Tomato Pie

Tomato pie ready for the topping

This recipe was shared with us by Margie Diffner. She based it on one from simplyrecipes.com.

Tomato Pie

1 9″ pie crust
1/2 cup chopped yellow or red onion
3-4 tomatoes, cut in half, squeezed to remove excess juice, roughly chopped, to yield  about 3 cups. Margie sliced hers as in the photo and let the slices drain onto a paper towel, but did not squeeze them. It made for a juicier pie, but the juice has so much flavor that otherwise would have been lost.
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
2 cups grated cheese (Monterey Jack, Gruyere or Mozzarella all work, or combine)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. hot sauce (like Tabasco. You could also use 1/4 tsp. cayenne, or chop a Jalapeno or Poblano pepper to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F, then pre-bake the crust until golden. Lightly salt chopped tomatoes and set them in a colander over a bowl to drain while you are pre-baking the crust.

Sprinkle a layer of chopped onion over the bottom. Spread the tomatoes over the onions. Sprinkle the sliced basil over the tomatoes.

In a medium bowl, mix together the grated cheese, mayonnaise, Tabasco, and a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper. The mixture should be the consistency of a gooey snowball. Spread the cheese mixture over the tomatoes.

Place in oven and bake until browned and bubbly, anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

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Meal Plan: General

Asian Mandarin Pork Tortillas

Produce manager EJ shows off her stock of mandarin oranges.

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb pork chops, bone removed, cut into thin strips
½ cup teriyaki or organic soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. onion powder
4 eight-inch flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
3 mandarin oranges, peeled & separated
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

In skillet, heat oil, add pork and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add teriyaki sauce, garlic and onion powder, cook 3 minutes longer.

Place 2/3 cup pork mixture down center of each tortilla. Top with lettuce, oranges and onion. Fold tortilla over filling, turn up top and bottom and roll the rest to close. Serve with remaining pan sauce drizzled over top.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Nash’s Tomatoes 2018

heirloom tomatoesHeirloom Tomatoes

Heirloom tomatoes are soft and juicy when ripe, and extremely flavorful. Allowing them to ripen on your counter top for a few days until their color is bright and rich will bring out their fullest flavor.

Heirlooms are great where you want to showcase the tomato’s own flavor, such as bruschetta, salsa or sauce or homemade tomato soup. They are soft because of their higher juice content, which will require longer time to cook down, but their intense flavor makes it all worthwhile.


pink berkeley tie-dye tomatoes

Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye heirloom tomatoes

Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye
Psychedelic striping in red, green, and purple distinguish this flavorful tomato with a softer flesh and juicy, mild flavor.

katja heirloom and sungold tomatoes

Katja heirloom tomatoes

Katja
Pink heirloom tomato from Siberia. Irregular in shape and size with a subtle pink sunburst pattern on the bottom of the tomato. Great intense rich flavor. Grower’s favorite pink tomato!

marmond heirloom tomatoes

Marmond heirloom tomatoes

Marmond
A juicy and meaty tomato with a whimsical ribbed shape.

beaverlodge heirloom tomatoes

Beaverlodge heirloom tomatoes

Beaverlodge
Rich and well balanced flavors with a softer texture.


Cherry Tomatoes

Sungold tomatoes

Sungold cherry tomatoes

Sungold
Bright orange cherry tomato with sweet and tangy flavor. Eat them by the handful or dress up your salads with them. Grower’s favorite!

tidy treats cherry tomatoes

Tidy Treats cherry tomatoes

Tidy Treats
Bright, cheery red, this is a classic cherry tomato for salads.

gold nugget tomatoes

Gold Nugget cherry tomatoes

Gold Nugget
Bright yellow sweet/tart cherry tomato.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Kids and Kitchen Safety

Kia’s kiddos love to help in the kitchen — and they love to eat the results!

