This pod will combine closely related actions of food preservation and processing food while taking action to meet food needs in our community.
Enrollment Requirements and Options:
Student are not required to enroll in both courses in this pod, but they are encouraged to do so. Students in this pod can enroll in online courses, Senior Year Research Project, or Independent Study work. Students may TA these courses with instructor permission.
This pod includes the following courses:
Provisioning Your Pantry 2 cr
Food preservation can help you put by the bounty of the harvest for winter months, as well as adding value to raw food products. Preservation can transform food and make it more delicious. In this course, you will practice the basic preservation techniques such as freezing, canning, pickling, drying, and fermenting–in your own kitchen, with guidance through the process. Learn to make sourdough bread, jam, dried fruits and vegetables, kombucha, vinegar and more, as we explore the fundamental principles of how heat, salt, sugar, acid, cold, alcohol, pH, and manipulation of moisture and oxygen, help us to keep food fresh. Ingredients and some supplies will be sent to students in advance for them to produce products in their home space. A stipend will be given to students to obtain fresh ingredients. Students must have access to a kitchen with basic equipment.
Community Food Action 3 cr
This course will investigate the intersection of food justice and a local food system in part by involving students in successful community initiatives to bring local food and food awareness to all people in the Greater Craftsbury community. Hands-on direct food action such as preparing community dinners, teaching Farm to School activities, designing food education programs and explorations of various food aid organizations in the Greater Craftsbury area will be the base for this course. We will address hunger issues in Vermont and the impact of food insecurity as we support, examine and critique the network of players already providing food support programs. This will be an action course, students will be involved in multifaceted solutions to food justice and community food in our local area including programs such as Farm to School, The Center for an Agriculture Economy, Hardwick Area Food Shelf, Salvation Farms, Hunger Free Vermont, and local initiatives.
