Eating What We Grow: Choosing and Preparing Vermont--Grown Fruits & Vegetables Acknowledgements Introduction Recipes and more Apples Asparagus Beets Blackberries & Raspberries Blueberries Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Corn Cucumbers Eggplant Green Beans Greens for cooking Herbs Jerusalem Artichoke Kohlrabi Leeks Melons Peas Peppers Potatoes Pumpkins Rhubarb Root Vegetables Salad Greens Spinach Strawberries Tomatoes Winter Squash Zucchini/Summer Squash References Acknowledgments Authors: Linda Berlin, Nutrition Specialist, UVM Extension Sara Burczy, Nutrition and Food Specialist, UVM Extension Kelley Chaloux, Vermont Anti-Hunger Corps Member Heather Danis, EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program) Coordinator, UVM Extension Dianne Lamb, Family Development and Nutrition Specialist, UVM Extension Diane Mincher, Nutrition and Food Safety Specialist, UVM Extension Karen Schneider, Food Safety Specialist, UVM Extension Dale Steen, Nutrition and Food Safety Specialist, UVM Extension Michele Wheeler*, Vermont Farm Share Program Coordinator, Northeast Organic Farming Organization - Vermont (NOFA-VT) Editor: Meg Ashman, Publications Editor, UVM Extension Graphic Designer: Robert Fardelmann, Graphics Director, UVM Extension Photographer: Laury Shea Recipe Support/Organization: Rose Goodman, Secretary, UVM Extension Proofreader: Cathy Yandow, Information Systems Assistant, UVM Extension * Special thanks to Michele Wheeler for her substantial contributions to this book. Michele coordinates the Vermont Farm Share Program, which provides low-income families with half-price memberships in Com- munity Supported Agriculture programs all across the state. Vermont Farm Share is sponsored by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT), a nonprofit membership organization of farmers, gardeners, and consumers. NOFA-VT works to promote a healthy, safe food system in Vermont. For more information about Farm Share or any other NOFA-VT programs, call 434-4122, or find them on the Web at www.nofavt.org. ii Introduction and handling of fruits and if you think about it, what vegetables to maintain fresh- tastes better than a Vermont- ness and decrease waste. grown ripe tomato, crisp Under each section de- apple, or fresh ear of corn? If voted to a particular fruit or you like to eat well, then Overview vegetable, discover interest- you’ve surely tasted our local ing tidbits about the history produce. Welcome to Eating What and nutritional value of the In addition to taste and We Grow: Choosing and Prepar- produce, as well as the herbs the positive connection that ing Vermont-Grown Fruits and that are good choices to use most people make with the Vegetables. This book is de- when preparing the item. In concept of Vermont-grown, signed to help you select, the pocket of the book, find a there are lots of other reasons store, prepare, and enjoy the list of resources for further that you might choose to pur- abundance of produce grown information, as well as a chase fruits or vegetables in our state. We are all fortu- guide to Vermont’s farmers’ grown in Vermont. nate to live in a place as beau- markets and Community If you shop at your local tiful as Vermont with rolling Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers’ market, then you farmland as far as the eye farms. To learn more about might meet the farmer who can see. We hope that the how CSA farms work, see the grew the food. This means Vermont producers who section on where to purchase that you can ask questions make their livelihoods on locally grown produce. Con- about how it was grown. Or farms will prosper for years sider your journey through if you don’t ask questions, be- to come. By purchasing Ver- this book the beginning of cause it is grown locally you mont-grown produce, we a lifelong adventure into may feel more confident can all contribute to the the world of delicious Ver- about the care that went into future success of Vermont mont-grown fruits and producing the item. agriculture. vegetables. Foods grown locally are While most of this book also likely to be pretty fresh. provides tasty, nutritious reci- If you buy produce at the pes that feature Vermont- farmers’ market, then chances grown produce, the book of- are it was picked within the fers much more. Take some past day. Vermont-grown pro- time to explore the beginning duce sold through a super- pages. Check out the seasonal Why buy foods market or other store may calendar (page 4) that will also be fresher than the same give you an idea of when lo- produced locally? type of food shipped in from cal produce is available. Read another part of the country. about the nutritional value of Foods grown in Vermont Freshness can be an