TRURO — This summer, when the “mud kitchen” behind the Truro Public Library is open for business, Leela Okeanos, who just turned six, plans on making vegan mud pies. The base, she said, will be a blend of soil and clay, and the filling will be chockful of leaves and sticks. “Oh, and tree bark on top,” she added, “as icing.”
mud kitchen
TRURO: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
Federally Funded Mud Pies
Most meetings in Truro are remote. Go to truro-ma.gov and click on the meeting you want to watch. The agenda includes instructions on how to join.
Thursday, Feb. 10
- Economic Development Committee, 9:30 a.m.
- Climate Action Committee, 10 a.m.
- Economic Development Forum, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 14
- Energy Committee, 4:30 p.m.
- Bike and Walkways Committee, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 15
- Board of Health, 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 16
- Cemetery Commission, Town Hall, 9 a.m.
- Commission on Disabilities, 4:15 p.m.
- Walsh Property Community Planning Committee, 6:30 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Federally Funded Mud Pies
Maggie Hanelt, the Truro Public Library’s assistant director, has been trying to recruit local teenagers to chime in on what an upcoming “mud kitchen” ought to look like.
“Basically, it’s like a wooden sink and countertop, where kids can get in and make mud pies,” Hanelt told the Independent. “I thought that’d be a really great way for younger kids to participate in the garden.”
The mud kitchen itself is geared for kids, but Hanelt hopes teens will get involved in designing the space. She has reached out to Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, Nauset Regional High School, and other schools, inviting students to pitch their ideas over their February winter break.
Last July, the Truro Public Library was awarded a $10,000 grant under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) to build outdoor educational spaces. Alongside the mud kitchen, the library plans on installing two cold frames in the community garden, which can extend the growing seasons for fruits and vegetables. This corner of the garden is “designed to give teens an opportunity to work with experts and mentor younger youth,” according to a library press release.
The LSTA, which is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, awarded a total of $350,410 to libraries across Massachusetts. Thirty-five grants were issued in the state. Truro is the only Outer Cape town that received funding through this program, and the library must spend that $10,000 by Sept. 30. —Jasmine Lu
