Give the kids a culinary experience at a hands-on, seed-to-plate, Eat Your Vegetables Day Camp at Powell Gardens.
This interactive, learning experience begins in the Heartland Harvest Garden, where kids ages 9 to 12, will explore Powell Gardens’ 12 acres of vegetables, herbs and fruits during a five-day camp from 9 a.m. – 4 pm., Monday, July 16 to Friday, July 20.
Participants will learn about planting, growing and harvesting the select items in the gardens that will be featured ingredients in recipes that campers will create and eat.
“This is a new model for children’s education at Powell Gardens,” said Kristy Peterson, director of education, outreach & interpretation at Powell Gardens. “It funnels technical expertise from horticulture, education staff and a trained professional chef into a new theme each day to keep young participants engaged and enthusiastic about where their food comes from, while they enjoy the gardens indoors and out.”
The daily camp itinerary involves an hour in the gardens in the morning to learn about highlighted vegetables or herbs, how they are planted and grow, harvesting and storage techniques, and how they can be incorporated into fresh snacks and meals. Each afternoon, participants will work in a hands-on session, designed by Chef Lisa Yanamaka of Nourish KC, to take freshly harvested produce from the ground and prepare it for the plate. Participants will work in teams to make the daily recipes while receiving instruction on proper kitchen techniques including knife skills, measuring, sautéing and mixing. Participants will also learn how to use vegetables and herbs for dyeing, pressing, painting and printing. Campers will go on nature walks on the grounds and will receive a garden journal to record observations.
For more information or to register for the camp, visit Powell Gardens or call 816-697-2600, ext. 306. Powell Gardens is located at 1609 N.W. U.S. Highway 50 | Kingsville, MO.