The Edible Schoolyard Office

The Chez Panisse Foundation funds administrative staff, kitchen staff and garden staff for the Edible Schoolyard project. The office adjoining the kitchen was a great place to leave all our gear and also a place to wait while the class finished and we were able to go in and film.

There were lots of familiar volumes in the book cases and jars full of seed.

Sitting in one corner was an old bicycle set up to run a small hand flour mill off a belt on its front wheel. Fred had to sit on it and the following day we saw it set up outside in the garden actually grinding some corn. When it is working the mill is out the front of the bike and the drive band simply goes round the wheel and round the drive shaft of the mill. A very simple arrangement. The garden staff told us that the grain is put into bags for threshing and just winnowed by hand as well. I have take notes thinking about the spelt that we are attempting to grow this winter.