Summit Community Gardens & EATS is gearing up for a vibrant summer season featuring youth camps and a “Dinners in the Garden” series.
Executive Director Helen Nadel said the camps are filled for the most part, though space opens as plans change.
“Yesterday they planted tomatoes,” Nadel said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Wednesday. “They are watering our apple trees in the orchard. They're creating garden art, doing yoga and tons of cooking. It's really all about connecting kids to taking joy in land stewardship and how food grows, connecting to the outdoors and making friends.”
With many of the summer camps sold out, Nadel suggested getting on the wait list. Camps run Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for elementary students and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for preschoolers.
Typically, frost wouldn’t be a concern at this point in the season. However, Nadel said plot owners should prepare their plants with temperatures expected to drop 20 degrees this weekend.
The cold weather crops like lettuce, kale and radishes are starting to come in.
The garden hosted its first Dinner in the Garden last week and several more are planned.
“Coming up next Thursday [June 26], a very special dinner with local favorite Twisted Fern,” she said. “We are doing a beautiful, locally sourced dinner with them, sort of family style. We've got delicious local trout with grapefruit and shallot vinegar bread and a gorgeous lemon basil pasta with Marcona almonds for either as a side, or for folks who are vegetarian. It's going to be gorgeous.”
Other dinners include Pie and Beer on July 24, Family Night is planned for Aug. 14, and Hearth and Hill closes out the season on Aug. 28.
Alpine Distilling will be offering a cocktail class on Aug. 7 for those 21 and older.
“You get to sit back, watch the experts, then mix up a few cocktails yourself,” Nadel said. “You'll be sampling some bonus spirits and we've got a great charcuterie board for you very special, very fun night.”
Reservations can be made online.
Alongside these signature events, the garden offers weekly community events with mindful meditation every Sunday at 9 a.m. and family yoga classes once a month on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m.
