Penn College News

Buffet Dinner Benefits Hydroculture Garden

Monday, November 19, 2012

Pumpkin cheesecake with a ginger-snap crust tempts diners.Members of the Horticulture Club enjoy dessert after waiting tables.The fresh salad features greens harvested from the community garden Monday morning.Dennis P. Skinner, assistant professor of horticulture-turned chef for the evening, communes with his grilling assistants, culinary arts and system student Benjamin A. King and culinary arts technology student Bryan A. Sharp.Poinsettias grace the tables as a slide show of the hydroculture process plays.Students from the Diners Club and Horticulture Club joined forces Monday evening to serve a fundraising feast for Penn College’s community garden. The garden already includes a hydroculture section that is producing lettuce each week, with tomatoes, cucumbers and egg plants soon to follow. The vegetables are used by Dining Services and Le Jeune Chef Restaurant. Money raised from the around 150 dinners sold Monday will be used to add raised beds that will grow root vegetables, legumes and some fruits. The produce is also sold in conjunction with bake sales in The Market on Wednesdays.