Fall Vegetables

Broccoli

A member of the cabbage family, broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin C – providing 245% of your recommended daily allowance per 1 cup serving – as well as vitamin K and vitamin A. A multi-talented little vegetable, broccoli is thought to have excellent anti-cancer properties. The phytonutrient indole, for example, suppresses a chemical that is thought to support tumor growth, while sulforophane is thought to detoxify the body, flushing out potentially carcinogenic substances. As such, studies have linked the consumption of broccoli with a reduced risk of cancers of the bladder, liver, lung, colon, breast, ovaries and prostate. In addition, broccoli is an excellent source of bone-fortifying calcium and a great source of folic acid, which is thought to reduce the risk of birth defects. Broccoli can be eaten raw or cooked, but recent studies suggest that if you do plan on cooking it, steaming is the best way to preserve all of the vegetables various enzymes and nutrients.

  Brussels Sprouts           

Another member of the cabbage – or brassica – family, Brussels sprouts are also much touted for their cancer-fighting properties. However, Brussels sprouts in particular are often touted for their fiber, containing 4 grams of equal parts soluble and insoluble fiber. In addition, these teeny tiny cabbages are also thought to provide significant cardiovascular benefits and help reduce the risk of osteoarthritis, a degenerative form of arthritis that often occurs with aging. Although available year round, Brussels sprouts peak in the fall. They are best cooked whole or sliced in half, and are tasty when steamed or sauteed and served as a side dish.

   Cabbage

Available year round in grocery stores, cabbage will be at its best – and readily available at your local farmers’ market – towards the end of fall. As the head of the cabbage family, cabbage provides all of the health benefits of broccoli and Brussels sprouts, but, when juiced and drunk over the course of 10 days, can dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes to heal a peptic ulcer! When cooking cabbage – or just about any cruciferous vegetable – it’s important to note that breaking it apart – either through slicing, cutting or chewing – activates myrosinase enzymes, which in turn aid the release of anti-carcinogenic glucosinolates. Although these enzymes are denatured when you cook cabbage, you can preserve the amount of glucosinolates by slicing or chopping the cabbage and then letting it sit for between 10 and 15 minutes before lightly cooking, steaming or sautéing for no more than 5 minutes.

Cauliflower

Guess what? This one’s another member of the cabbage family.  Its only real distinction being that it lacks the chlorophyll necessary to give it the vibrant green hue of its relatives. But if there’s one advantage cauliflower does have, it’s that it is so darn adaptable! Do you miss eating carb-laden mash potatoes or having your stir fry over rice? Cauliflower makes a believable – yet far healthier – alternative (and with just a flip of the food processor switch!) And, new research shows that if you sprinkle your cauliflower with the spice turmeric, you can reduce the severity of prostate cancer, both in terms of tumor growth and metastasis. Although people generally only eat the heads of the cauliflower (known as the curds), the stem and leaves are also edible and can be used to add some extra flavor to soup stocks.

Onions

Yes, onions are available year round, but they are truly at their peak in the fall and winter. A true staple in the kitchen, onions are used to add flavor to sauce, soup, stew, eggs, and salads or even as a side dish all on their lonesome! Sulfur, the compound in the onion that gives it that great taste, also provides many of its health benefits. For example, sulfur is thought to reduce blood pressure and may also help to regulate blood cholesterol. In addition, onions are rich in chromium, which is thought to help prevent fluctuations in blood glucose levels, and contains a number of flavonoids that promote gastrointestinal health and reduce the risk of several types of cancer. Still not convinced? Onions have a number of anti-inflammatory agents that can help reduce the severity of symptoms associated with arthritis, asthma, and even the respiratory inflammation associated with good ol’ seasonal cold and flu!

Pumpkin 

If there were ever a symbol that fall has arrived, it’s the pumpkin! In fact, pumpkin is such a great fall vegetable, that tomorrow we’ll be dedicating an entire post to these tubby orange orbs and we’ll be following up with a whole slew of Primal-approved – and fall friendly – recipes!