Tips for Teaching Children to Cook Safely
By Daniel Sherwin

Teaching children to prepare food safely using kitchen tools is one of the best ways to prepare them to be self-reliant and confident around the house. It’s also an excellent way to encourage their help with chores. Kids relish the feeling of achievement they get from cooking dishes their family can enjoy together. The lessons they learn in the kitchen will stay with them for a lifetime, and they’re more likely to gain an understanding of the difference between healthy, natural foods and packaged foods that lack basic nutrition and contribute to obesity. In fact, cooking may be the one lesson they learn around the house that doesn’t feel like a chore.

Safety

Safety is always the first rule of the kitchen. Kids learn about personal safety and food safety at the same time. Food safety means ensuring that ingredients are fresh, prepared according to directions, and cooked at the proper temperatures to ensure they’re cooked through and safe for eating. The kitchen is a good place to instruct children about the need to protect everyone from bacteria and the dangers of contamination. For example, kids need to know that they should never place fresh foods on a plate that raw chicken on it just a moment before, and to always use clean and sterile utensils to prepare food.

Personal safety is an even more important lesson. There’s nothing wrong with letting your children know the seriousness of accidents that can happen in the kitchen. Kitchen knives need to be kept sharp if they’re to be effective. Yet sharp objects are a constant danger in the kitchen, and kids need to learn to handle them safely, keeping them pointed in the opposite direction and always cutting away from their hands. Sharp knives should never be placed in a container with soapy water, into which someone might put their hands unsuspectingly. Similarly, sharp knives should always be placed point down in the dishwasher to prevent inadvertent cuts. Consider having kids practice cutting food items safely to make sure they understand the principles of knife safety.

Emergency protocols

Kids should always be taught how to protect themselves and what to do in the event of a kitchen emergency. If a fire starts, they need to call for an adult right away. If there’s a small grease fire in a cooking pan, teach them never to use water to put it out, and carefully explain why. Instead, use baking soda to put out the fire. Teach them to call 911 if there’s a large kitchen fire. Test your smoke detectors on a regular basis and teach your kids never to leave the kitchen when they’re cooking something, and how to operate a fire extinguisher.

Burns are another common kitchen danger of which kids should be made aware. Make sure they know that pot handles should be turned away from the front of the stove where a metal handle could cause a nasty burn or be knocked over by an unwary young cook. Instruct your kids never to test the temperature of water with their fingers. Great care should always be taken around an open oven door and with dishes that have been heated in the microwave. Safe practices should always be taught for using a toaster (never place a metal object inside), a blender (never place fingers inside when plugged in), and the garbage disposal. All appliances should be turned off and unplugged when your kids are finished with them, and carefully wipe down all kitchen counters to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Always stay with your children while they’re learning to use kitchen tools and appliances, and explain why the lessons you teach are so important to them. As they learn to make dishes, begin with easy ones like scrambled eggs and pudding and allow them to try more complex recipes as they feel able. Gently reinforce safety lessons as needed.

For more information, Daniel recommends these sites:

Cooking – childdevelopmentinfo.com, “Why Kids Should Learn to Cook”
Contamination – thespruceeats.com – “Teach Kids Food and Kitchen Safety”
Kitchen Knives – eatyourbeets.com – “7 Tips for Teaching Your Kids How To Use a Knife”
Risk Prevention – redfin.com – “Tips to Protect Your Home from Fire”
Burns – raisingchildren.net – “Fire and Burns”
Pixabay – pixabay.com

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Pasta with Purple Sprouting Broccoli

purple broccoli with cat

Sparky the Cat loves steamed purple sprouting broccoli.

Lucky us! There is still some purple sprouting broccoli to be had. If you haven’t had it yet, now is your last chance, and if you’ve been munching on it for weeks then you are probably relieved to see it’s still here.

