Dozens of people eagerly lined up to partake in a gourmet spread made with all organic, locally grown produce prepared by Guam Community College culinary students yesterday.
The GCC students showcased their culinary prowess during the Guam Department of Agriculture's annual May Harvest Festival at the department's Organic Demonstration Farm in Mangilao.
GCC chef instructor Kevin Dietrichs said everything except the carrots, onions, soy sauce, chicken and some spices was made with locally grown products. Some of the locally grown products included long beans, cooking bananas, breadfruit, pork, tilapia and mangoes.
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| Guam Farmers' Cooperative volunteer Aleta San Nicolas staffs the cooperative's produce stand during the May Harvest Festival at the Department of Agriculture, yesterday. The festival featured locally grown produce, planting tips and demonstrations. Guam Community College culinary students catered dishes made with locally grown ingredients. / Rick Cruz/Pacific Daily News/rmcruz@guampdn.com |
Dietrichs said in all his classes, he tries to instill in his students the idea of buying local
produce, or growing it themselves.
"We have to start to think how we're going to live on our island without fresh produce shipped in," Dietrichs said. "You know local produce might be a little bit more expensive, but you know the quality is so much better than something that has been sitting on a boat for a month."
Culinary student Peter Torres, who also works at Meskla restaurant in Hagåtña, said when he cooks with local produce, the food is a lot fresher so it tastes a lot better. He said it's not hard to grow your own herbs and vegetables.
"I have some basil and thyme growing in my backyard, it's OK as long as you water them every day; ... you don't have to have a big garden," Torres said. He said Meskla uses a lot of local produce, also, such as cherry tomatoes and beans.
Agricultural management specialist Pete Terlaje said the event was an opportunity to encourage people to get into farming or gardening, and to teach them how to do it.
"We want more people to grow more of their own fruits and vegetables," Terlaje said, as well as to support the local farmers.
"We want to get to a place where we don't want to rely so much on outside influences that affect where we get our food," Terlaje said.
Mac & Marti's owner Art Paguio came to the event hoping to meet local farmers and look into other options for produce for his restaurant and bar since he would like to add more salads to the menu.
"It's awesome -- the fact that everything is really fresh, and everything is locally grown," Paguio said.
"Comparing quantity versus quality, the quality will always supersede," Paguio said.
Visitor Anthony Kubiak said the food was good, had a lot of flavor and tasted very fresh. The Massachusetts native said he grows about 40 different vegetables back home. He is here on Guam for business and was invited to the event.
"I am a big supporter of local produce and local growing," Kubiak said. "It's not only healthy for an individual and for society, but it's also a good way to keep yourself fed and not have to spend money on it because you can grow it out of your backyard."
Tara Crandall, mother of five, three of whom are foster children, said the Department of Agriculture has assisted her with any questions regarding growing organically so she doesn't have to use pesticides and can keep her garden healthy.
"They are a big help if we have a certain problem and we don't know what to do," Crandall said.
She said that by growing her own food it's not only a lot fresher, but her kids also appreciate it more when they have cared for it and picked it themselves.
"We really enjoy coming out to pick, whether it is here (at the Organic Demonstration Farm), or at home, and being able to have it when you want it," Crandall said.
Source: http://www.guampdn.com/article/20120511/NEWS01/205110302/-1/NLETTER01/Farmers-showcase-local-produce?source=nletter-news.
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