Spinach

We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again: Spinach is one heck of a vegetable! Spinach is a great source of vitamin K and vitamin A, as well as folate, magnesium and iron. In terms of specific health benefits, the various compounds in spinach are thought to help reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including tumors of the stomach, prostate, and skin, and also act as an anti-inflammatory to reduce the severity of symptoms associated with asthma, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. When shopping for spinach, look for firm, crisp, deep green leaves. Spinach is great as a base for salads, delicious when added to soups or casseroles to provide bulk or simply on its own, cooked, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and black pepper.

Texas Native Plant Week

As water becomes scarce due to ongoing drought conditions, we are facing another problem – the loss of native plants and habitats. Our native grasses, wildflowers, trees and shrubs, which support habitats for wildlife, are destroyed by the constant and progressive building on land supporting our native Texas heritage.

It is of utmost importance that we restore the native plant species serving as the primary elements needed for the ecosystem restoration due to excessive loss of habitats.

The importance of native plants lies in the benefits they offer:

• Provide food sources (seeds, nuts, nectar and fruits for birds, bats, pollinating insects and butterflies)
• Attract insects for birds to consume
• Provide habitats for birds, wildlife and larval host plants for butterflies

Additional benefits include:

• Requires less maintenance compared to introduced species
• Tolerates and resists local diseases, pests, and lack of water
• Protects the soil with long root systems
• Protects water quality by controlling soil erosion
• Minimizes the use of fertilizers and pesticides
• Costs less and delivers more benefits
• Conserves valuable water
• Unlikely to become invasive
• Low lawn maintenance with our native buffalo grass
• Adds beauty to the landscape
• Preserves our natural heritage to share with our children and their children

Although we promote Texas Native Plant Week the third week of October, it is vital to promote native plants and habitats all year long. A native landscape habitat works in harmony with all its surroundings giving us a sense of community across our state.

 

National Farm Safety Week

Following these tips, especially during harvest season, could save lives.

Use the buddy system to load and unload grain
Always know where all workers and family members are (especially children) at all times when handling grain in a wagon or storage bin and never work alone.  A 12-inch layer of grain can weigh as much as 300 pounds, enough to entrap a grown person or suffocate a child.

Farm Safety For Just Kids recommends locking all access doors to grain storage structures and locking out power to all types of grain-handling equipment when not in use. Also, never permit children to ride in grain wagons or enter grain storage areas. Adults should wear a body harness with a lifeline or use a boatswain’s chair.

Allow plenty of time for rest
Farm workers often put in long days to harvest crops in favorable weather conditions. It’s important to get enough rest to avoid accidents in the fields or on the roadways. Teens (ages 10-17) require 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep and adults need 7 to 9 hours, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Make sure slow-moving vehicle signs are installed and easily seen
For 50 years slow-moving vehicle emblems have alerted drivers to a vehicle moving less than 25 mph. With the increased tractor and wagon traffic at harvest time, watch for slow-moving vehicles on roadways and be prepared to slow down. If you’re driving a tractor or combine, make sure the slow-moving vehicle emblem is mounted properly and is visible from the rear of your vehicle.

 

Ladybug

Fall Flower Planting

 

For gardeners, the delight of fall is not only the cooling temperatures, but that it is time to plant. This sounds strange but roots continue growing here during our mild winters, so fall is the best time to plant. Fall planting makes your plants ready to withstand the stress of high temperatures next summer. The exception to recommended fall planting is tropical plants such as lantana which are best planted in spring to develop strong enough root structure to withstand cold temperatures.

 

Now is the time to plant seeds for spring bloomers like columbines (in shade), larkspur (in part sun/ shade), and poppies (in full sun.) The spring bloomers take advantage of spring moisture. Then, when summer stress comes, they have done their show and are ready to rest. Very water wise! You can wait until late spring to sow seeds for summers bloomers like cosmos, but now is the time for planting spring bloomers.