Purple sprouting broccoli is at it’s best between February and April and there are multiple ways to prepare it. Trim any woody stem ends or tough leaves with a knife. Divide into small, individual florets, each with a short stem, and diagonally slice the thicker stems. Rinse under cold water. Broccoli boils or steams in 3-6 minutes, depending on the size of floret. In stir-fries, cook it for a couple of minutes, until tender. It can also be roasted, as the heads become tender and sweet and the leaves crisp up like kale chips. Typically in a 400 degree oven stems will be fork tender after 20 minutes. It provides all of the nutritional benefits of broccoli with some added variety of phytonutrients associated with its purple color.

Food writer Rose Elliot, author of New Complete Vegetarian, is a keen advocate of purple sprouting broccoli and offers the following serving suggestions: “Think asparagus—break the stems where they become tough, or run a potato peeler down the lower stems so you’re left with the tender center. Cook them in a pan with a little boiling water and the lid on, so they are half boiled, half steamed, for 4-6 minutes, until they are tender but not soggy. I love them with melted butter and a squeeze of lemon.”

Pasta with Purple Sprouting Broccoli

2¼ lb purple sprouting broccoli
2 medium-sized fresh red chilies (not too hot)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small tin of anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
Good quality olive oil
12 oz pasta (fusilli, oriecchiette, penne rigate or conchiglie work bet)
4 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan or hard Pecorino cheese
Salt and pepper

Boil a large pan of water with a little salt. Trim the outer leaves and woody stalks from the broccoli. Wash the good bits and chop into ½ inch pieces. Cut the chili in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and pith. Chop the chili flesh, the garlic and the anchovies finely.

In another large pan, warm four tablespoons of olive oil over a medium flame and add the chili, garlic and anchovies. Gently fry these for a minute or so and add the broccoli, season with a little salt and pepper, then continue to cook gently while the pasta boils.

Drop the pasta in the boiling water and stir immediately. Cook until just tender with a little bit of resistance to the bite (al dente).

When the pasta has nearly finished cooking, transfer a small ladle of the cooking water to the broccoli and continue to cook over a high heat until tender.

When cooked, drain the pasta. Add another two tablespoons of oil and the cheese to the broccoli. Toss with the drained pasta and serve immediately.

We thank BBC.com for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Kids & Cooking Safety

Teaching Children to Cook Safely

By Daniel Sherwin

Daniel is a single dad to a 9-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son, and cooking is an activity they all enjoy. Living in rainy Portland, he often finds himself stuck indoors with two young kids who claim there isn’t anything to do. He loves to cook and the kids are always asking for help — he has combined the two and the rest is history.

We thank Daniel for his thoughtful article.

March is National Nutrition Month and what better way to teach your kids about healthy eating than to get them going in the kitchen. I started teaching my kids how to cook because I needed the help. Making dinner is a lot easier when I have two extra pairs of hands rinsing vegetables and mixing ingredients. And I can tell they get a lot of satisfaction and self-confidence from having helped out.

Kids in the kitchen might seem unsafe to some parents, but I’ve found that it makes them more safe. I’ve taught my own kids when to be cautious, what to do in emergencies, and how to safely use utensils, small appliances, and other tools. Here are some hints that will be helpful for any parent.

Teaching children to prepare food safely using kitchen tools is one of the best ways to prepare them to be self-reliant and confident around the house. It’s also an excellent way to encourage their help with chores. Kids relish the feeling of achievement they get from cooking dishes their family can enjoy together. The lessons they learn in the kitchen will stay with them for a lifetime, and they’re more likely to gain an understanding of the difference between healthy, natural foods and packaged foods that lack basic nutrition and contribute to obesity. In fact, cooking may be the one lesson they learn around the house that doesn’t feel like a chore!

Safety

Safety is always the first rule of the kitchen. Kids can learn about personal safety and food safety at the same time. Food safety means ensuring that ingredients are fresh, prepared according to directions, and cooked at the proper temperatures to ensure they’re cooked through and safe for eating.

The kitchen is a good place to instruct children about the need to protect everyone from bacteria and the dangers of contamination. For example, kids need to know that they should never place fresh foods on a plate that had raw chicken on it just moments before, and to always use clean utensils to prepare food.

