ANNOUNCING…. Special screenings of selected episodes from this award-winning documentary series at the Waltham Public Library
“UNNATURAL CAUSES…is inequality making us sick?” investigates findings that are shaking up our conventional understanding of health. There’s much more to our well-being than genes, behaviors and medical care. The social, economic and physical environments in which we are born, live and work profoundly affect our health. Broadcast by PBS, this series tackles the root causes of our alarming socio-economic and racial inequities in health.
These events are FREE and all are welcome. All screenings will be held in the Lecture Hall of the Waltham Public Library, 735 Main Street. Each screening will be facilitated by a member of the Regional Center for Healthy Communities (Metrowest) and include an audience participation group discussion. Healthy snacks will be provided.
DATES
Feb 25-In Sickness and in Wealth: How does the distribution of power, wealth and resources shape opportunities for health?
March 18-Becoming American: Latino immigrants arrive healthy, so why don’t they stay that way?
April 15-Place Matters: Why is your street address such a strong predictor of your health?
TIMES
5:30pm – Doors Open, Refreshments
6:00pm – Introduction by Facilitator
6:15pm – Begin Video, followed by discussion, finish by 8:00pm
RSVP
Please RSVP by sending email to info@healthy-waltham.org so we have numbers for snacks and seating. Childcare will be available on a first come first served basis for children age 5 and up; if you need childcare, please call Francisca at 617-208-1562 to confirm space for your children.
This special event is sponsored by Listen and Learn, a Mount Auburn Hospital collaboration with Healthy Waltham, WATCH, Joseph M. Smith Community Health Center, Power Program and Waltham Family School. Funding from the BCBS Foundation of MA.
Over 250 people came out on a cold but sunny January day to the 2nd Annual Day of Play at the South Middle School on Moody Street. This event brought together young and old to enjoy a variety of activities emphasizing healthy and playful lifestyles. Special thanks to Hannaford Supermarkets which provided fresh fruit snacks, and also provided the yogurt and fruit used for the kids’ parfait-making at the Healthy Waltham table!
Check out a video of the event courtesy of Chris Wangler and the Waltham Community Access Channel (WCAC-TV):
The Waltham Day of Play was spearheaded by the Waltham Recreation Department. Other participating organizations included: City of Waltham, Waltham YMCA, Healthy Waltham, Waltham Partnership for Youth, Newton Wellesley Hospital, Waltham Children’s Hospital, Waltham Public Schools, Waltham Fields Community Farm, Waltham Land Trust, Greater Waltham ARC, Hannaford’s Supermarket.
The Vegetable of the Month for January 2010 is: Root Vegetables!
What are root vegetables? Root vegetables are underground plant parts that we grow for food. These under-appreciated vegetables are in fact nutritious additions to a variety of soups and stews, loaded with carbohydrates and dietary fiber, high in vitamins and minerals, yet often low in cost and easy to store.
Common root vegetables include carrots, beets, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, radish, jicama and celeriac.
Here is a Healthy Waltham vegetable soup recipe featuring root vegetables and other favorites.
Curried Waltham Butternut Squash Soup
2 onions3 cloves garlic1 sweet potato3 carrots4 large potatoes2 apples1 small butternut squash3-4 parsnips4 cups chicken or vegetable stockolive oil or butter2 tablespoons curry paste, or 1-2 teaspoons curry powder, or to tastesalt & pepper to taste Saute onions and garlic in olive oil or butter. Add the rest and simmer until soft, then puree in blender or food processor & reheat gently. If mixture is too thick, may be diluted with more broth, apple cider (for a sweeter flavor) or water. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
The Vegetable of the Month for December 2009 is: Corn!
Corn, also called “maize,” is one of the most popular cereals and a staple food of many peoples and cultures across the globe. Corn is a good source of folate and vitamin B1, as well as vitamin C and B6. It also contains fiber, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, niacin and potassium. Corn can be served in many ways, either on or off the cob, from salads and side vegetables to tortillas and tamales. Cornmeal can also be made into cornbreads and porridges.
Here is a recipe modeled after the corn chowder served this month in the Waltham Public Schools cafeterias:
McDevitt Middle School garden began in the summer of 2007 with a modest effort:
With free soil amendments donated by Agway in Waltham, we dug up a small patch and planted beans, tomatoes and marigolds with the summer program students. In the fall, we had a tiny harvest and collected marigold seeds with the afterschool EcoTeam.
The next spring, we planted raspberry canes in this location, and a seedless Concord grape vine. That summer, the EcoTeam built McDevitt’s first raised bed. They wrote about this in their website.
