Garden seminar focuses on healthy eating and encouraging a new generation of farmers
The rains held off just long enough for participants to enjoy the “Farm to Table” theme of the yearly garden seminar, sponsored by Kosciusko Main Street.
Guest speakers Rebecca Turner and Dr. Cindy Ayers discussed the importance of fresh, locally-raised foods and each provided demonstrations.
Turner kicked off the event showing guests how to eat healthy while preparing ahead to save time, layering dressing and vegetables in tall wide-mouth mason jars. The method allows cooks to prepare a salad well in advance without having the vegetables get soggy in the dressing. It also makes for easy transport.
Turner is a registered dietician, nutritionist, author, columnist, radio and tleevision host who is certified in sports dietetics.
Ayers advocated for encouraging young people to get into farming, as she stressed the importance of locally-raised food. She and Dr. Bill Evans demonstrated how simple it is to grow one’s own vegetables in a small planter. The two discussed planting mix, varieties that are well-suited to the small planters and plant care.
A Mississippi native, Ayers was an investment banker who traded in her high heels to found Footprint Farms, a 68-acre farm in Jackson. Young farmers are encouraged to work on the farm to learn, then are able to purchase an acre to manage from Ayers for $1.