Personal safety is an even more important lesson. There’s nothing wrong with letting your children know the seriousness of accidents that can happen in the kitchen. Kitchen knives need to be kept sharp if they’re to be effective, yet sharp objects are a constant danger in the kitchen, and kids need to learn to handle them safely, keeping them pointed in the opposite direction and always cutting away from their hands.

Sharp knives should never be placed in a container with soapy water, into which someone might put their hands unsuspectingly. Similarly, sharp knives should always be placed point down in the dishwasher to prevent inadvertent cuts. Consider having kids practice cutting food items safely to make sure they understand the principles of knife safety.

Emergency protocols

Kids should always be taught how to protect themselves and what to do in the event of a kitchen emergency. If a fire starts, they need to call for an adult right away. If there’s a small grease fire in a cooking pan, teach them never to use water to put it out, and carefully explain why. Instead, use baking soda to put out the fire. Teach them to call 911 if there’s a large kitchen fire. Test your smoke detectors on a regular basis and teach your kids never to leave the kitchen when they’re cooking something, and how to operate a fire extinguisher.

Burns are another common kitchen danger of which kids should be made aware. Make sure they know that pot handles should be turned away from the front of the stove where a metal handle could cause a nasty burn or be knocked over by an unwary young cook. Instruct your kids never to test the temperature of water with their fingers. Great care should always be taken around an open oven door and with dishes that have been heated in the microwave. Safe practices should always be taught for using a toaster (never place a metal object inside), a blender (never place fingers inside when plugged in), and the garbage disposal. All appliances should be turned off and unplugged when your kids are finished with them, and carefully wipe down all kitchen counters to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Always stay with your children while they’re learning to use kitchen tools and appliances, and explain why the lessons you teach are so important to them. As they learn to make dishes, begin with easy ones like scrambled eggs and pudding and allow them to try more complex recipes as they feel able. Gently reinforce safety lessons as needed.

For more information, Daniel recommends these sites:

Cooking – childdevelopmentinfo.com, “Why Kids Should Learn to Cook”
Contamination – thespruceeats.com – “Teach Kids Food and Kitchen Safety”
Kitchen Knives – eatyourbeets.com – “7 Tips for Teaching Your Kids How To Use a Knife”
Risk Prevention – redfin.com – “Tips to Protect Your Home from Fire”
Burns – raisingchildren.net – “Fire and Burns”
Pixabay – pixabay.com

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Eating with Kids: Cold-Weather Superfoods

Cold-weather Superfoods!

By Patty McManus and Kia Armstrong, Nash’s Organic Produce

Originally published in Peninsula Families Today, an advertising supplement produced by Peninsula Daily News and & Sequim Gazette

As the seasons change and we get out our coats and turn up the heater, our bodies also experience changes in energy levels, metabolism and even food preferences. We feel the need for “comfort foods”—meals that make us feel warm all over and fortify us against the cold. But if you are just serving up mac ‘n cheese and calling it good, you might not be getting what you need to stay healthy all winter long.

Foods that truly warm us are foods that take longer to grow. These veggies have had more time to accumulate the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (natural plant chemicals that help fight diseases) our bodies need for a strong immune system, and they include most root vegetables (carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, and potatoes) and cruciferous vegetables (kales, cabbages, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts). Compared with lighter, leafy veggies we associate with summer (like lettuces) that tend to grow much more quickly, these roots and crucifers provide the human body with the nutrition and flavors that make winter a season to enjoy.

Local farmers markets have great produce well into the fall and winter months (Port Angeles Farmers Market goes all year long!) Some of these locally-produced vegetables really pack a healthy punch for you and your family.

Carrots

Fall and winter are the best times to enjoy carrots.  Rich in vitamins A and C, potassium and insoluble fiber, carrots also contains magnesium, which relaxes you and aids in muscle recovery. They’re much easier to digest when cooked, and very warming to the body this way as well. Slice into bite-sized pieces and toss ‘em into soups and stews!

