Blogs for October, 2013

The purple sheen of eggplants caught my eye, tumbled in a bin, juxtaposed against the traffic of Columbus and 79th.

These aubergines, as they’re known in British English, hailed from Kernan Farms in Cumberland County, New Jersey. Gleaming in the sun, they rested beneath the farm’s sign that gave them away as Jersey, bridge & tunnel visitors to the city.

Everyone in NYC has a dream, right? A story of why they’re there, why they’ve stayed, and what they plan to do. I envisioned a Pixar-like storyline for these veggies: growing up on a small farm, hustled onto a truck, and making the trek to the city that never sleeps. I hope they planned to be delicious ratatouille, or to be stuffed with artisanal cheeses, because that’s what I had planned for them.

It was my first taste of New York City, and it didn’t disappoint. Known for bustling traffic, a sea of diverse humanity streaming through city streets, cabs honking, people shopping, a history of cultivating writers, dancers, and performers of every breed, including that man painted in silver sitting on the subway bench. And? Farmer’s markets and farm to table eateries, serving fresh veggies and meat sourced from the bucolic farms just north of the city.

I was excited to visit Central Park, that oasis of green and water and growth in the midst of cement, cinder block and asphalt. Arriving in late October, the leaves were just starting to flame in yellows, oranges, and fiery reds.

Stepping outside the park onto the streets of the upper west side, we stumbled upon a sidewalk farmer’s market, bins full of apples and root vegetables reminding us, along with the changing leaves, that fall has arrived.

How will you eat your eggplant this fall? Do you plan to plant them for next season? According to Organic Gardening, these nightshades need warm growing conditions for three months. Check out their site for tips on starting them indoors, or planting them in raised beds, which heat up fast in the spring. And share your favorite aubergine recipes with us here or on Twitter, @RebeccaSnavely and @TheCityFarm!

I’m sitting this morning, looking at this view …

I KNOW. A cup of coffee beside me, computer open on my lap, I’m living my “Maine” dream. It was an alternate version of my life sparked in my 6 year old imagination the first time I read Robert McCloskey’s One Morning in Maine. Growing up in Oregon, I longed to live in Maine, to put on boots and go clamming with my dad. 

My friend grew up on Orr’s Island in Maine, and I’m finally visiting her childhood home. I can’t stop taking pictures, or asking about what grows in this colder climate (other than clams).  We island hop, crossing short bridges. She points out places where she and high school friends took boats out, the apple trees, the last of the swiss chard in her mom’s garden, and rose hips she remembers eating, a tart treat.

I’ve never eaten a rose hip, and I’m always surprised how much of nature we can actually consume. Apparently I should have stuck it out with Girl Scouts, because, now? If I were lost in the woods, I’d never make it.  Looking up why you might want to eat a rose hip, the round part of the flower, just below the petals, WebMD tells me that it’s high in Vitamin C, and can be used to treat and prevent colds, flus, as well as to treat stomach issues.

Do you have roses? Then you have rose hips. Drying rose hips often removes the potency of the C inside, so some of the teas or supplements might be enhanced with other C.  And, apparently some garden hybrid roses offer nothing when it comes to aroma or flavor.  This is where the Maine dream comes in to play – beach roses and their hips are the perfect tonic for what ails you.

If you live in the Northeast, you can pick your own and jar for a yummy jam, a mixture of tart and sweet flavor.  Chelsea Green has several recipes, including one with a touch of honey. They all recommend picking the rose hips after the frost, when they’ve become soft. I recommend you eat while reading One Morning in Maine.

Have you had rose hips in one form or another?  I’m also curious, any childhood book that sparked your imagination to live in another place?

I’m off for more Maine adventures (aka LOBSTER)!

Modern Farmer has a fantastic piece on what to grow each season, to keep you grazing on your garden greens all year round.  Bonus: the image kind of looks like a quilt (inspiration, modern quilters?). If you’re a neighbor here in Southern California, you don’t have to worry too much about freezes this fall, but if you live in an area with frosty nights and mornings, you can still grow your spinach, lettuce, and mustard well into October, as long as you protect your greens from the freezing temps and bites of frost.  Check out The Old Farmer’s Almanac for tips to grow and harvest your fall spinach.

I adore spinach. In honor of this, my boyfriend actually gave me a the gift of a microwave for Valentine’s day. Some might think this less than romantic, and at first, I was baffled, seeing it unwrapped in the back of his car. Umm… “thanks for the radiation?” But when he opened it to reveal the bunches of spinach that I eat daily, and the ease with which to blanche/nuke it, I fell in love.  The boyfriend’s not so bad, either.

I use spinach as a bed for my soft-boiled eggs, a leafy addition to my corn tortilla wraps, my sandwiches, my pasta, my (fill in the blank___). I have a healthy obsession, I admit it. Are you a spinach-a-holic?  Or not quite convinced by Popeye’s muscles? WebMD, that hypochondriac’s dream of a Website, confirms it: you’ll be strong to the finish if you eat your spinach. “The leafy green also helped [Popeye] fight off osteoporosis, heart disease, arthritis, and several types of cancer. Plus it’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants — ranking third behind garlic and kale.”

How do you eat your spinach? Ina Garten has the guide to garlic sautéed spinach here. And while we transition into fall, I plan to sub out the strawberries of my favorite summer salad with Fuji apples, adding a crisp bit to fresh spinach, goat cheese, and walnuts. TreeHugger.com highlights 30 ways to add spinach to your meal, including dessert!  What’s your favorite spinach recipe? Do you grow your own? Share with us in the comment section or on Twitter: @RebeccaSnavely & TheCityFarm!

(Photo: BarefeetInTheKitchen.com; Bon Appétit; hitchfit.com)