Youth Crew 2015 – Day 13

Today was a big day of learning, all focused on the Brassica plant family!

We started the day with a game we call “In and Out”! We drew a circle on the ground with a large rope that marked the boundary and spread out cards marked with numbers 1-20. The goal of the game is to pick up a set of numbered cards in order, as fast as possible. Only one person could be in the circle at a time (otherwise a time penalty was added). We played a few rounds and got faster and faster and we got better at communicating, telling others when we were heading into the circle, and helping each other by pointing out when a number was near them.

Next, we learned about the parts of the plant – Brassica style! Learning the parts of the plant help us understand how plants function and how to best care for them. Different Brassicas are cultivated for each plant part, including roots (turnips, rutabagas), stems (kohlrabi), leaves (cabbage, collards, kale), flowers (cauliflower, broccoli), and seeds (mustard seed).

We harvested carrots and turnips for a special cooking activity – making pickles! We found out how easy it is to make pickles using fresh veggies, herbs, spices, and vinegar.

These jars are coming with us to Brassica Fest at the Park Heights Community Health Alliance next week!

About Real Food Farm

Real Food Farm works toward a just and sustainable food system by improving neighborhood access to healthy food, providing experience-based education, and developing an economically viable, environmentally responsible local agriculture sector.