The bright orange color comes from beta-carotene, an important precursor to vitamin A, and it protects against macular degeneration and senile cataracts.  Carrots have also been shown to protect against some cancers and cardiovascular disease.

You can steam, mash, sauté, roast, and even grill carrots. They can be candied, grated into salads, added to cookies, soups, stews and quiches. They are one of the most versatile of vegetables!

Beets

Beets get a lot of attention for being a unique source of ‘betalains’, phytonutrients that are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification supportive properties.

Beets are also an excellent source of folate and a very good source of manganese, potassium, and copper. They are rich in dietary fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin B6.

Steaming beets helps maximize their nutrition and flavor. Fill the bottom of the steamer with an inch of water and bring to a rapid boil. Add beets, cover, and steam for 15 minutes. Beets are cooked when you can easily pierce with a fork. Serve on top of salads or sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and serve as a vegetable side dish.

Save those greens! Beet greens are lovely sautéed and offer you the same nutrient density as the root. It’s a two-for-one deal! Prepare them like you would Swiss chard.

Dark, Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens, such as beet greens, kale, chard and collards, thrive in the chill of winter when the rest of the produce section looks bleak. In fact, a frost can sweeten them up, because the plant uses sugar as an antifreeze. Winter greens are particularly rich in vitamins A, C and K. Collards and mustard greens are also excellent sources of folate, important for women of childbearing age.

The phytochemicals found in winter greens help our liver cells excrete toxins. One cup of chopped greens has 100% of the average daily vitamin A requirement and ¾ of the daily vitamin C requirement.

The dark winter greens lend themselves particularly well to soups and stews because they hold up well in the cooking process. But don’t overcook them. Add them towards the end of the cooking time, so that they maintain their nutritional benefits.

Winter Squashes

There are many varieties of winter squash—including pumpkin, butternut, acorn, delicata and spaghetti squash—and they are all excellent choices for winter nutrition. One cup of cooked winter squash has around 80 calories, but is high in both vitamin A (214 percent of the recommended daily value) and vitamin C (33 percent), as well as being a good source of vitamins B6 and K, potassium and folate. Squash’s high fiber makes it especially filling, yet it’s one of the easiest veggies to digest since it has a high water content.

Winter squashes are easy to enjoy. Punch a couple of vents into the skins and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a moderate oven for an hour, allow to cool a little and cut open. Season the insides with garlic salt, pepper, even cumin or turmeric. You can also bake the seeds for a healthy snack.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Eating with Kids: A CSA Eating Adventure

CSAs Offer Eating Adventures!

By Kia Armstrong and Patty McManus-Huber of Nash’s Organic Produce

Originally published in Peninsula Families Today, an advertising supplement produced by Peninsula Daily News and Sequim Gazette.

Spring has finally sprung and farmers all over the Olympic Peninsula are shaking off winter’s chill and eagerly prepping fields for row crops and grains, and filling greenhouses with veggie transplants. It’s an exciting time of year, as seeds for future harvests are sown, and local growers put everything they’ve got into the new growing season. Local farmers are committed to growing healthy food for their community, and Spring is a perfect opportunity for local families to partner with growers to make it all happen.

Farmers face many challenges especially early in spring when their product range is smaller. Winter produce is gone and fields are being planted for the upcoming season. But it’s also an expensive time of year when farmers need to purchase seed, diesel, and equipment, plus hiring seasonal workers.  In a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, families pay upfront for the boxes of fresh food they will receive all summer and fall. By investing in their local growers, families not only literally help plant the farm, but forge a meaningful relationship with the people and land producing their food.

CSAs offer an opportunity for families to not only eat seasonally, but to understand the ups and downs of farming. Every time Mom and Dad pick up the weekly box, kids gain insight into what’s in season at that moment, and they also have the chance to learn why this region doesn’t grow certain crops (like mangoes or melons) but has a bounty of other produce (like carrots, beets, berries and brassicas). Tips and recipes for preparing lesser-known veggies, like kohlrabi or fava beans, are usually shared in weekly newsletters, and the CSA box becomes a treasure trove of information and culinary inspiration.

