2020 – Summer Week 2 Newsletter

As you have noticed, and probably expected, there are plenty of crops to make salads in the springtime.  Although there are different varieties of lettuce for the entire growing season, spinach, asian greens, arugula, kales and such like the cooler temperatures.  Cole crops, or brassicas, are also like this.  We started off with boc choy, moved into napa and kohlrabi this week, next week we’ll have more broccoli and collards, and then to red and green cabbage. It does not look like the cauliflower will make it this spring.  All these crops will come back around as the weather turns cooler in the fall again.  All of our hot weather favorites like the peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn and melons are looking in the fields, but still are a good month away from harvest.

One of the cornerstones of CSA is that we get to eat in season – what is growing at this time and in this place is what we deliver in your box.  I recognize that it can be a challenge at times to use everything in the box, or to put together an entire meal with what you get, but it encourages us to be creative and have an adventure in the kitchen.  I have learned so much about food and cooking in my adult life and so look forward to doing lots more of it as I get older.  Happy cooking from our kitchen to yours!!

Hey folks who don’t like cancer! (and everyone else… we don’t discriminate) Today’s crop of the week is a brassica. Colloquially known as the cabbage family, brassicas include broccoli, radishes, brussels sprouts, kale, and more. Brassicas are rich in vitamins C and K, folic acid, and the minerals potassium, iron and selenium.  They also contain Omega 3 fatty acids which, along with vitamin K, play a role in regulating the inflammatory system.

It gets better though, brassicas also contain … you guessed it… carotenoids! Possessing anticancer activity, these carotenoids – lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene to be exact – also protect the eyes against ultraviolet radiation and free radicals that lead to macular disease in senior citizens. (For the science nerds out there: zeaxanthin and lutein are both important components of the macula lutea region of the retina.)

Ever wonder why brassicas often taste bitter? That would be due to their sulfur-rich compounds known as glucosinolates. When crushed, cruciferous vegetables release an enzyme known as myrosinase, breaks down these glucosinolates into more beneficial compounds like isothiocyanates and indoles that pack in an extra chemopreventive punch. Make sure to chew your food people!

Today’s brassica is kohlrabi. Being the lowly intern that I am, I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t know what kohlrabi was before coming to the farm. (I certainly wish I did though; just one cup contains 140% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C!) While it resembles a turnip – or hot air balloon depending on what way you look at it – kohlrabi actually grows above ground, not below. Originating in northern Europe and later becoming a staple of the Hindu diet in India, Kohlrabi has been savored by countless greats along the way. Its mildly sweet flavor and crisp, refreshing texture makes it the perfect addition to a salad, but it’s also tasty steamed, grilled, or stir fried. Since your kohlrabi is on the larger side, you may want to peel it and cut off the woody base before using. Enjoy!