The second graders kicked off our farmworkers unit with a celebration of California’s agricultural bounty. In the classroom, we learned that California produces much of the fruit, vegetables, and nuts for the rest of the country and even the world.
In the kitchen, we made a California-grown winter salad featuring butter lettuce from Pescadero, fennel from Aromas, yellow carrots from the Santa Rita Hills, watermelon radish from San Juan Bautista, Moro blood orange and Marisol clementine and Meyer lemons from Orosi, Medjool dates from the Coachella Valley, shallots from San Martin, and, of course, 100% California extra-virgin olive oil. Students used a mortar and pestle to make a simple salad dressing to flavor all the beautiful colors of the local produce. It was fun to reconnect with each other and have the opportunity to use many different culinary tools in the outdoor classroom.
