UGA Students Eat What They Grew
By Growing Georgia
A group of horticulture students in an organic agriculture course at the University of Georgia got a chance to see their work travel from farm to fork last week when chefs cooked up their produce for an end-of-course celebration.
The class – an advanced course in organic farming practices and specifics of soil and pest management, marketing and season extension – is part of a certificate program that allows students to go deeper into organic growing.
Chef Rob Harrison enjoyed working with instructor Suzanne O'Connell to come up with a menu and supplement the student-grown produce with other ingredients found nearby, he said.
“It seemed like a really cool idea,” he said. “I can’t promise that everything was sourced from Georgia. In an ideal world, everything would be.”
But the meal came directly from the garden: Beet salad with red and yellow tomatoes, chicken breast in a shiitake mushroom sauce with broccoli rabe, carrots and mashed potatoes and – it is Georgia after all – pecan pie for dessert.
One part of the menu did present a unique challenge for Harrison: the nasturtium flowers on the pie.
“Edible flowers are a nice touch,” Harrison said. “Hard to wash, but a nice touch.”
Students had different reasons for taking the class, but most said they just want a closer connection to their food.
Maya Baumeister is working on a bachelor’s degree in horticulture, with a minor in nutrition science. HORT 3125 allowed her to work in the dirt and stay connected to what she’s learning in the classroom, she said.
“Hopefully, a significant portion of what I eat will be grown by me or at least someone I know,” she said. “Know your farmer.”
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