Rainy Days at the Farm
Jessica Loyer - Saturday, November 19, 2011
We love peaceful rainy days at the farm. The trees and flowers all look brighter and the animals enjoy playing in the puddles. The kids do too!
Cozy up under an umbrella with a mug of coffee and our homemade salted peanut caramel slice and watch the rain renew our beautiful green oasis.
Then pull on your gumboots, wrap yourself in a raincoat and splash around with the goats, pigs, horses and sheep!
Columbian "Learn By Making" Foundation
Tom Hay - Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Our Head Chefs story about his time at Fundacion Escuela Taller, Columbia.
Our head chef, Camilo, has had some interesting experiences working in his native Columbia on an amazing project. Here's a little bit about his experience and a video on the program. Thanks for sharing this Camilo!
Camilo's Story
My experience as the Cooking School Director was the biggest professional challenge I've had and it involved two different aspects:
1. Course Coordinator: Academic Program Development and Managing operations to run the classes (including teaching History of Gastronomy)
2. Head Chef: The Foundation is composed of 4 different schools (Carpentry, Construction, Cooking, Paper Making), and I was in charge of catering for morning teas, lunches and afternoon teas for 120 students and staff members.
My engagement with the academic program, and the support I had from the government, NGO's and the private industry, made it possible to give one of the most ambitious ever cooking programs that I have seen, to the some of the most disadvantaged people in the country/world?
All the problems this kids had, were left behind, as well as their personal differences. Watching them work together for a common goal was amazing, specially with so much rivalry among each other in their previous years.
The change they had in their personal lives in the course of a year was one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever llived! Knowing that 80% of the students completed the course (specially under the conditions they live), is what I call success. That means there are less people in the war conflict and more building a country, becoming better persons, a giving back to the world.
My point of reference and inspiration to that moment was Fifteen by Jamie Oliver. I hadn't work for them when I went to Colombia, but it was an eye opener of how you can pass on a bit of your skills and inspire people to do something meaningful for their lives. I was lucky enough to experience working at Fifteen after my work in Colombia, and comparing both Foundations (taking into account the difference in context) was a point in which I knew the highlight of my career had been teaching back home.
Enjoy the video :)
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