Strawberries: An Elixir of Spring! By: Paula M. Youmell (Cooking destroys the precious style of nutrition, i.e.: eat bananas and nutritious Vitamin C). I ate for potassium, carrots for vitamin Strawberries are these exqui- them! A, whole grains for B vitamins, sitely delightful red gifts from These tiny wild delicacies were broccoli for calcium… etc. Seri- nature. When at peak sun-rip- cross bred with the walnut sized ously, I am about whole foods as ened readiness their color and strawberry of Chile in the early the synergy of their nutrients is scent is a beacon to the senses. 1800s. This cross breeding pro- far greater in regards to human Plucking one from the plant (or duced what we know, pick, and health than picking apart food plucking from a berry box) is love today as the garden variety for their individual nutrients. pure delight. The eyes hone in on of strawberry. With that said, strawberries are a the vibrant red color, the finger’s Strawberries are high in Vi- powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, nerve endings are charmed by tamin C. As a spring and early anti-oxidants, fiber, phyto-nutri- the satiny skin peppered with summer food this vitamin C is ents, and so much more we still seeds, the nose… well it knows it a gift as it continues to help the know zero about. Eat fresh, local wants some of that sweet essence, strawberries; your body cells will the ears perk up with the gentle thank you! crunch of your teeth sinking into Healing properties of Straw- the sweet and luscious flesh, and berries your taste buds dance to the mes- This is where I go back to the (Fertility teas are often blends of and very sweet; their true flavor merizing flavor in your mouth. elixir part as strawberries are several herbs, not just strawberry develops on the vine. Strawber- Strawberries literally create a an excellent late spring tonic. leaves.) ries trucked in from California symphony in your senses. Their healing properties target The rhizomes of the plant are have been picked before ripening; Did I mention strawberries are the stomach, lungs, liver, spleen, used for similar medicinal proper- otherwise they would rot before good for you? They are good for and pancreas. Chemical con- ties as the older leaves and to treat arriving at their destination, and you in so many more ways than body detox from the heavy foods stituents in strawberries help to intestinal ills and urinary tract never fully ripen and develop the the cellular health I am constantly of a long winter. break down excess liver toxins. symptoms. tell-tale strawberry sweetness. reminding everyone about. (And Vitamin C functions in your Strawberries are anti-viral, help Mashed strawberries are a Shopping hint: always buy or- yet, it all really boils down to cel- body: increase appetite (useful for those wonderful astringent poultice ganic. Strawberries are a heavily lular health. But, don’t boil your healing from cancer), and have in- for the skin. Regular strawberry pesticide sprayed agricultural strawberries! See below for more • repairs body cells (Did you ternal moistening and lubricating masks are considered a wonder- crop. I have heard tales told that information on not heating these think I would not again properties. Add the moisture and ful treatment for fine lines and conventionally grown strawber- precious icons of late spring.) mention your beautiful body lubrication to the fiber and you wrinkles. (But please, eat the ries can be liquefied and sprayed Where did these little pleasure cells?), have what all berries are so good mash when you are done your as a pesticide! gems come from? If you are • keeps skin and collagen at: relieving constipation! spa treatment. No need to waste Have I effectively made you familiar and friendly with wild youthful, Young strawberries leaves such amazing berries!) Strawberry excited for strawberry season? strawberries, your life has been • increases iron absorption, are edible raw or cooked and plants and berries are also used, Will you be waiting at the Co-op touched by a gift. Wild strawber- • is pivotal in glandular health, high in many vitamins (Used both internally and externally, to door for the first delivery of local ries, at perfect ripeness, are the • necessary for many other for the treatment and prevention treat eczema. Internally straw- berries? epitome of what a strawberry is nutrients to be utilized, of scurvy because of their high berries are considered a blood If you would like more per- all about. Wild strawberry pickers • keeps immune health, well, vitamin C content.) and minerals. purifier and builder, ridding the