What's In Season - March + Kiwi Facts

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Northern California

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Kiwi, what a wonderful fruit!! Much like apples and pears, which are available from cold storage well into spring, kiwis are a nice alternative to imported fruit during the winter months. What we now call kiwi or kiwifruit was long referred to as "Chinese gooseberry" in New Zealand, where the fruit flourished after being brought from China early in the last century. In the 1960s, when the then-exotic fruit was introduced in California, it was dubbed the kiwi after the national bird of New Zealand.

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Is Organic Healthier?

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As the debate rages on about whether organically grown food is better for us than the "conventional" produce we have become used to, a new study sides firmly with organic. Scientists found that some organic food is more healthy after tests on kiwi fruit grown by both methods.The American researchers discovered that organically grown kiwis had significantly higher levels of vitamin C and polyphenols - compounds associated with health benefits including reducing cholesterol, improving circulation and preventing cancer. I'm not surprised - just one more reason to go with organic when you can!!
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P.S. Thanks so much to my blogger friends for all your kind words about my father. My life has been a bit more hectic than usual over the past months but I am happy to give my dad all the love and support he needs & deserves! After all, he and my mother gave me more than I can ever possible pay back -- a happy childhood!! xx's

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Vegetables

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•artichokes
•arugula
•asian greens
•asparagus
•avocados
•beans
•beets
•bok choy
•broccoli
•brussels sprouts

•cabbage
•cardoons
•carrots
•cauliflower
•chard
•collards

•cress
•dandelion/chicory

•endive
•fennel
•garlic
•gourds
•herbs
•horseradish

•kale
•leeks
•lettuces
•mushrooms
•nettles
•onions
•parsnips

•potatoes
•radish
•rapini

•rutabaga

•scallions

•spinach

•sunchokes

•turnips

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Fruits and Nuts

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•avocados

•cherimoyas

•dried fruit

•grapefruit

•guavas
•kiwi
•kumquats
•lemons
•limes

•mandarins

•oranges
•pears
•persimmons

•pomelos

•tangerines

•walnuts

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What's In Season - January 2012

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Priorities
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Happy 2012, everyone!! I hope it is off to a wonderful start!! My little ones just returned to school today from winter-break -- so... I consider today "my first official" day of the New Year!!

I've had to adjust some priorities and work obligations over the past few months as I have been caring for my father, who turned 80 in December. If you have ever experienced a family member with the beginnings of dementia, you will understand what a challenge it is. I've missed posting to barefoot in the orchard daily and reading all my favorite blogs -- all you wonderful people really do inspire me!! Now, let's get this New Year started!!

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Slow Food Movement
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I've mentioned this before on my blog but I thought I would share information about this movement once again. What is Slow Food you ask? Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment.
Learn more about our work from Plate to Planet and Good, Clean and Fair.

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Northern California

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Vegetables
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•asian greens

•avocados

•beans
•beets
•bok choy
•broccoli
•brussels sprouts
•cabbage
•cardoons
•carrots
•cauliflower
•celeriac
•celery
•chard
•collards
•cress

•dandelion/chicory

•endive
•fennel
•garlic

•gourds
•kale
•leeks
•lettuces
•mushrooms

•nettles
•onions
•parsnips
•potatoes
•radish
•rapini
•rutabaga
•scallions
•spinach
•squash, winter

•sunchokes
•turnips
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Fruits and Nuts

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•avocados
•dates
•dried fruit
•grapefruit
•guavas
•kiwi
•kumquats
•lemons
•limes
•mandarins
•oranges
•pears
•persimmons
•pomelos
•tangerines
•walnuts

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(Photos Courtesy of Jupiter Images)

What's In Season - December

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Happy Holidays!! Wherever you are located - try to find something fresh and locally grown to add to your holiday food menu and don't forget to support your local businesses when buying gifts this year!!

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Some Good Info:

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Food grown in your own community was probably picked within the past day or two. It's crisp, sweet and loaded with flavor. Several studies have shown that the average distance food travels from farm to plate is 1,500 miles. In a week-long (or more) delay from harvest to dinner table, sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink, and produce loses its vitality.

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Northern California

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Vegetables

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•artichokes

•asian greens

•avocados
•beans

•beets

•bok choy

•broccoli

•brussels sprouts

•burdock

•cabbage

•cardoons

•carrots

•cauliflower

•celeriac

•celery

•chard

•collards

•cress
•endive

•fennel

•garlic

•kale

•kohlrabi

•leeks

•lettuces

•mushrooms

•onions

•parsnips

•peppers, bell

•peppers, chili

•potatoes

•radicchio

•radish

•rapini

•rutabaga

•salsify

•scallions

•spinach

•squash, winter

•sunchokes

•sweet potatoes

•turnips

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Fruits and Nuts
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•avocados

•chestnuts

•dates

•dried fruit

•grapefruit

•grapes

•guavas

•kiwi

•kumquats

•lemons

•limes

•mandarins

•oranges

•pears

•persimmons

•pomegranates

•pomelos

•tangerines

•walnuts

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(Photos Courtesy of Jupiter Images)