Plantings started at our school garden at ARISE Academy!

This week we had an exciting week with the HEAL students and we want to tell you all about it!

Finally the seeds that we started in the green house were ready to be transplanted into the ground.

Tomatoes, squashes and cucumbers ready to be transplanted

In order for kids to see (and eat!) more veggies we selected a variety of veggies to plant in the school garden some are: eggplant, yellow squash, golden peppers, swiss chard, spinach, okra, baby and strawberry tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, cantaloupes and bush beans.

Ms Parker, Makahi and Michael planting cantaloupe transplants! 

Group of HEAL students transplanting yellow squash plants

Michael and Kazaiah transplanting eggplants 

Okra, swiss chard and bush beans were directly sowed in the ground! 

Bush beans ready to be planted

Planting bush beans 

The kids also learned about the space needed between plants. They used the planting guide developed by LSU Ag center. You can find it here.

We also starting to build an arbor! (see the poles in the picture below) If you have spent a summer in New Orleans you know you need some shade! We can’t wait to see those pumpkins and cantaloupes hanging from the arbor! Kids will love it!

Ms Parker, Kimona and Thomson transplating tomato plants

MyPlate with HEAL Project Kids

Last week we had a fun, interactive lesson on MyPlate! HEAL Project kids and teachers enjoyed it very much!

The class started with the introduction to MyPlate. We printed a big poster of MyPlate, which can be found in the printable section of choosemyplate website.

In order to make the class engaging we included a cooking demonstration as part of the lesson!

Even though the lesson plan was focused on teaching children about MyPlate, we also used the opportunity to put their spelling skills to the test.

We started the lesson by placing butcher paper in the table and placing all ingredients on it. Each kid had the opportunity to go to the table circle an ingredient, write its name, and identify which food group the ingredient belong to. Although challenging at times kids loved it!

Did you know tomatoes and avocados are fruits not vegetables?

They also had the opportunity to prepare a delicious guacamole (which most of them haven't had before!)

After the guacamole was ready each kid had the opportunity to build their own wrap made with a whole wheat tortilla with quinoa. Yummy!

Even the school dean Mr. Sidney came and tasted the delicious food prepped by the HEAL kids! We can't wait to have more cooking demos in class they are definitely a powerful learning tool!!

Gardening workshop welcomes new community partners!

ARISE staff, parents, and neighbors came out for a free workshop at the Sankofa Learning Garden this Wednesday afternoon. The workshop was led by experienced gardener Pam Broom. The information at the event ranged from planting beds out of ground, how to transplant plant starts, and getting involved with the community partner spaces. Workshop members planted garlic, lemon mint, and various other herbs. Attendees left the event with some plant giveaways and a new earned knowledge of gardening! Check out some pictures of workshop attendees gardening.  Sankofa is excited to welcome our new friends and community partners to the space.

Our Lead Gardener Pam Broom kicks off the garden workshop

ARISE Staff and neighbors listen as Pam talks about planting in raised beds. 

Christopher Ingham, Special Education Teacher at ARISE, helps Pam plant herbs. 

Ms. Morris, Kindergarten Teacher, plants the final herbs. 

Steffany Bernstein- Pratt, neighbor,  plants garlic bulbs.

Food Day - Part 2

We just want to report back with great news! Food Day at ARISE Academy on October 24 was a success! Food Day celebrates good, real food! We decided to celebrate it by inviting ARISE Academy students to our garden.

We had the opportunity to have visitors from  2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 6^th grades, all of whom learned and had fun!

*We took weight and measurements for body mass index.

*We prepared healthy lettuce wraps! Ingredients included : hummus, carrots, turkey, cucumbers and green onion!

*We checked our blood pressure tested and received a goody 'health' bag at the Daughters of Charity Mobile Health Van!

 

*We held a health challenge activity!

We worked with a great team of partners from Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans, Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies, ARISE Academy and LSU Ag Center to make this Food Day event a success.

A huge thank you to our volunteers: Nikit, Mengxi, Rebekah, Candance and Christian for all of their support!

We also want to thank our group of Sankofa HEAL student who created the Food Day event welcome sign.  Stay tuned- these scholars will be leading our next health fair on November 21!

Sankofa will celebrate Food Day at ARISE Academy!

We are getting ready to celebrate our 3rd Food Day celebration! Food day is a national event where organizations, communities, schools come together and celebrate food… ONLY real food.

Having that idea in mind we are holding a Food Day fair at our learning garden at ARISE Academy which is currently being converted into a rainbow garden! With the help of HEAL students and dedicated volunteers we painted the garden beds into a variety of colors for ARISE students to enjoy.

Garden bed painted! 

What is engaging and fun about the rainbow garden is that within each colored box is planted a vegetable that has the same color!

HEAL student measuring and planting red lettuce and radishes!

Also very beneficial for the environment we recently planted a butterfly garden. We can’t wait to see the students faces when they see the caterpillars!

HEAL students admiring the flowers at butterfly garden 

The Food Day fair at ARISE will have around 100 students involved in various activities surrounding the issue of real food. ARISE scholars will learn the importance of composting (worms included!), healthy eating, they will also challenge themselves to take a healthy 30 day challenge! 

Keep posted for the post - event posting!