sonalized attention following know the frustration in these little healthy, Older strawberry leaves are high body of the toxins that contribute these steps and achieving your gems; they are tiny! I once picked • promotes wound healing, in Vitamin C as well. Steep the to skin outbreaks. Externally they health goals, please contact Paula an eight ounce cup to go into this • protects against blood clots older leaves in hot water, covered, are astringent and moisturizing Youmell to set up a Nutrition Native American Corn Bread and bruising, to brew a medicinal tea. This tea / lubricating to eczema irritated and Health Consultation. I can recipe I was bent on baking up. • prevents and heals scurvy, and is used as a systemic astringent, skin. be reached at the above contact By the time I had 1 whole cup, I so much more. tonic, diuretic, for rheumatism, to Eating Strawberries: Your best information. refused to put them into a batter tighten gums, and to increase fer- bet is to always buy local straw- Enjoy radiant health today and to be cooked at 350 F in my oven I am not big on the reductionist tility in both males and females. berries as they are vine ripened every day! SPRING IS HERE Finally. By: Jackie Miller by mistake and we decided it Another item requested by there is a mix of colors would just be easier to keep it a customer is PERPETUAL CARNATION CAN CAN Once again I give a big thank instead of sending it back. SPINACH aka Leaf Beet, use SCARLET a dwarf 10” car- you to all our packagers who, We have two new Greens as you would Spinach or Chard nation, should bloom the first for quite a few years now, have requested by customers, TOMATO ROSE DE year. done great work packaging up AMARANTH OPOPEO BERNE comes highly rec- our seeds for sale. which is grown mainly for its ommended by one of the seed I’m writing this on March seeds (it is one of the 7 ancient committee who grew it last Once again: 29th and the seeds have now grains) although it makes a year. It’s a pinkish color and been on the shelves since Feb- stunning sight in Vegetable or known in Europe as one of THANK YOU ruary 22nd. All we need now is flower beds. It can grow to 5 their best tasting Tomatoes. some sunny warm weather to feet so keep about 3 feet be- THAI BASIL lots of cus- PACKAGERS! start getting us all in the mood tween plants. Young leaves can tomers have asked for this to plant. Onions, Peppers and also be eaten up until it starts to one. It has a strong licorice I couldn’t do the job without Tomatoes should have been flower. flavor yet smells like cloves. you. seeded by this date. GOLDEN PURSLANE Small leaves and purple stems. There are a few changes to which is a better behaved, more Should look good in pots and the seeds this year, they are: upright plant, than its wild flower beds too. Top Notch Golden Wax Bean cousin the Common Purslane. ZINNIA CRYSTAL WHITE was changed to KINGHORN Used in Mesclun mixes with we can no longer get just the because Kinghorn was ordered golden green leaves. white by itself so this year Spring 2015 | potsdamcoop.com 1 The Goddess of Baking Says Goodbye By: Teresa Stone Sometimes life has a way of would bake and fill orders for my sion of teaching fitness classes, As of June 1, 2015 Artemis Bak- taking you on a different path various customers – the Potsdam volunteering in the classroom, ers will no longer stock that end It seems hard to believe that than you may have set out on. Food Co-op being the longest of being able to nurse that unexpect- cap shelf that we all know and it’s been 14 years since I first When I found myself on that those. For years my kids (and ed sick child between batches of have such a hard time resisting. started delivering Artemis Bakers unexpected path, I had a couple their friends) would come home cookies, or a late night of baking It takes a village, as the saying products to the Potsdam Food Co- of friends that turned me down from school to the smell of fresh so that I could go on that why- goes, and I couldn’t have asked op. I never would have believed a road I had no idea would be so baked cookies or muffins and did-I-volunteer-for-this field trip for a better “village” to live, work it while I was in college (or even long, or would lead me to such comment about how good our to the zoo or apple orchard – I and raise my family. I am grate- later in my 20’s while I was a wonderful opportunities. It all house always smelled – some- would quickly remember why I ful to the Co-op and all the people young professional in Princeton, started with three amazing women thing that I had stopped noticing was doing the work I did.