So here we are, winter fast approaching and the harvest season is winding down. It has been a busy year! Spring was crazy busy - but then the energy of spring is always infectious as everything in our world kickstarts in to gear: buds start shooting, babies are born, flowers bloom, insects sound and birds start returning.
Summer has a different feel - by then mother nature has settled down to work, and there is constant rythm and steady on-slaught of things to be done in the garden. The to do list just never shortens and you just move from one task to the other.
Fall is special, you can almost hear mother nature heave a sigh, she is tired now and as the last leaves fall you can imagine her rubbing her eyes with a yawn as she pushes out the last harvestable bounty. All the little critters start to ready themselves for the cold to come - birds head south, hibernators harvest and ladybugs come inside.
Winter is on her way and she has her teeth in, a time to rest, a time to reflect. The world outside goes quiet and we have a moment to appreciate the year and be still, waiting, watching for the first craziness of spring.
I love this time of year.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Putting variety in our diets
I wonder how many families can truthfully say they enjoy more than 15 varieties of fruits and vegetables in their diet each month! How many can say they eat more than 10 even?
Variety is supposed to be good for you, it ensures that you don't eat too much of any one thing which could lead to illnesses and deficiencies. I hear all the time - I ALWAYS serve at least two vegetables with dinner! That's great, but is it enough when those two vegetables are a choice of peas, carrots, beans, broccoli or squash?
Years ago, bored with off-the-shelf produce items, families' choices started to lean toward the exotic: avocados, olives, kiwi fruit, star fruit, mangoes. Now thanks to our wonderful infrastructure of roads, airports, rails, and shipping lanes - not to mention loads of carbon fuels, these produce items have become more main-stream. As we accept the environmental cost of these choices the new trend seems to be to go back to grass roots and eat local. But perhaps we just need to realize that variety is wonderful, and we don't have to go overseas to get it. Years ago Indians survived on over 11,000 plant species, I read that somewhere, however today 80% of agriculture comprises of just 10 crops, maize being the front-runner.
So how do we get variety and eat local? Well, Berkshire Organics has an answer. They put together a box of fresh locally sourced produce for delivery to residents and they offer the option to make substitutions. But I rather like the approach of get your box, and cook with what's in it - like some reality TV show! Since they don't service our area, we, my family and I in partnership with Berkshire Organics, are embarking on a journey to offer local residents this service! We start December 1st and I have to say, it is somewhat scary, exhilarating and exciting all at the same time.
We have so many hopes for this new venture, mostly we want it to become a value add to the community, connecting people to their food and the farmers that grow it, but also, I hope families are up to the challenge of eating healthier fresh food, and also up to the challenge of making meals out of what is in their boxes. Crop rotations and smaller farms mean that almost anything is possible, so I want to say go ahead and substitute if you must but really, is there no way you can prepare the offending item in a way that you could find palatable? Let's look to the land for what is fresh and in season, and let’s find a way to bring it to our dinner tables with flair and gratitude for the harvest.
So, here we go, on a live-green-eat-fresh rollercoaster ride for sure, and here's to bringing back the obscure parsnips, and celebrating kale - a timeless staple, let's eat blushing beets and devour voluptuous eggplants. Join us, step out of your comfort zone and bring excitement back to the words: dinner is served!
Variety is supposed to be good for you, it ensures that you don't eat too much of any one thing which could lead to illnesses and deficiencies. I hear all the time - I ALWAYS serve at least two vegetables with dinner! That's great, but is it enough when those two vegetables are a choice of peas, carrots, beans, broccoli or squash?
Years ago, bored with off-the-shelf produce items, families' choices started to lean toward the exotic: avocados, olives, kiwi fruit, star fruit, mangoes. Now thanks to our wonderful infrastructure of roads, airports, rails, and shipping lanes - not to mention loads of carbon fuels, these produce items have become more main-stream. As we accept the environmental cost of these choices the new trend seems to be to go back to grass roots and eat local. But perhaps we just need to realize that variety is wonderful, and we don't have to go overseas to get it. Years ago Indians survived on over 11,000 plant species, I read that somewhere, however today 80% of agriculture comprises of just 10 crops, maize being the front-runner.
So how do we get variety and eat local? Well, Berkshire Organics has an answer. They put together a box of fresh locally sourced produce for delivery to residents and they offer the option to make substitutions. But I rather like the approach of get your box, and cook with what's in it - like some reality TV show! Since they don't service our area, we, my family and I in partnership with Berkshire Organics, are embarking on a journey to offer local residents this service! We start December 1st and I have to say, it is somewhat scary, exhilarating and exciting all at the same time.
We have so many hopes for this new venture, mostly we want it to become a value add to the community, connecting people to their food and the farmers that grow it, but also, I hope families are up to the challenge of eating healthier fresh food, and also up to the challenge of making meals out of what is in their boxes. Crop rotations and smaller farms mean that almost anything is possible, so I want to say go ahead and substitute if you must but really, is there no way you can prepare the offending item in a way that you could find palatable? Let's look to the land for what is fresh and in season, and let’s find a way to bring it to our dinner tables with flair and gratitude for the harvest.
So, here we go, on a live-green-eat-fresh rollercoaster ride for sure, and here's to bringing back the obscure parsnips, and celebrating kale - a timeless staple, let's eat blushing beets and devour voluptuous eggplants. Join us, step out of your comfort zone and bring excitement back to the words: dinner is served!
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