Chef Stef came to science class to talk about nutrients in the foods we love to eat.
The Farm-to-Table mission has been embraced as a part of PAA’s Christ-centered and character-driven culture. In just one year, Stephanie Torgerson and her growing group of volunteers have accomplished several exciting goals including establishing gardens, compost bins, fruit shrubs, and, most importantly, seeing students happily enjoy healthy lunches.
“Healthy eating is part of our heritage as Adventists,” says Torgerson, or Chef Stef as we call her. “With urban farms cropping up all over our city and vegan and vegetarian lifestyles trending, why shouldn’t we be leaders in this movement?”
With the incredible support of the PAA family, the Farm-to-Table program continues to grow!
Vegan minestrone is a favorite during cool fall and winter months.
Here’s what’s next . . .
-This year, we hope to establish a green house where Bible teachers will teach first-hand lessons on reaping and harvesting.
-This year, we hope to feature monthly ethnic menus and special guest chefs.
-This year, we hope to visit as many local Adventist churches as possible to grow our team of ambassadors and grow more momentum and excitement for the program.
-Beyond PAA, Chef Stef hopes to establish a presence at our local farmer’s markets (Montavilla Farmer’s Market) giving our neighbors a chance to sample some of her healthy meals as well as produce from the garden. This helps to market our school as well as our Adventist health heritage.
-Beyond that, she dreams of growing enough produce that PAA students could sell the food at the farmer’s market, providing revenue to support our school (a concept already being modeled at other Adventist schools).
-Greater yet, she is developing concepts and laying the ground work for proposals designed to inspire more Farm-to-Table cultures in all of our Oregon Conference Adventist schools.
YOU can be a Farm-to-Table ambassador!
Kitchen Needs & Dreams
1) Guest Chefs! Do you love to cook a particular type of international cuisine? Come guest chef for a monthly international lunch. This is a great opportunity for our students to enjoy food from other countries.
2) Volunteers! We love volunteers helping in the kitchen with general cooking, food prep, and service. There’s room for monthly, weekly, or even daily help. It’s a great opportunity to learn a few new skills and see the smiling faces of our students as they come through line. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a fancy chef to help. All you need is a background check and food handlers certification which you can get HERE.
3) Odds & Ends! -Forks -Tablecloths and runners to make our dining room more beautiful -Dish towels -Extra produce in your garden? We’d be glad to have it!
4) Lunch Tickets! You might be surprised to know that even at a private school, some students experience food insecurity. We know that nourishment feeds the mind as well as the body and that students learn best when their basic needs are met. Donate money for lunches and help a student nourish her mind, body, and spirit.
Garden Needs & Dreams
1) Garden tools are always helpful
2) Horse, chicken, or other livestock manure
3) Wood for raised beds
4) Seeds, starts, or plants (even a fruit tree would be cool!)
5) Volunteer help for gardening work parties
6) A green house or donations to help fund the purchase of one
Read more about the program HERE and Contact Chef Stef if you’d like to be an ambassador for this mission: storgerson@paasda.org or 503.255.8372
Tomatoes were recently donated by a wonderful and anonymous gifter! The students enjoyed them at our salad bar.
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