Look to your left as you enter BARN and you’ll see a delicious new explosion of color and texture. BARN’s Kitchen Garden has been re-imagined, thanks largely to the efforts and expertise of BARN member and volunteer Bob Ross.
Now the garden is full of edible plants with names as colorful as they are: Red Ruby Basil, Purple Sage, Celery “Redventure”, Lime Thyme, and Red Stalk Corn. Bob has selected many plants that can be harvested year-round for use in Kitchen Arts classes and events.
Bob is a man of many talents. Most of us know him as an accomplished cook thanks to his popular Kitchen Arts classes, and as a podcast producer in Media Arts. But he also is a talented plantsperson, having served as chief landscape architect for the U.S. Forest Service for 17 years. He also worked for the State Department, and during a posting in Algeria he took a side trip to Italy and began exploring traditional Italian food, which has become a lifelong passion.
Bob’s next class at BARN is Mastering Bolognese in September (sorry, it’s already full — his classes always sell out quickly). You can be sure that he’ll make liberal use of the basil, oregano, parsley and thyme he’s lovingly tended in the new Kitchen Garden.
Take a closer look at what’s growing next time you’re at BARN, and give thanks to the group of volunteers that keeps it all green and tidy. And check out all the upcoming classes in Kitchen Arts. You may get a first-hand opportunity to harvest and use some of what’s growing in the new garden.