Visit the following blogs written by other authors participating in Food Day’s first-ever Coordinated Blogging Event:

• Celebrate Food Day! by Kath, RD posted on Kath Eats Real Food
• When it Comes to Our Kids' Diets, Let's Get Real by Gillean Barkyoumb, MS, RDN posted on Food & Nutrition
• Celebrating Food Day 2014 by Barbara posted on Morning Berries
• Food Day 2014 blog post by Kenan Hill posted on Kitchen 1204
• Healthy Food for School Food Day blog post by Sally posted on Real Mom Nutrition
• Food Day 2014 - join the fun in Mundelein and Chicago!!! by Lindsey Shifley posted on to the mullies…
• Happy Food Day (Week) from the Land of Chocolate and Fries by Janina Grabs posted on Food (Policy) For Thought
• Why Organic Matters blog post by Andy Bellatti, MS RD posted on Eating Rules
• The True Cost of Your Food by Nancy Chen posted on Spoon University
• Teach Kids to Cook, Eat and Lead Healthier Lives by Katherine Baker posted on Spoon University
• Millennials May Be “Foodies” But Are They Food Illiterate? by Zoe Holland posted on Spoon University
• Arugula, Walnut, and Bleu Cheese Stuffed Portobellos and Food Day by Justin Fox Burks posted on The Chubby Vegetarian
• Food Day blog post posted on Sankofa Speaks Blog
• It’s Food Day blog post posted by National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
• The Future of Heritage Breeding by Eliza MacLean posted on Barnraiser
• 7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Food Company by Lisa Curtis posted on Barnraiser
• 5 Reasons to Savor Specialty Coffee This Food Day by Mark Inman posted on Barnraiser
• The Future of School Gardens by Benjamin Eichorn posted on Barnraiser
• Food Day 2014: The Future of Food, collection edited by Barnraiser
• Waste Not, Want Not: How Ordinary Home Cooks Can Help Prevent World Hunger; Autumn’s Harvest and Food Day; Waste Not, Want Not Quick Health Saver Tip; Waste Not, Want Not: Quick Dessert Idea; Waste Not, Want Not: Reflections; Waste Not, Want Not Recipe: Ginger Cardamom Green Beans; Waste Not, Want Not: 5 Tricks for Cooking Not Tossing Bitter Foods by Mary Collette Rogers posted on Everyday Good Eating
• Scantily Clad Photos and Burgers by Denise the Dietitian posted on A Dietitian's Diary: Finding a Healthy Balance

Gearing up for the New School Year!

This past Saturday we held a volunteer event at the Sankofa Learning Garden at ARISE Academy in order to get the space spruced up for student use. We had twenty- plus wonderful volunteers who worked for four hours to beautify the space. In the end, we were able to pull up all of the weeds, add a pop of color to the Garden, and bring new soil, all while having a good time. Sankofa can't thank all of  the amazing volunteers enough for giving their time and energy to the school garden. They have truly planted the seeds of positive energy and care that will make this Learning Garden a successful space for students! Here are some photos of these lovely folks hard at work!

Fixing up our community garden beds pictures from left to right: Diane Deroog, Whitney Shields, and Rebekah Mende.

 Ronnie King, Urban League New Orleans  does some much needed weeding of the community garden beds. 

 Joya Phillips, ARISE Academy student brightens up a garden bed with a coat of paint. 

Shelby Hollenbeck and Nicole Marby,Wilson Academy gardeners putting a fresh coat of paint on a garden bed.  

Shelly Gomez and Zach Gomez, community volunteers sprucing up a garden bed.

 Rashida Ferdinand, Founder and Executive Director transplants some rosemary in a garden bed. 

Mary Dumler, community volunteer wheels some soil to a garden bed.

The final results of volunteer day!

Dare to try Red Okra!

Ingredient Highlight : Red Okra


The other day I was really excited to bring to the market the first harvested red okra from our gardens! I was really disappointed when no one dared to try the red okra! Comments were : What is that ? Red okra really? I have never seen red okra before and; Where is the green okra?


Since nobody purchased it I decided to take some home. I was determined to show that red okra could be delicious. The funny thing - It was also my first time trying red okra :)

What happened as I cooked it was surprising. As the pan started to heat, the red okra started transforming to the familiar green we all know! Take a look at the pictures I took while cooking red okra.

Red Okra before cooking

Red okra after adding it to the hot pan for a couple of minutes

cooked red okra!

It was very fun to cook and it was really delicious!

The recipe I made was adapted from a recipe I found online. 

Spiced Red Okra  

This recipe is good as a side dish. Yields 3 servings. 

Ingredients 

• Red Okra 1 pint - Cut in rounds ( you could also use green okra) 
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Lime - 1/2 lime or more if you like it. 
• Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• Oil - I used grape seed oil but any oil you have available should work

Instructions 

1. Heat oil in a cast iron pan add cumin seeds and fry until they start to get brown.
2. Add the okra and stir fry on medium heat about 1-2 minutes. When they start to change color add the juice of 1/2 a lime. This will take care of the slime. 
3. Add other spices and stir fry. cook for 2-3 minutes Cover the pan and let it cook for a couple of minutes ( 3-4 minutes). Open the lid and let it cook on high heat for a couple of more minutes on high heat until the okra has a green/ brown color.  Make sure to keep stirring constantly to avoid the okra from burning or sticking to the pan. 
4. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. 

Final thought : Dare to try new things you may be surprised to find whats out there!

by Rosamar Torres, Programs and Communications Manager