School lunch, or teaching in the Bronx, part deux

Joe College-Grad loves teaching his first graders at PS 107 in the Bronx. After one week, he loves the kids, loves their energy, loves their street smarts, and is not dismayed at all by their lack of preparation--many of them don't know the alphabet, numbers or colors. Would that all teachers retained this level of enthusiasm forever.

PS 107's web site needs updating--the events list is from 2001....

And, if you're wondering what the folks working and learning at PS 107 eat, check out the New York City school lunch menu. It looks like the news that many students are of Latin American origin has not reached the folks making food decisions for kids in New York.

Cat Tails

Have you noticed that most black cats really aren’t? Take mine, for example. In the summer their coarse black fur thins out, and what’s left is a luscious soft chocolate that is especially visible when they sun themselves. And, being proud mixed breed alley cats, they have their tiger ancestors' stripes that show when they stretch out on the driveway to catch a few rays. But another Minnesota winter is on its way, and the coats of my feline friends will soon morph into solid black—no chocolate, no stripes.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Yet another fabulous bag of veggies arrived today. Every Tuesday from spring through fall (or greens through brussels sprouts) we pick up the bag (cloth, of course) from a neighbor's porch. In this week's shipment were purple and green peppers, cabbage, parsley, onions, carrots, broccoli, eggplant, and the most gorgeous bunch of thyme. The kitchen smells wonderful.

What do we pay for this bounty? For a mere $250 a season we get these weekly shipments--in essence, we're buying shares in our farm, Spring Hill Community Farm. We have the duty and pleasure of occasionally helping at the farm. And we have the knowledge that we are supporting and are part of an alternative to corporate agriculture.

And, did I mention, that the cloth bag in which the produce arrives needs to be washed before returning it for the next shipment--in fragrance free detergent, natch.