Welcome Peppers!
I’m Libby the Ladybug and I will be your reporter for the week for all our fun camp activities!
Today we started off the day making our compost buckets for garden kitchen and met all our new friends for the week.
Since today was farm animal day we learned all about chickens this morning. Ms. Mandy even taught us how to make them roost on our hands!
A Yellow Pepper lets the chicken roost on her hand
Then we went to the barn to milk the goats and feed the chickens. We had lots of fun playing with the sheep, llama, and baby goats.
An Orange Pepper pets a baby goat
Then for our morning garden kitchen we made fresh salsa! Ms. Katie taught about knife safety so we could be safe in the kitchen all week.
A Yellow Pepper adds pepper to their salsa
In the afternoon Mr. Alan taught us about wool. We learned about lanolin and how to card wool. Then we made felted bracelets and dyed them with Kool-Aid.
The Red Peppers use wool to felt beads and bracelets
We went out the the garden and counted bugs. We learned that bees are important because they pollinate our plants for food.
An Orange Pepper points out a tomato in the garden
In the afternoon garden kitchen we made cheese and crackers. We saw how milk separates into curds and whey when we added vinegar and stirred it up.
Ms. Katie shows the Green Peppers their cheese
Make sure you get lots of rest so you’re ready to learn about bats tomorrow!
See you soon,
Libby the Ladybug
Garden Kitchen Recipes
Homemade Salsa
2 tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp ripped Cilantro
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
½ green pepper
Salt / Pepper
Whole-wheat tortilla chips
Chop 2 small tomatoes and place in large glass bowl.
Roll lime, slice in half and squeeze out juices.
Wash and rip cilantro.
Slice onion in half, peel outer layers and chop. (For younger groups, use food processor)
Use food processor to mince garlic.
Chop ½ green pepper, using food processor for small dice if necessary.
Add Salt & Pepper to taste.
Serve with whole-wheat tortilla chips.
Ricotta Cheese
-4 cups whole milk
-1 tsp kosher salt
-3 Tbs vinegar
Chives
Set a large sieve over a deep bowl and line the sieve with the cheesecloth.
Pour the milk and cream into a glass bowl. Stir in the salt.
Microwave the milk mixture until milk reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Pour in vinegar into glass bowl and slowly stir. Once it separates, pour mixture into sieve.
Squeeze out liquid and add fresh chives, then serve!
Homemade Rosemary Honey Crackers
-1 cup + 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 Tbs butter
-1/4 cup water
-1 Tbs chopped rosemary
-2 Tbs honey
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In the food processor, combine 1 cup of flour, salt and the chopped rosemary.
Pulse a couple of times to combine.
Cut the butter into 8 pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the honey, and then the water, and pulse a few more times to make a dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board or counter.
Roll out with a rolling pin to 1/4″ thickness.
Using a knife or a cutter, cut to desired shape.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Remove to a rack and allow to cool slightly.