An entire class will be able to fit into the kitchen, and we are now only a minute walk from the kindergarten-5^th grade classrooms. 

The enthusiasm sparked by the kitchen is also expanding to the greenhouse. Although we have some kinks to work out (like some of the ovens don’t work and the greenhouse is way too hot for cold-crops), I anticipate that we will soon be able to bring students out to start planting, cooking and composting. Through some newly-acquired funding, we should be able to buy many of the supplies I’ve been dreaming about; planting pots, a garden cart, a food processor. Though we are starting the year with an overwhelming amount of organizing, sorting, and general chaos, once we are settled in our new space, expect to hear of great things from the North Powder Farm to School program!