Boys Town North Florida recently hosted a gardening workshop at the ART Town facility. The workshop was led by a volunteer named Lisa, who is actively involved in nurturing the garden’s wildflowers, herbs and produce. As the garden grew, so did her interest in spending more time on the Boys Town campus, which resulted in her facilitating a gardening workshop, where she helped youth harvest herbs and create delicious recipes from homegrown basil and mint.
Youth learned about the benefits of gardening as more than a source of food, but as a way to connect with nature and find some relief from stress. Pulling weeds can be an opportunity to slow down after a hectic day and revel in the beauty of the outdoors.
After youth dug into the garden they dove into some home-grown recipes. Guided by Lisa, youth created pesto sauce from scratch, using basil as the main ingredient. Mint fruit salad followed as the second course. “I was impressed with how the youth came out of their shells and volunteered to assist in the kitchen,” said Ellyn Scanlan, Volunteer Coordinator for Boys Town North Florida. “They tried new ingredients and experimented with a food processor as a new cooking tool. This workshop was such a fun and engaging way to take advantage of the Boys Town garden. It will surely be a returning event.”