This fall, the original McDevitt garden was a flourishing raspberry patch with a grape vine beginning to cover the fence:
by Maria DiMaggio, Healthy Waltham Project Coordinator (and Waltham Public School parent)
This unassuming-looking piece of fruit has become a staple in my house and a lunchbox favorite. Golden brown in color, it looks to be half pear, half apple. We discovered it by accident during a day of apple-picking at Belkin Lookout Farm in Natick. Turns out these folks also grow a lot of Asian pears. Instead of apples, we came home with bags and bags of Asian pears.
Besides tasting pretty good (crunchy like an apple but sweet like a pear) there are several other things we like about them:
They keep for weeks in the fridge
They can be substituted for apples and pears in baked goods with excellent results
When peeled and cut, they don’t turn brown for hours
This last one, not turning brown, makes them great for sending in a lunchbox. My kids prefer apples to be cut up rather than biting into a whole apple. However, most apples turn brown quickly. After several hours, cut up apples don’t look that appealing. But Asian pears will generally keep their color for several hours at room temperature, and for 24 hours in the fridge (cut them up and store in a plastic container).
These fruits can be quite pricey in winter and summer. But in the fall, locally-grown Asian pears can be found at the grocery store at a decent price. More information on Asian pears can be found at Fruits & Veggies – More Matters
On a beautiful fall day, well over 200 people came to the Waltham Fields Community Farm to connect with Waltham’s agricultural past at the first “Waltham Farm Day.” The September 26 event was co-sponsored by the Waltham Fields Community Farm, Healthy Waltham, the Mayor’s Office, and the Waltham Public Schools. Young and old enjoyed apple cider pressing, digging for sweet potatoes, cleaning shallots and garlic, a composting demonstration, and an art project. Presentations on cooking greens and drying herbs were some of the other activities enjoyed by attendees.
Here are some highlights of the day from the Waltham Community Access Channel:
- Introduce vocabulary related to plant life cycles
- Connect themes of seasons, life cycles, and gardening to the children’s lives
- Obtain viable pumpkin seeds to plant next spring
Science vocabulary:
Life-cycle
Frost
Rot
Book vocabulary:
Fierce (intense, angry)
Jack-o’-lantern (pumpkin with a face)
Spell (magic)
Wrinkled (wrinkled clothes have many lines & folds in them)
Beneath (the snow)
Faded (lost color)
Withered (leaves)
Generous (Tim was generous. He gave away all of the pumpkins but the one he kept for himself.)
Supplies:
1 big pumpkin
sharp serrated knife
Newspaper
Plastic bowels or other containers
Paper towels
Dry-erase board, chalkboard, or smartboard
Set-Up:
Spread thick newspaper over tables. Set a plastic bowl or container on each table.
Keep pumpkin at the front of the room so that children entering can see and touch it.
Lesson:
1) Gather as a group on the floor or in chairs with the teacher at the front with a dry-erase board (or chalkboard, or Smartboard).
Introduce themes of seasons, life cycles, and kids gardening.
Go over key science vocabulary.
2) Go over key vocabulary found in the bookPumpkin Jack
Read Pumpkin Jack
3) Make connections between the story and the children’s lives at home/school.
Ask who has carved a pumpkin with their family? Seen jack-o-lanterns in their neighborhoods?
Who has seen pumpkins growing in the garden at school? At another farm or garden?
Who has ever planted a seed? During what season? Who has eaten pumpkin seeds? What season?
How many seeds are in a pumpkin? How many seeds does it take to grow a pumpkin plant? How many pumpkins can one plant grow?
4) Teacher carves the top off the pumpkin and lifts it to show all the seeds. Then everyone separates into smaller groups at their tables.
At each table, the children have a turn to reach into the pumpkin and grab a handful of seeds and “guts.”
Using their hands, they separate the seeds from the “guts” and put the clean seeds into a container to save them.
5) Clean up!
When the whole table is finished, they can go wash their hands in the bathroom.
b. The teacher collects all the clean pumpkin seeds and, outside of class time, washes them with water in a colander and spreads them out on clean paper towels to dry overnight. Then, they must be stored over the winter in a cool, dry place. To be planted by the same students in the Spring!
What’s on your Table? is Healthy Waltham’s vegetable cookbook compiled in collaboration with the Waltham Fields Community Farm. This excellent resource is arranged alphabetically by vegetable. In addition to recipes, there is nutrition information, storage tips, and more. Download it by clicking here.
