To harvest, to harvest Garden, Weybridge team up to host feast

Author: Sara Black

The setting sun threw long shadows across the green lawn of Weybridge House and the leaves were just beginning to turn their famed red and gold. But on this particular lazy Sunday afternoon, it was the purple beets, red tomatoes and orange squash that lent their lively hues during the Organic Garden's annual Harvest Festival.

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"I love this event," summer garden intern Dan Kane '09 said. "I think it's good for the community and good for the garden."

A band of eager volunteers led by Julia Shipley '07.5, another summer garden intern, descended upon the Proctor kitchen early Sunday to begin preparations for meal. The kitchen and the fresh vegetables were open to anyone, and many students eagerly came with favorite recipes, or at least a creative idea.

"In spring all you do is work in bare soil planting seeds, so it's kind of cool six months later to have a giant dinner," noted Grace Rumford '09.5, "reaping the fruits of your labor, or the vegetables of your labor."

A handful of dedicated veterans provided past favorites, such as Rumford's sweet potato fries. Newcomers like Victoria Muoioo '11, who created a savory rosemary foccacia bread, were able to spread their wings, bringing new life and new recipes to the Harvest Festival. The blissful humming and contented sighs of pleased students attested to their success.

"I fought for my life trying to get to that apple pie," pie aficionado Andrea Bolivar '10 said. "It was worth it!"

With the past two years' overabundant harvests of potatoes, the cooks dared to dream beyond the five different kinds of mashed potatoes of last year's feast, spicing up the mostly starchy menu with potatoes au gratin, potato salad, roasted potatoes, fries and even sweet potato biscuits.

"This year we are a little better prepared for all of the potatoes we have," Mary Lohman '09 explained graciously.

This culinary celebration required the cooperation and talents of various groups and individuals to bring the food to the table, especially Head Gardener Ray Holbrook, John Derick, Proctor Dining staff and the 150 College students that attended the festival.

"Proctor is really nice about letting us use their stuff," Rumford said. "If we didn't have Proctor, it would be so much harder cooking the mass quantities of food that we're trying to make."

With the emphasis on local foods and environmental issues growing each year, the Organic Garden, which sells its produce to Atwater Dining Hall, Otter Creek Bakery, American Flatbread and other local businesses, has been passionate about keeping people informed.

The Organic Garden did not have to look far to find a suitable venue for the festival. Weybridge House is a co-operative living environment, which means that all 17 inhabitants of the house take on individual responsibilities to sustain an eco-conscious lifestyle. The house hosts dinners every Monday through Thursday, which are open to the public and feature a variety of local and organic foods.

The residents of the house hope to lead by example with their commitment to community supported agriculture (CSA). Shalini Vimal '08, the house's Local Foods Buyer, said, "Eating locally can benefit the local economy and build a greater knowledge of and respect for the origin of these foods. We cook dinner every night with all the food that we collect from local farms, the organic garden, the Middlebury Co-op, and our own garden."

For students interested in getting more involved, Weybridge House plans to host more activities in the future, including screenings, trips to the garden and bread-making sessions. Vimal, for her part, makes weekly trips to local farms to collect cheese, maple syrup, apples, and other local produce.

"This is the renaissance of local foods," Beth Connolly '10 said. "A new sensibility has arisen."