EASTHAMPTON – Students in Martha Morgan’s class at Maple School were the latest area first graders to get a visit from Grow Food Northampton and make their own bowls of corn, bean and tomato salsa thanks to a program funded by River Valley Co-op. First, lead educator Ellena Baum enlisted the help of three students to stage a visible representation of the “three sisters” of corn, beans and squash as she talked about how these three plants benefit by being sown and grown together. When it came time to make their creations each child started with portions of corn, beans and sliced tomatoes and then personalized their dishes by chopping and adding other ingredients like peppers and scallions, with a dash or two of salt or fresh-squeezed lemon. If one chef didn’t like the way another was making their salsa, they were to keep that opinion to themselves, remembering the mantra from the start of the class: “We don’t “yuck” anyone’s “yum.””
Kevin Gutting can be reached at kgutting@gazettenet.com.