When asked what the Jump and Sprout Program was lacking (including the big gardens at the Historical Society), the responses were consistent from everyone at the Center.
"We need someone here at PCC to handle the food. I would hire a full time, year round coordinator to facilitate the curriculum and oversee how it is disseminated into classrooms. I would have a nutritionist on board. We need to have a commercial kitchen so we can have an all-encompassing seed-to-table program. We need community classes here. And at some point, we need to have our own greenhouse--it's imperative to complete the whole picture." -Executive Director Deb Cuddahy
If such an employee existed, Deb would love to add a teen group as well.
Carol St. Pierre, director of the Summer Camp Programs, added a few items to the wish-list: a composting system, a hot house, seasonal extension methods, and a canning and freezing operation.
"Perhaps the seniors could do [the food processing], but we need the space and equipment. We would need a chest freezer and storage area."
PCC is hoping to have a new facility in a few years if the funding comes through. When and if that happens, a greenhouse, commercial kitchen, chest freezers and a storage room will be incorporated in the design.
There are bigger issues, still. In the big picture of food education and healthy living, Deb notes a bigger element that is missing."The kids have been learning [here at PCC], but I think we could increase the impact on the community. We need to be teaching in schools."
