uly has been full of youth programming for the Nutrition Assistants with Kids Can Cook classes being held in Arma, Arcadia, McCune, Cherokee, Pittsburg, Cherryvale, Mound Valley, Caney and Coffeyville. I will report more fully on these program impacts next month.
For me, July has included breaking my hand (now that’s a story on its own!), managing the harvest at the high tunnel and preparing for and directing the Crawford County 4-H Foods Contest.
Harvest has been plentiful at the high tunnel. Volunteers from Wesley House (food pantry) and Challenger Group (M.S. & H.S. mental health group) have been volunteering weekly at the high tunnel. Cucumbers have been plentiful. We’ve also harvested onions, zucchini and eggplant. The volunteers are learning a lot about gardening. Most did not know what the eggplant was. EFNEP provides food tastes and recipes at Wesley House twice a week. Favorites have included refrigerator pickles and zucchini pepperoni casserole.
The 4-H Foods contest is rather unique in Crawford County. We hold the contest about a week prior to the fair. Youth can bring up to five entries of either perishable and non-perishable foods. The youth bring their items to Girard High School to be judged. The 4-H member gets a picture taken with their entries. This photo is exhibited at the fair. I put together the photo exhibit and the winners’ recipe book. This year it will be a little more challenging with a broken hand. Recipes this year include everything from your basic chocolate chip cookie (this year they added bacon to the chocolate chip cookie) to more exotic entries like Gobi Manchurian. Bet you don’t know what that is! I didn’t either! It’s a vegan cauliflower dish.
It is fun to watch the youth develop as they interact with the judge. I believe that conference judging is actually a great way for youth to practice their interviewing skills. I had my third generation 4-H family this year. The Grandma was a 4-H member when I was 4-H Agent, her children were in 4-H when I was starting my career in EFNEP and now their children are in 4-H.
Hope you enjoy these July pictures.
J
high tunnel harvest
4-H Foods contest success
Martha Murphy
EFNEP
EFNEP