Abundance Acres

Winter Squash

Winter squash are members of the gourd family and technically a fruit. There are a myriad varieties of winter quash, coming in all shapes and sizes. Generally, winter squash have very similar flavor although sweetness, flavor intensity water content and color of the flesh will vary from type to type. The highly distinctive spaghetti quash,…

Tomato

Tomatoes fresh from the field are the star of summer meals! Although the tomato is associated closely with Italy, it is interesting to note that tomato sauce wasn’t paired with pasta until the mid-1700’s and the tomato didn’t become widely popular until the 1800’s. There’s been a lot of press in recent years for the…

Swiss Chard

In the world of hearty greens, Swiss Chard often gets overshadowed by its popular neighbor Kale, but it’s a superstar in its own right. This relative of the beet is one of the healthiest of vegetables; a superb source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as magnesium, potassium, iron, and fiber. However it…

Sweet Corn

Few foods epitomize North America in the way that corn, or maize, does. Called mahiz by the indigenous peoples, meaning ‘that which sustains us,’ corn was considered one of the vital ‘three sisters’ of their food supply, the other two being winter squash and beans. Corn is the most widely grown crop in the world,…

Summer Squash

Summer Squash refers to a variety of fruit in the species Cucurbita pepo. In this group you find scalloped squash, crookneck, straightneck, cocozelle, vegetable marrows, and zucchini. Since ancient times, squash, beans and maize have been an integral part of the indigenous diet of the Americas and are a mainstay even today. There are many…

Sugar Snap Pea

The snap pea is often associated with Chinese food and currently is the main garden pea eaten in China and Japan. Interestingly though, it was the Dutch who originally grew the snap pea as early as 1536 and from there it arrived in the Orient. Sugar snap peas are around 2 1/2 – 3 inches…

Strawberries

Arguably the most beloved of all the soft fruits, Strawberries belong to the rose family. They are the only fruit whose seeds grow around the exterior rather than interior. Strawberries contain more vitamin C than oranges. A good source of potassium and folic acid, they also contain ellagic adic, a compound that guards against cancer….

Scallion – Green Onion

The scallion, also know as the green onion, with its long elegant green end atop a bright white stem end, is much used around the world. The green part is highly nutritious, containing high amounts of vitamins A and C. Selection and Storage: Choose bunches of scallion with deep green shoot ends and firm, unblemished…

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, only the stalk of the rhubarb, called ‘petioles,’ are edible. Selection and Storage: The first rhubarb stalks to appear in early spring are the most tender. Stalks can range in color from pink to red to green; color is no indicator of maturity, though generally red stalks are sweeter than…

Radish

Radishes come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. They can be the size of a hazelnut or a carrot, and range in color from bold reds, pinks, and purples to starker white and black. Although radishes are grouped as a ‘root’ vegetable, they are members of the mustard family – hence…

Potato

Considering it comes from such a poisonous plant (only the tubers are edible), the potato has made an incalculable impact on the global diet, providing more protein and energy than any other food crop, per unit of land. And who doesn’t love the humble potato? We grow several varieties of fingerling potatoes. Fingerling potatoes are…

Popcorn

Popcorn is a great snack that is low in calories, sodium and sugar, high in fiber and is a whole grain. A serving of popcorn (3 cups popped) has 3.5grams of fiber which is equal to the fiber content in one ounce of almonds,1 cup of brown rice or 1 banana. Plus it’s easy to…

Abundance Acres

Thankfulness

Summer Corn Chowder

Tomato and Summer Squash Skillet

Zucchini Bread Pancakes

Kale, Potato and Fennel Hash

Dry Summer