Lovin’ in the (solar) ovens!

Now that we have made it to the mid-summer meltdown, it is time for more solar food! With the slowed pace of life and the increase in solar radiation, what better than planning a evening meal during the cooler morning hours, prepping, setting out, and forgetting until our stomachs remind us that it is suppertime?

A few weeks ago, Jasmine (another Garden intern) and myself built a few different designs of solar ovens for a summer camp activity with a middle school groups called Milton TIES. They visited the Garden twice this summer, both times extremely fun, educational, and helpful! For the solar activity, we just did a demonstration of the pre-made boxes and a discussion of possible recipes, alternative materials and designs, and some basic concepts for solar heating. Due to the short length of their visit and the cloudiness of the day, we didn’t cook any food (although we did prep some dough for the heck of it!). I sent them off with one of the ovens made from an old plastic produce bin and they are planning to use it on a sunny day during another week of their camp.

At the Garden, we had the opportunity to use two designs to make solar pizzas with the campers from the Meadow View housing complex. One was made from a plastic Coleman cooler and the other was made out of three interlaced pizza boxes. Both worked very well, the pizza box working better for making the pizza. Go figure….

Making some pizza in a pizza box solar oven!
Making some pizza in a pizza box solar oven!

I prepped the dough in the morning and during the cooking//nutrition portion of our day, one group of campers helped to dust the dough with oil, top with fresh herbs, greens, and garlic and load up the ovens!

Prepping the pizza!
Prepping the pizza!

We played in the sprinkler and had water balloon battles, played some music, wound down with some yoga, and then ate our doughy pizza deliciousness. YUM!

Morning yoga!
Morning yoga!
Fun in the sprinkler!
Fun in the sprinkler!

I miss the kiddos already and can’t wait to see them again….maybe this week I will utilize my solar oven for the Thursday Buffalo Valley (BV) Recreation campers! Kale chips here we come!!

SYDNEY

+–<3

More solar cooking at our workshop!
More solar cooking at our workshop!
Finished pizza, yum!
Finished pizza, yum!
Our solar-prepared meal!
Our solar-prepared meal!
Good eats!
Good eats!

P.S. Check out the video of the making of one solar oven! Courtesy of Kai Ja Productions.

Part 1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUNqgDuC_fI&feature=youtu.be
Part 2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkprpjimKjk&feature=youtu.be

poem:
gettin’ hot in here
feelin’ like an oven
better get your glove on
don’t get burned
don’t get discouraged
the weeds are a challenge
mulch them
muster the strength
or come back in the morning
or evening
when the sun is elsewhere
bake bread in the meantime
and indulge after the work


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