advan- fresh produce, and the pow- hold a special place in most tage for a number of reasons. erhouse fruits and vegetables people’s hearts for many rea- The more recently a fruit or that are the best sources of sons. Vermont brings to mind vegetable was picked, the key nutrients. Become more a purity that people like to more likely it is to be high in informed about the storage connect with their food. And some vitamins that are lost 1 over time. Fresh produce also and times, check the current stores longer when you get list in the back pocket of this home, giving you more time book. to use it before it goes bad. And finally, fresh produce CSA Farms usually tastes better than Where to A Community Supported something that was sitting Agriculture (CSA) farm sells around for a while. purchase locally season ‘subscriptions’ each In addition to the benefits grown fruits and spring. This means that a that you might experience di- household pays a set price to rectly from purchasing food vegetables receive a bag of just-picked grown locally, there are other produce each week during reasons to think about pur- While many stores and the growing season. There are chasing locally grown prod- markets offer a wide selection often fruits, herbs, flowers, or ucts. By buying food pro- of produce, not all of them pick-your-own crops in addi- duced on local farms, you are carry locally grown items. tion to the vegetables. Mem- helping to keep those farms in Often there is a sign that says bers get to know and support business. Not only is this something is locally grown, a local farm through their good for the farmer, but ev- but not always. You may participation in a CSA. Each eryone can enjoy the beautiful need to ask. The following farm sets its own price, share rural landscapes for which descriptions give you an idea sizes, and length of season. this state is known. of places to go for local, fresh Check the back pocket of this The indirect impact that fruits and vegetables. book for an up-to-date list of your purchase has on the en- CSAs in Vermont. Roadside Farm Stands vironment is another consid- This is the most informal Food Co-ops and Natural eration. A lot more fossil fuel method of selling directly to Food Stores may be used transporting a customers. Farm stands range These stores often support head of lettuce from Califor- from highly organized large Vermont growers by selling nia than is used getting it to farm operations down to a an assortment of locally the store or farmers’ market neighbor selling off a bumper grown produce in season. For from the farm down the crop of cucumbers from a freshness and superior flavor road. More use of fossil fuel card table in the driveway. varieties, check out the selec- means more polluted air. Keep an eye out this summer tion at a store near you. While there are many fac- for roadside stands. It’s a fun tors to think about when de- Supermarkets way to buy fresh foods at a ciding what food to purchase, Some chain supermarkets reasonable cost. cost is often a main consider- will stock locally grown pro- ation if you’re on a tight bud- Farmers’ Markets duce—usually from larger get. A locally grown item may As community gathering commercial growers. To in- be more expensive because it places, farmers’ markets offer crease the availability of Ver- costs more to grow food on fresh-picked produce, farm- mont-grown foods at a chain smaller farms that don’t use processed products, and lo- supermarket, be sure to talk as much machinery, so the lo- cally made crafts. Vermont to the produce manager and cal farmer has to charge more has farmers’ markets in small let him or her know that you to make a living. Only you towns and cities all around would like to have locally can decide whether the ad- the state. Markets usually run grown foods offered as an vantages of purchasing the lo- from June until the end of Oc- option. cal item outweigh the costs. tober. For locations, days, 2 gust, when there isn’t much ing “eat your vegetables.” But local lettuce around because you may not know just how the weather is often too hot important they really are. We for lettuce to do well. But now know that eating lots of when the weather cools down fruits and vegetables is one of again in September, local let- the most important choices you When tuce does well. Notice that the can make to help maintain local produce is area under September is your health. Research shows available shaded for lettuce to show its that eating plenty of fruits and availability. vegetables may help lower On the chart you will also your risk of certain diseases, The Vermont growing sea- notice that some locally including heart disease and son is shorter than in many grown products may only be cancer.