At every CSA pickup, someone ends up holding a kohlrabi and asking the person next to them what to do with it. We're rarely the first to answer. Usually another member or two already has ideas.
We saw the same thing happen Saturday morning, just with sage instead of kohlrabi.
Ten volunteers — high schoolers from Grayslake North and Central alongside community members — came out to harvest thyme, rosemary, sage, and chives from the education garden, pick zinnias stem by stem, and pull and wash scallions at our wash station. Somewhere in those two hours, the work turned into conversation: someone asked another volunteer what they cook with sage, someone else showed a newer volunteer how to twist a zinnia stem so a bouquet holds its shape, and volunteers traded stories back and forth about classes, clubs, and upcoming events.
The goats and sheep next door lined the fence the whole time, watching like it was the best show in town.
By the time the carts were full, the group knew a lot more about each other than they had at 9am. On the way out, volunteers caravanned over to the Farm Store to pick up ingredients for what they were about to cook and asked about coming back to help again.
Everything harvested that morning is headed to our neighbors at the Avon Township Food Pantry. Volunteers left with a few new friendships and a lot of good advice about fresh herbs.
