In The News

Parkhurst Chefs to Tour Mercyhurst Farm
Mercyhurst College

June 20, 2011

The district chefs from Parkhurst Dining Services, Mercyhurst’s food service contractor, will have an exciting opportunity to get to the root of their profession when they visit the college’s farm in Girard on Thursday, June 23.

There, they will learn about the many sustainable methods Mercyhurst uses to grow produce, much of which ends up in the college dining halls, not to mention the greater Erie community via farmers markets and in donations to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania.

Eight chefs from the western Pennsylvania district and Parkhurst Sustainability Director Jamie Moore will drive to Erie from Pittsburgh. Once here, they’ll take a fishing charter with the intention of catching perch that they will then fry at the farm later that afternoon. During their visit, farm manager Tim Boucher will give the group a tour and explain the sustainable methods he and his team employ to grow produce on an approximate four-acre parcel. He’ll also discuss the operation by which he works with Parkhurst Chef Marcy Fickes to deliver produce to the Mercyhurst campus for use in student meals.

“Most of these chefs have not seen the Mercyhurst farm before and some of them are in the process of working with clients who are establishing sustainable gardens of their own, so this is a great opportunity to learn from an institution that is already doing it successfully,” said Kim Novak, general manager of dining services for Parkhurst at Mercyhurst.

In the event of inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled for June 30.



View original article here
Parkhurst Chefs to Tour Mercyhurst Farm
Mercyhurst College

June 20, 2011

The district chefs from Parkhurst Dining Services, Mercyhurst’s food service contractor, will have an exciting opportunity to get to the root of their profession when they visit the college’s farm in Girard on Thursday, June 23.

There, they will learn about the many sustainable methods Mercyhurst uses to grow produce, much of which ends up in the college dining halls, not to mention the greater Erie community via farmers markets and in donations to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania.

Eight chefs from the western Pennsylvania district and Parkhurst Sustainability Director Jamie Moore will drive to Erie from Pittsburgh. Once here, they’ll take a fishing charter with the intention of catching perch that they will then fry at the farm later that afternoon. During their visit, farm manager Tim Boucher will give the group a tour and explain the sustainable methods he and his team employ to grow produce on an approximate four-acre parcel. He’ll also discuss the operation by which he works with Parkhurst Chef Marcy Fickes to deliver produce to the Mercyhurst campus for use in student meals.

“Most of these chefs have not seen the Mercyhurst farm before and some of them are in the process of working with clients who are establishing sustainable gardens of their own, so this is a great opportunity to learn from an institution that is already doing it successfully,” said Kim Novak, general manager of dining services for Parkhurst at Mercyhurst.

In the event of inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled for June 30.



View original article here