Abundance Acres

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…

Pie Pumpkin

Due to our limited space, we do not grow large carving pumpkins, or jack-o-lanterns, on our farm. We instead focus our attention on growing delicious pumpkins for eating. Our current favorite is the Long Pie Pumpkin, also known as Nantucket Pie. It is rated the absolute best pie pumpkin for cooking, with virtually string-less, smooth…

Parsnip

The parsnip is closely related to carrots and celeriac, and has been utilized as a food for thousands of years. In fact, it was Europe’s preeminent winter vegetable until the potato was introduced in the eighteenth century and ultimately usurped it position. Interestingly, colonists took the parsnip to the New World where the early settlers…

Pea Tendrils

Pea tendrils, also known as pea shoots, are young pea plants harvested and eaten whole. On our farm we soak pea seeds, then grow them cardboard boxes using expanded wood pellets as the medium. When they are done growing, simply throw they whole thing in the compost! Selection and Storage: Place box on plate on…

Onion

The onion is one of the ancient, venerable foods with a fascinating history. People began using onions way before recorded history, making it one of the earliest of all cultivated crops, and now one of the most widely used vegetable in the world. As American Author Maggie Waldron put it, “It’s probably illegal to make…

Lettuce

Lettuce is without doubt one of the world’s favorite vegetables, and with good reason. Summer days are unthinkable without the refreshing presence of lettuce! Consisting of 95 percent water, the darker varieties are the most nutritious with higher levels of vitamins A and C, betacarotene, folate and calcium. On our farm we grow loose leaf…

Leek

The leek has been highly esteemed in many food cultures since ancient times. Like all alliums, leeks have great health promoting properties. Selection and Storage: Leeks should feel firm and heavy for their size and be straight, bearing dark green leaves. There should be no evidence of yellowing or withering. Store leeks with leaves attached,…

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi, with its crisp texture and broccoli-stalk-crossed-with-cucumber flavor remains a little know oddity in many parts of the world. Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family and is enormously versatile. It also contains significant amounts of calcium, iron, phosphorus, as well as vitamins A and C. Kohlrabi comes in two colors – pale green Winner…

Kale

Kale‘s popularity has skyrocketed in the United States of America in the last 5 years. It is boasted as a nutrition ‘superstar’ due to the high amounts of vitamins A, K, B6 and C, calcium, potassium, copper and manganese it contains. On our farm we grow Winterbor, a curly leaf, Kale and Dazzling Blue (what…