Durham College held annual Harvest Dinner Sept. 24 at Whitby campus

Durham College held its annual Harvest Dinner on Sept. 24 at the college’s Whitby campus, where students and employees prepared and hosted an outdoor meal using ingredients grown at the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food.

For local residents, the event offers a look at how Durham College says it gives students hands-on experience connected to its food, farming and hospitality programs.

According to the college, students in the Horticulture Technician and Food and Farming programs helped grow and harvest ingredients from the centre’s fields. Culinary Skills and Hospitality Skills students prepared and served the meal with guidance from faculty, the college said.

Durham College said the dinner followed a “field-to-fork-to-field” approach, which it described as connecting food production and preparation with returning nutrients to the soil.

In a statement included with the college’s announcement, Durham College president Dr. Elaine Popp said, “Our students grow the food, prepare the meal and welcome the guests.”

Durham College listed several event sponsors in its announcement.

The college did not provide an attendance figure for the event.