Week 7

That's a lovely cucumber flower above; there are many of them this year, for the weather remains sublime.

Our first crop of Red Russian kale, which we were cutting as a baby green, suffered the trials and tribulations of the crazy spring weather, and I was never terribly happy with it.  This second crop is beautiful, and you get a bag full in this week's share.  If you haven't heard, kale is possibly the world's greatest food, for the following reasons:

• Anti-cancer benefits from its glucosinolates, carotenoids (lutein and beta-carotene) and flavonoids. Kale has been researched a bunch lately. Studies discovered that the isothiocyanates in the kale help bladder, breast, colon, ovary and prostate cancer. Kale turns off bad genes that cause cancer.
• Antioxidants:  Kale contains 45 different flavonoids (like Quercetin) which act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Other cruciferous vegetables containing antioxidants include broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, kohlrabi, pak choi but a surprising number of other vegetables are also in this family—see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruciferous_vegetables
• Kale relieves oxidative stress responsible for diseases such as cataracts, atherosclerosis and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Decreases cholesterol: Kale works better at cholesterol removal when steamed because the fiber in it can bind better to bile acids in the digestive tract. This process is part of the cholesterol lowering effect.
• Detoxifies the liver by affecting both Phase I and Phase II detoxification. Kale helps to detoxify the body as all dark green leafy vegetables to because they support these liver functions.
• Anti-inflammatory
• High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Excellent source of Vitamin K (better than any of the World’s Healthiest 135 Foods and twice the amount of other cruciferous foods.) See these foods here: http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php
• Kale is an excellent or very good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber, copper, tryptophan, calcium, vitamin B6 and potassium. It is also quite good in iron, magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin B2, protein, Vitamin B1, folate, phosphorous and vitamin B3.

We had this yummy kale and polenta pie the other night.  We're low on the wonderful Cayuga Pure Organics polenta in the stand, but I'll try to have more for the weekend.

This week's share of 8 items:

Beans!!! (Timing was right for some rally tender beans this week--and the plants are loaded for more for next!)

Baby asian eggplant--very tender and tasty

Zucchini/summer squash--likely just one apiece, but really, how much do you need?

Head of Lettuce--these are lettuces bred for summer heat--they have a slight, very interesting bitterness to them--delicious on their own, but paired nicely with a smooth cheese, cucumbers, or pine nuts...

Basil or Chives

Red Russian Kale

Spring Onions--I could eat these all by themselves simple sautéed in butter.

Pint of blueberries or half pint of blackberries or sour cherries or some sweet cherries of light quarts of apricots

We have Water Buffalo cheese, Woodland Farm Peaches, beef, chicken and bacon--all pastured--at the farm stand.

These are some very nice micro greens (basil/kale/cress), chard, and lettuce-like mustard, along with the last of the radishes for the spring.  Cucumbers are coming in nicely, and are at the stand, but not enough for the share this week.

Still waiting on ripe tomatoes...