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Winter Squash, Brianne Sherwood
Winter Squash, Brianne Sherwood
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Winter squash is one of the most fun vegetables of the season because there are so many shapes and sizes! Butternut is probably the most popular winter squash and is a very delicious one, but there are so many more. Hubbard, Buttercup, Sqaghetti, Delicata, and Banana squash are a few to try this season. Winter squash is named as such because it keeps over the winter months, not because it becomes ripe in winter (even though summer squash becomes ripe in summer).
Corn, Brianne Sherwood, Amanda Hawks
Corn, Brianne Sherwood, Amanda Hawks
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
We have so much corn right now it's coming out of our ears (great pun, right?). And it's SO incredibly cheap! This is probably because the US produces 42% of the world's corn! Most of it is used for animal feed, but other uses include exporting to other countries, human food, seed, and industrial uses such as ethanol production. Because there is so much corn available here in the U.S. You can find it in a lot more foods than you think. It's in peanut butter, snack foods, soft drinks, multivitamins, ketchup, mustard, ground beef, and frozen yogurt just to …
Carrots, Elisabeth Inman, Keenen Crummitt
Carrots, Elisabeth Inman, Keenen Crummitt
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Carrots are a versatile vegetable. They are great raw and cooked in many different ways. They are the most common of all root vegetables, relatively cheap, and available all year round. They are one of the most popular vegetables here in the U.S. as well. Widely identified by young and old alike, the average carrot consumption is one cup of carrots per week in the U.S.
Eggplant, Elisabeth Inman
Eggplant, Elisabeth Inman
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Eggplants come in many different colors, shapes and sizes. Although we most often see the dark purple oblong ones, the eggplant was actually named for a white, egg-shaped variety. Each type has a little different texture and flavor and can range from very small to quite large. Generally, larger eggplants with more seeds are more bitter than smaller ones. Eggplants belong to the nightshade family and are related to tomatoes, sweet peppers, and potatoes. They grow similarly to tomatoes, hanging from a vine on a plant near the ground.
Cabbage, Elisabeth Inman, Keenen Crummitt
Cabbage, Elisabeth Inman, Keenen Crummitt
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
The cabbage varieties we have on the farm this year are Bilko cabbage (which is similar to Napa cabbage), tatsoi, pak choi (a type of Chinese cabbage), and Red Express cabbage (which is a red cabbage variety). Cabbage is a relative of Brussels sprouts, which are almost identical in form, as well as broccoli, kohlrabi, cauliflower, collard greens and kale. Winter cabbage (another cabbage variety) can withstand winter conditions in mild regions such as in the southern United States, so cabbage can be enjoyed all year long in many parts of the world.
Tomatoes, Elizabeth Inman, Amanda Hawks
Tomatoes, Elizabeth Inman, Amanda Hawks
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Some say that the tomato is the ultimate summer produce. Tomatoes have so much history. Tomatoes are thought to have originated in South America, although Italian cuisine is probably the most associated with them. Early American colonists thought of the tomato as a poison until 1820. Today, more than 60 million tons of tomatoes are produced each year for consumption and the average American eats 80 pounds per year! California is the world's largest producer of processed tomatoes.
Green Beans, Brianne Sherwood, Elizabeth Inman
Green Beans, Brianne Sherwood, Elizabeth Inman
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Green beans are thought to have originated in Peru and spread through South and Central America by Indian tribes. Spanish explorers introduced them into Europe in the 16th century. Surveys indicate that 60% of commercially grown green beans are produced in the United States. Particularly, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin produce the greatest amount of green beans in the United States.
Cucumbers, Brianne Sherwood
Cucumbers, Brianne Sherwood
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
There is a reason for the saying "cool as a cucumber." Cucumbers can be 20 degrees cooler on the inside than the outside temperature. It loves sunshine and is one of summer's favorite fruits (yes, it is a fruit because it has seeds. Interesting). Cucumbers are a member of the gourd family, which also includes pumpkins, zucchini, watermelon, and other squashes. Cucumbers are available year round, but honestly I wouldn't touch a cucumber until summertime, which is about August in Logan. If you think you don't like cucumbers, try a local one. It may change your mind. It certainly changed …
Peppers, Brianne Sherwood
Peppers, Brianne Sherwood
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Bell peppers can brighten up any dish with all the colors they can be! Peppers come in seven different colors: red, yellow, orange, green, purple, and the less known- brown, and ivory. What's interesting is that all peppers start out green when they're growing. They turn their genetically determined color as they mature. Some varieties mature and stay green and sometimes bell peppers are just picked early and sold as green peppers. As you've probably noticed, bell peppers become sweeter as they mature, so red peppers will be sweeter than green. One interesting fact, purple peppers are actually green on …
Summer Squash, Brianne Sherwood, Elizabeth Inman
Summer Squash, Brianne Sherwood, Elizabeth Inman
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Summer squash is a soft-shelled vegetable with a whiter meat inside. It is fairly common and easy to grow about anywhere as long as there is a warm season. There are over twenty varieties of summer squash. This year on the farm we have crookneck squash (the light yellow squash with a curved neck), magna squash (the wide green one with light green stripes), yellow zucchini, and green zucchini. Summer squash is actually picked when it is still immature. Because of this the outer skin can be eaten unlike some other types of squash. It is best when smaller as …
Beets, Brianne Sherwood
Beets, Brianne Sherwood
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
The beet is such a unique vegetable. They are packed full of nutrients, including folate, manganese, potassium, vitamin C, copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and fiber. Besides all these vitamins and minerals, beets are full of betalains, which act as potent cancer fighters. Betalains are also what gives beets their intense purple color.
