Here’s a sweet story: students at Airport Heights Elementary School are growing basil. They’ve grown so much basil they’re selling it. Table 6, in midtown, started buying it this week to put in the soups and dinner specials.
“It is just an incredible product,” Alex Perez one of the owners of Table 6 said, “it’s beautiful, it’s greener than green. It’s fantastic.”
At the end of the year the students will use the money they raised to throw an amazing 6th grade graduation party–Table 6 will be the caterer.
A former teacher donated equipment to grow the basil, and the start up money to buy the seeds and other supplies came from a $500 grant from the Alaska Schools Foundation.
The school is using the basil growing venture as a real life economics lesson.
The students thought about growing flowers to sell to expensive, they found. Same problem for tomatoes.
“We would have had to charge $100 for each tomato,” 6th grade teacher Emily Becker said.
On a recent school day 6th grader Amaya Austin added added fertilizer to a 2 gallon bucket, which she poured over 3 month old sprouts.
“It smells really good,” Austin said.
Seeing Green
Growing Local, in Spenard
Who caught the story by Annie Feidt over at APRN about a company, located in Spenard, that is growing vegetables, sprouts, basil and making tofu? It’s called Alaska Sprouts. They’re growing everything indoors, even in the winter. You’ve probably seen their whole, basil plants in New Sagaya. Apparently they are only selling in limited markets now, but the goal is to expand. I can’t get the link up, probably operator error, so if you’ll have to cut and paste this link: http://www.alaskapublic.org/2012/01/06/ak-sprouts/
Minty-Cocktail
These little beauties are going to be in my belly soon. I’ve been growing them in containers for about a month now and I”m pretty impressed with how everything looks.
The mint will be used in awesome minty-cocktails and the basil is going into my tomato sauce. I’m still debating what I’ll do with the Swiss Chard. I’ll keep you posted!
In the meantime, try this minty-cocktail and enjoy the Solstice celebrations this weekend!
What you’ll need
As much, or as little bourbon, as you like
2 teaspoons raw sugar
¼ cup mint leaves, divided, plus extra for garnish
4-6 strawberries, stems removed and sliced, plus 2 for garnish
Ginger ale
How to make it
Divide the sugar, mint leaves, and strawberries evenly between two tall glasses. Muddle with a long spoon and then top off with ice. Pour the bourbon over the ice in each glass and stir with a spoon. Top off with ginger ale and garnish with a strawberry on each glass.
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