Kids love picking up the family’s weekly box directly from the farm, or at a farmers market. It’s fun to open the box and be surprised by the fresh colors and flavors! Children are often more game to try new veggies if they have a connection to where they have been grown. Once you have signed up for a CSA, contact your farm and see if there are any opportunities to visit, so your family can actually see the place where your food was produced.

Several Olympic Peninsula farmers offer CSA programs, including Chi’s Farm, River Run Farm, Salt Creek Farm, and Nash’s Organic Produce. You can also go online at LocalHarvest.org, or Google “CSA Sequim” or “CSA Port Angeles.” Check one out with your family today and get in on the seasonal eating adventure!

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Eating with Kids: Campfire Dinners

Outdoor Family Time and Good Nutrition with Foil Dinners on a Campfire!

By Patty McManus-Huber (Nash’s Organic Produce) and Sarah Salazar-Tipton (Owl’s Hollow Forest School/Olympic Nature Experience).

Originally published in Peninsula Families Today, an advertising supplement produced by Peninsula Daily News and Sequim Gazette.

There are many healthy root vegetables available in the winter, including carrots, potatoes, beets, parsnips, turnips, and rutabagas. They have spent more time in the soil, absorbing lots of minerals and nutrients that will help keep your family healthy in the cold months.

The easiest and quickest way to prepare them is to roast them. Simply chop them into inch-square pieces, toss with a high-heat oil, such as sunflower or safflower oils, and cook on a baking sheet in the oven set at 400°F for about twenty minutes or so. No need to stir them if you lay them out just one layer thin. Once they are almost done to the texture you want, kick the broiler on high for two to five minutes and lightly toast and caramelize the tops, keeping a close eye on them so as not to burn them.

As good as they may taste to an adult, parents may be wondering how to get their children to eat them. Entice them to have some wonderful family fun outdoors by roasting the vegetables in foil on an open fire! This activity is a great way to play and cook outdoors during the chilly months of winter.

Locally, Carrie Blake Park, the Dungeness Recreation Area (the Dungeness Spit) and most of our county and state parks and beaches contain fire pits for having safe open-air fires. However, if you want to try this at home and don’t have a backyard fire pit, a charcoal grill can also work.

Since kids of all ages love a real camp fire, use the opportunity to teach them not only about healthy winter eating but about good safety behavior around fires. Check the website http://www.smokeybear.com/campfire-safety.asp for tips on building and extinguishing a safe fire if you want to have one at home.

Following Smokey’s safety instructions, build a fire that is about as wide as your elbow to finger tips. Let it burn until there is a nice bed of glowing coals. Cut your root veggies about an inch square and let your kids help you mix them in any combination they like; then add a tablespoon or two of butter, plus a sprinkle of salt and pepper. You may also add uncooked ground meat or sausage for protein and flavor. Wrap all the items in two layers of foil and fold up like a little packet. With tongs, place the packets on the bed of coals and cook about 10-15 minutes, flipping over once. Then take the packets off and check for doneness. Simply rewrap and place back on the coals if they need more time. Let cool a little before eating.

Try these roasting combinations: root medleys (carrots, beets of all colors, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips and parsnips in any combination); parsnips with mild curry or turmeric and salt or soy sauce; beet medley with balsamic vinegar and high-heat oil or a little nutritional yeast; dried parsley and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce); or chunky, mild salsa and grated cheese. Throw them over a bed of rice for a simple but oh-so-satisfying meal, and then share stories beside the camp fire while you toast some marshmallows on a stick for dessert.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

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Meal Plan: General

Eating with Kids: In the Garden

Gardening with Children

August is a great month for planting a fall and winter garden with your family. 

by Kia Armstrong and Patty McManus, Nash’s Organic Produce

Originally published in Peninsula Families Today, an advertising supplement produced by Peninsula Daily News and Sequim Gazette.

