Newsletter May 2022

Plant Sale Recap, Seeking Two Volunteer Positions, And Hiring an AmeriCorps Summer Associate!

We have two volunteer positions that we are looking to fill:

1. A Garden Manager for the Boat School Food Bank Garden in Hadlock. This garden is a hybrid garden, sharing beds with the Boat School students. With only 4 raised beds dedicated to the Food Bank, this garden is a very manageable for someone looking to dip their feet into what it's like to be a garden manager. 

2. Someone who can help with Data Entry. This important role helps with data collection for the gardens and the food banks. It only requires a few hours per month. This job can be done remotely and is best suited for someone who enjoys numbers and helping use data as a force for good.

Our sweet Amber DeLong, who handled both of these roles with grace, will be stepping back from Food Bank Growers thanks to a great job opportunity. Though we are sad to for her to leave, we are very excited for her next steps, and the opportunity to find the right persons to fill her shoes!

May Volunteer Opportunities:

Birchyville - Earn Your Eggs!

M, W, F - 10-12
With chickens and ducks at the Birchyville Food Bank Garden there are opportunities to work in the gardens and get to know the animals. You can even earn a dozen eggs when you volunteer!

We're hiring! An AmeriCorps VISTA Intern!

This position will be 40 hrs / week for 10 weeks. The person who fills it will play a crucial role in helping bridge the gap between the food banks and the gardens - helping us understand more about surplus produce and how we an employ preservation techniques to help store it for winter food bank needs. If you know of anyone who may be interested, please get in touch. The listing can be found here.  Please share to your networks as the timeline fo finding this person is moving quickly!

We are also in need of housing for this person. If you have an ADU or a spare room that you would be willing to rent out for a fair price, please contact Kathy Ryan at kathyrn76@mac.com 

Notes from our Discussion Meeting:

This month, Francesco Tortorici of Olympic Biochar hosted a fantastic discussion about the benefits of using biochar. Biochar assists nature in the regeneration of nutrient rich soil by enhancing a healthy soil biome encouraging microbes, bacteria, and mycelia, while also sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. These benefits can be used by garden and farms of all sizes! If you'd like to learn more, check out this video. Thank you so much, Francesco, for sharing you enthusiasm and knowledge with us!

Morel Mushroom and Quinoa Salad:

Ingredients:

• 0.5 ounces dried morel mushrooms
• 2 cups boiling water
• 3/4 cups golden quinoa rinsed
• 1/4 cups pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
• 1/4 cup sliced shallots
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 4 cups baby arugula
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 ounce goat cheese or soft vegan cheese crumbled
• fine sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

How To:

1. If using dried morels. rehydrate them for 20-30 min. Slice in half or quarters.
2. Cook your quinoa. If you rehydrated the morels. save the mushroom water and cook the quinoa in it. 
3. Toast pine nuts until golden brown. Set aside and allow to cool.
4. Use 2 tablespoons of olive oil to cook the shallot, add the sliced morels to skillet and sauté until they are fragrant and slightly browned.
5. Add the garlic, thyme and sea salt to the skillet and cook until the garlic is fragrant.
6. Add the arugula to the skillet and cook until it is just wilted,  then remove the skillet from heat.
7. Combine the quinoa and mushroom mixture together in a large bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and toss. Top with the toasted pine nuts and crumbled cheese.