From left, Drew Turner, Harper Turner, 9, Kailani Ratcliff, 9 and Gentry Turner, 9, eat together at Dine in the Dirt on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, at Southern Boone Primary School in Ashland. Harper and Gentry are both involved in the gardening program that Southern Boone Learning Garden provides.
Parents and grandparents of school-aged kids, community members and others gathered Sunday to celebrate and fundraise for the Southern Boone Learning Garden at the 10th annual Dine in the Dirt event.
Faith Calvin, Opaa!’s director of nutrition services for Southern Boone School District, assembled an autumn harvest feast of tender herb-crusted pork loin with warm roasted apples and onions.
On the side, Calvin prepared vegetables from the garden: a honeycrisp apple broccoli salad, a kale and chard salad with maple balsamic dressing, roasted okra and honey garlic butter roasted carrots.
Jeff Branch cooks hot dogs for Dine in the Dirt on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, at Southern Boone Primary School in Ashland. This is his second year cooking for the fundraiser and is a continued supporter of the Southern Boone Learning Garden.