 

Whether from a local nursery or mail order, purchase seeds of native wildflowers from a reliable source. Seeds planted now will give you months of color next spring, as well as the fun of seeing little green seedlings coming up through the winter.

 

1. Rake the soil surface smooth, removing rocks and sticks. If there is mulch, poke holes for planting.

2. Sow seeds evenly over soil; use rake to barely cover them; press seeds to make contact with soil.

3. Water gently; keep evenly moist first couple of weeks to ensure germination. After that, Mother Nature should take care for them unless it is an unusually dry fall/winter.

Don't Forget Your Old Friends

 

The day inevitably comes when you go to the tool shed to work the garden a little. It doesn’t matter the season, it is time to weed, or plant, or dig and you feel like doing something physical and productive. You reach for the hoe, or shovel, or cultivator and find a sad, rusty looking tool leaning against the wall. You wonder what happened to that new tool you bought just how many years ago. Or perhaps, you remember that the handle of the rake split last year and you put it away intending to get a new one the next time you were at the garden center.

 

Tools are like old books. They don’t really go bad; they are abused or neglected or ignored, but they are not rendered useless until they can no longer perform their intended function. A little time and minimal effort can keep garden tools looking good for many, many years and will insure that you won’t have to pay $30 or more for a cheap version of your old favorite.

 

There are two primary parts of most garden tools: the working end and the handling end. In most cases, the handling end is a hard wood that was originally protected with paint, varnish, or urethane. This finish wears away over time and you end up with a dull, brown finish that may start to crack or split. Without doing some serious woodwork, there isn’t much you can do to restore the original finish except keep it from deteriorating further.  Rubbing a coat of linseed oil over the wood annually can create a hard finish over time that will protect the outside and keep the inside from completely drying out and splitting.  Most applied grips like soft rubber on tools don’t last very long. A roll of tennis racket grip leather is relatively inexpensive and can be used to create a working grip as long as it is still comfortable in your hand. There are a few other tape products that can also be adapted to make a softer grip on a wooden handle, but there are few things sold for this specific purpose.  A cracked handle can be glued and screwed for a repair, but it can create additional problems if improperly done. When a handle breaks or becomes dangerous, replacement handles are available for most common tools. It may take a little woodworking skill to get the handle to fit tightly and properly but it will be a lot cheaper than buying a new tool that doesn’t feel right in your hands.

 

The working end of most tools is usually steel or iron with teeth (rakes and cultivators) or sharp edges (hoes and spades). The sharp edges can easily be kept in good working order with a flat file. A couple of swipes across the edges periodically can make hoeing or digging a much easier job. A bucket filled with sand and used motor oil is also handy. Plunging the teeth or edges into will the sand will help prevent rusting.

 

The upper steel part of a rake or hoe joins with the handle. These parts were probably painted when new. After time, they begin to rust. A little elbow grease with a wire brush or coarse steel wool can remove most of the rust so that a spray paint for metal will adhere and provide both protection and a pretty color. All tools are intended to do a job. Most do the job decently and will last a long time. In order to ensure this, a little light maintenance and care can keep a tool working effectively and efficiently.

August is the Time for Hummingbirds to Migrate

August: Peak Migration
August brings the biggest push south, and hummingbirds are gathering in huge numbers along the Gulf of Mexico. By August you may see no males at your feeders. Juvenile Rubythroats look so much like their mothers that most of us can't tell the difference. The babies have no memory of past migrations. They do not migrate with a parent. They just follow their urge to put on a lot of weight, fly in a southerly direction for a certain amount of time, and find a good place to spend winter. Hummingbirds migrate at the time when their food is most plentiful, and they leave when they are fat enough. Some follow the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. Many—but not all—fly 500 miles nonstop across the water to Mexico and other Central American countries. It's a mystery how individual birds make the decision.