Our unique microclimate on the North Olympic Peninsula allows for the harvest of fresh greens and roots all fall long and for most of the winter, extending access to fresh food for the family, providing a venue for fun outdoor lessons and inspiring a sense of wonder for nature.

Greens, like kale, collards, baby bok choi, arugula, mizuna, spinach, parsley and cilantro, as well as root veggies, like carrots, beets, parsnips and sunchokes can grow well outside a greenhouse if you get seedlings and transplants in the ground now, so that they have time to get established before the weather shifts.

Now is also a great time to think about what parts of your garden you might want to “put to bed” under a blanket of cover crop so the soil can rest. Cover crops of rye, vetch or fava beans help reduce erosion during the rainy months, while fixing nitrogen to the soil as they grow, and stifling weeds.  They can be tilled under come spring, to add organic matter to your soil as you prepare for spring planting.

Your children can participate in all these activities! Engaging them in the garden helps them learn about where their food actually comes from, encourages them to eat what they have planted, creates a feeling of wonder and magic as they see the plants emerge from the soil, and builds self-esteem as they help put food on the family’s table.

Tips for Gardening with Children

  • Don’t get too attached to anything in particular.  Assume that your kids will, at some point, step on, “weed,” or otherwise destroy something you have planted.  Although it’s important to try and teach proper care and respect for the living plants and soil, kids are kids.  If you want the garden to be fun place for exploration and learning, be flexible and patient about how they participate.
  • Stay one step ahead, so they always have somewhere to “help.”  Kia’s son Spencer has a special area that moves around as the garden progresses. He gets to be a rototiller with his toy tractors and dig random holes and do whatever he wants to a bed while it’s being prepped, but once it’s finally planted and mulched, he’s not allowed to dig there anymore. However, Mom and Dad always make sure there is another spot in the garden ready for him to dig up so he can still be fully engaged at his two-year-old level.
  • Provide some simple tools for your children, such as kids’ scissors, trowels, harvest buckets, sprinklers, small shovels and mini-wheelbarrows.  Teach them how to use the tools, and how to care them, too, by putting them away or cleaning them as needed.  The kids’ scissors are perfect for safely cutting lettuce leaves and herbs.
  • Fill up a 5-gallon bucket with water and give your children small watering cans to dunk and water the plants. This will also help keep them cool on hot days.
  • As you pull weeds, let your children load them into a wagon and carry them to the compost pile.
  • Set a good example for health.  Munch your way through fresh greens, peas and herbs in the garden while you’re working.  Demonstrate that eating fresh greens is crunchy and delicious!  Even if they don’t take to it right away, make a simple rule that if they want to help pick it, they should also eat it, even if it’s just one little bite. This will help broaden your child’s palette and willingness to try new foods.
  • Slow down in the garden.  Back off the to-do list once in a while, and just sit and observe the garden with your child.  Watching bees and other pollinators, observing birds and slugs, and tracking changes to plants as they grow connects children to the natural wonders of nature and growing food.
  • Share the wealth!  Your child will get immense pride sharing what they have helped grow with friends and neighbors.  It also helps build a supportive network that positively reinforces the importance of growing your own food and taking responsibility for your health.

Let Your Children Help in the Kitchen

Cook simple meals together to extend the lessons from the garden right into the kitchen and on to your family’s plates.  Giving kids a chance to actively participate in meal preparation sets the foundation for valuable life-long skills.

  • Kids can use their scissors to trim herbs from the garden or a container on the deck and then snip them into soups or stir-fries.
  • Harvest fresh salad greens with them right into the salad spinner, and then let them help rinse and spin-spin-spin the salad.
  • Even butter knives are “sharp” enough to cut asparagus, zucchini or string beans, so give your kid some tools and their own cutting board and let them go to town.
  • Enjoy your meal as a family, without electronic distractions. Be sure to comment on how good the food tastes and thank your helpers!

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!