Food Camp- Day 2

Tuesday at food camp started off rainy, but turned out to be a mostly dry day!

The solar eclipse yesterday was a great experience for the campers and staff. Here is a video to share with your camper to continue the discussion about the eclipse!

The pepper groups spent time in the garden this morning weeding the plants. Thanks for helping our pumpkin plants red and orange peppers! Pulling weeds gives our produce enough sunlight, water, nutrients, and space to thrive.

The yellow and orange peppers enjoyed spending time with the goats.

The water trough was emptied and refilled with clean water.
The floor was swept to keep the open space clean.The dirty bedding and straw were taken to the compost pile. The campers enjoyed petting the goats after the chores were finished!They fed the goat some hay as a treat. The green peppers made a list of ingredients for their applesauce stand on Friday. They planned the steps they will follow to make the final product.The red peppers prepared posters for their salsa stand. 

The pepper groups took turns talking about produce in Michigan. First, they drew a map of Michigan. Then they located where the produce is grown. This camper said cherries are grown in Traverse City. The blue peppers worked on food miles today. These campers discussed where their favorite foods come from around the globe. 

Why is a global food market beneficial for consumers? Why is it harmful for plants and wildlife? What ways can we protect the plants and animals in an ecosystem while enjoying the benefits of a global market?

Where can you find edible plants around Tollgate? How did the purslane taste?Campers learned about chickens and eggs this afternoon. How often does a chicken lay an egg? How many days does it take for a fertilized egg to hatch?

What temperature does the egg need to be to incubate under the hen?
Is it possible to predict the weight of an egg based on its size?
The campers predicted whether an egg was cooked or raw based on its shell. Then they predicted if it would sink or float in water.

When does a raw egg float in water? When does it sink?The campers cracked the egg to see the different parts inside the shell. The membrane is on the inside of the shell and holds the white and yoke inside. The shell has 7000 pores to let air in and out for the baby chick. It is hard to protect the growing baby from exterior trauma.The white dot is the germinal disc. This is where the baby chick starts to form. The yoke is made of fat and is the food source for the growing baby.A couple yellow peppers separated the egg yoke from the whites.
Then they mixed the yokes with food coloring to make paint. The orange peppers enjoyed spending time with Inigo the snake. What does Inigo eat? How often does he eat? At the pond, campers observed the ducks. What is normal duck behavior? Ducks preen to spread oil on their feather. This helps the water roll off of their feathers. See the beading water? This keeps the duck dry in the water.The goose feather has oil on it. How are the duck and goose feathers different? How are they similar?

In garden kitchen, campers made spaghetti squash with a tomato and basil sauce.

Here is the recipe:

Spaghetti Squash

1 medium spaghetti squash

Warm oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and oil up a rimmed baking sheet. Halve the spaghetti squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash halves cut side down on the oiled baking sheet and use a fork to pierce some holes through the skin a couple of times. Bake until the flesh on the inside is tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes. While the squash is roasting, make the pesto. When the squash is ready, use a fork and scrape all the flesh into a large bowl. It should come out in strands similar to spaghetti. Top with sauce of choice.

Afternoon: Tomato Basil Sauce

3 tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 onion
½ cup fresh basil leaves

Heat oil on a medium saucepan. Add the onion, and cook over moderate heat until it is translucent 5-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the tomatoes with their juice. Season with salt and pepper and add basil. Cook for about 20-30 minutes and adjust seasonings if desired.

Optional step: pass the sauce through a blender or food processor. To serve, reheat gently.

Here are additional photos from today:

https://goo.gl/photos/bigB6BRcAtwDxqvm7

Have a great night!

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