Meet Laura Haslam, Volunteer Gardener

My name is Laura Haslam and I’m an enthusiastic home gardener and mom of three curious kids in Kelowna.  Over the  past 12 hears we have added fruit trees, berry bushes, vegetable and herb gardens, edible and pollinator friendly flowers, compost and chickens to our backyard garden.  I love to cook, preserve and share what we grow!

What is your favourite locally-sourced food?

Peaches!  How lucky we are to live where we can grow peachees!

If you were a vegetable, what would you be?

A sugar snap pea – eager to get into the garden early and when it’s not too hot, great at adding nutrients to the soil, thrive with good support and always reaching for the sunshine.

What’s something you’ve learned from Chefs in the Classroom?

I learned how to dice an onion by holding onto the root and making cuts towards the root horizontally and vertically before cutting across – learning knife skills from a chef is awesome!

Do you have a favourite kid-friendly recipe you’d like to share?

Squash Mac and Peas is always a hit in our house – creamy and packed with hidden nutrition. Click here to view the recipe for Squash Mac & Peas.

What makes volunteering with Chefs in the Classroom awesome?

Chefs in the Classroom engages students with meaningful hands-on learning, and it is so rewarding to see their enthusiasm to grow, learn about and cook with local foods.  The students were so keen to care for their plants, try new foods and create nutritious recipes. 

Anything else you’d like to share with the class?

Thank you for welcoming us into your classroom! Keep experimenting by growing, composting, cooking and sharing your delicious creations.  There is no limit to your creativity in the garden and kitchen.