Edible English marries Kenmare Stories

Written by:
The Edible English/Kenmare Stories students: Lourdes Aviles, Malisa Azzarello, Coco Barker, Dana Hess and Leticia Valdivieso.


We were the Pioneers of Kenmare stories, a simple school wide interview project which has grown into an advanced multimedia course. For our first project, we interviewed the staff of the York Street project and our Kenmare teachers. Armed with old tape recorders and disposable cameras , we managed to work with what we had.

By the second trimester we were more comfortable with our "not getting any younger" equipment. Still , importing audio into PowerPoint was challenging. The audio sounded like a 1933 LP, full of hissing and sizzles. Thinking we were getting good photographs with our disposable cameras turned out ,in the end, to be a big blur.

Once summer was over and school started in September, we were thrilled to find out that we were going to work with new equipment -- and that we were marrying the interview project with Edible English and there would be no divorce. This time around for our interviews, we were fortunate to have two sets of state-of- the- art audio equipment and software donated to us by Notre Dame Parish in North Caldwell. We also received "Swank," a complete multimedia desk top center and accompanying sound system, and two Nikon COOLPIX cameras donated by Michael and Michele Mathews. Michael had attended one of our interview project presentations and was impressed by our work, but he immediately saw the need for upgraded technology and equipment.

Eager to get started, we had to first learn the "how-tos" of the cameras, Audacity --our audio editing program -- and the Edirol R-09, an audio device used by professional journalists. Several guests -- from professional sound services to AP and Gannett editors, as well as a freelance photographer and a photo editor at The Record -- came to teach us hands-on techniques for our upcoming interviews in the field. Literally.


In the field, and by that we mean Dreyer's Farm in Cranford, we interviewed Jessica Dreyer and her Uncle Henry Dreyer and some employees. With the Edirols and handheld mics in hand, we covered everything from the farm's history to working with family and what it's like running a local farm. We also wanted to know how Jessica balances motherhood and seriously, can a woman help run a farm and still manage mani/pedis? We also captured ambient sounds like rain, the tractor, sprinklers and people walking in the dirt because this experience was as much about place as it was people.

With the new cameras, we put to use what we were taught: we watched lighting, angles, up close and personal portraits and catching people doing their work like the two women picking string beans and men tying haystacks.

After a delightful morning at the farm, we were treated to an exquisite four course meal at Boulevard Five 72 in Kennilworth. Chef Scott Snyder gave us a 15-minute interview where we discussed what inspired him to be a chef, his feelings about shopping with local farmers -- including the Dreyers -- and only serving seasonal food.