Fresh from the Farm

Besides the local farmers who supply Groton School's Dining Hall with superfresh fruits and vegetables, another group of gardeners has taken root right on campus, harvesting bushels of vine-ripened tomatoes, leafy Swiss chard, robust bulbs of garlic, and lots of other crops that go right from campus land onto student plates.
 
The Groton Garden Group (G3) started in 2010, sparked by several students who took a Faculty Sponsored Activity on local gardening. The G3 plans, plants, and tends gardens on School land, then harvests the bounty for use in the Dining Hall. Occasionally, the group also supplies veggies for monthly town events known as Groton Community Dinners. Group members include Groton School alumni, faculty and faculty spouses, parents, students, staff, and helpers from the community.
 
Right now, Dining Hall chefs are integrating the Garden Group's giant bin of garlic into their meal plans. They used fresh rhubarb and various lettuces last spring, and can look forward to leeks and onions in the coming weeks. "The community reaction to local produce has been overwhelmingly positive," says Dining Hall Director Jed Coughlin. "Through the efforts of the G3, we have been able to offer produce used in dishes such as braised pork belly and Swiss chard, and we'll turn the recently harvested garlic into a paste that we can use for many dishes."

The students, faculty, and staff who gobble up the fruits of G3's labor might not realize just how local the food source is, or how much extra nutrition farm-fresh produce provides. All they know is that it tastes good.
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