Kohlrabi, Brianne Sherwood
Kohlrabi, Brianne Sherwood
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Kohlrabi may look like it's from another planet with the weird stems coming out of it's bulb and the unique flavor, but it's actually really, really tasty. Honestly, it's one of my personal favorites from the entire garden. Although kohlrabi is very popular in Eastern Europe, it's not very popular in the Western world YET, but will most likely gain popularity. It's being seen in more and more farmer's markets across the country. I would say the flavor is more of a mix between broccoli and cabbage with the texture of a radish. So really, it's like eating three vegetables …
Peas, Brianne Sherwood
Peas, Brianne Sherwood
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
There are three common types of peas: shelling peas, snow peas, and sugar snap peas (shown below, in order). We grow snow peas this year on our farm, which are flat and great flash-cooked in Asian dishes.
Mustard Greens, Elisabeth Inman
Mustard Greens, Elisabeth Inman
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Mustard greens are the leaves of the mustard plant. The leaves look similar to kale, but are more delicately flavored, with a slight hint of mustard (of course). Mustard greens have large, bright green leaves that are frilled or scalloped around the edge and have a slightly fuzzy surface. Some varieties of mustard greens have a stronger flavor than others. Chinese mustard greens, which are used in many Asian dishes, have a strongly bitter taste.
Swiss Chard, Elisabeth Inman
Swiss Chard, Elisabeth Inman
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Chard, commonly referred to as Swiss chard, belongs to the same family as beets and spinach. Although its name suggests that it originated in Switzerland, chard is actually native to the Mediterranean region and is known to have first been grown in Sicily. The name, Swiss chard, originated because a Swiss scientist determined its scientific name.
Radishes, Brianne Sherwood
Radishes, Brianne Sherwood
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Radishes are often a vegetable that are disregarded as a garnish or something you simply throw on salads, but they have a lot more in them then people typically think. I'll admit, I was one of those people that thought of radishes as quite boring, but the more and more I researched them and experimented, the more I realized that there are so many delicious things you can do with them. For instance, COOKING them- an idea I have previously been against(you aren't supposed to cook radishes, right?) but now love. Look in the "Conquering the Bounty" box for several …
Green Onions, Elisabeth Inman
Green Onions, Elisabeth Inman
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Green onions, also known as scallions, have a small root bulb with hollow green leaves. They are harvested for their taste, which is milder than most other onions, and are softer in texture, because they are usually fresher. Because of their mild taste, green onions can be a hidden ingredient in many dishes. They will take on the flavor of any dish and can add a subtle zing or be the star of the show by bringing both flavor and color to a dish. Their small size makes them useful as a garnish. They are often used to garnish salads, …
Spinach, Elisabeth Inman
Spinach, Elisabeth Inman
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Spinach is believed to originate in Persia ␣ modern-day Iran. It was introduced in China over 10 centuries ago and in America only about 3 centuries ago. Spinach is currently produced year-round in the United States with California being the major producer here. However, China produces about 85% of the world's spinach whereas the United States only produces a mere 3%.
Kale, Brianne Sherwood
Kale, Brianne Sherwood
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
Kale is the super hero of vegetables. If you have ever gardened you know that kale is super hardy and will withstand even the coldest of frosts. It ALSO has been recognized for it’s amazing health benefits, nutrient richness, and delicious flavor. Kale has the most nutrients per calorie than almost any other food around, making it one of the healthiest vegetables. The more you know about kale, the more you fall in love with it, especially when you know your favorite ways to cook it.
Lettuce, Brianne Sherwood
Lettuce, Brianne Sherwood
USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter
There are so many varieties of lettuce! Just on our farm we have EIGHT varieties: deertongue, black seeded simpson, four seasons, red sails, two star, red grand rapids, benito, and green salad bowl lettuce. Come to the farm and check them out or take a peek in the hoop houses next week when you pick up your share.