Harvest of the Month

Bite into Broccoli during November’s Harvest of the Month! Broccoli has been grown for over 2,000 years and was a favorite vegetable of the Romans. The name broccoli comes from the Latin word “brachium”, meaning arm or branch. Broccoli heads are made up of little buds that are ready to flower. If it is not harvested in time, it will turn into a head of yellow flowers! Broccoli provides us with many key nutrients such as vitamin C and K which helps wounds heal, is important for the immune system, and is an antioxidant. Broccoli is also full of fiber which helps keep digestion running smoothly. The stem and leaves of the broccoli plant are also edible. Try adding broccoli florets to your favorite meals like scrambled eggs or an omelet at breakfast time. Pair raw broccoli with a healthy dip like hummus. Or try adding fresh or frozen chopped broccoli to pasta or salad. Bite into Broccoli this month and explore new foods!

Munch on Apples during October’s Harvest of the Month! This month we are talking all about Apples! There are over 7,500 varieties of apples grown across the world. Some Wisconsin favorites include Gala, McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, and Cortland. Did you know Wisconsin orchards produce over 49 million pounds of apples each year! Apples are full of vitamins and nutrients that help keep us healthy such as fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. In Wisconsin, apples are typically ripening and ready to pick in late August through October. Mix apple chunks into your hot cereal for a tasty addition. Try something new and have apple slices with cheese. Add thin apple slices to chicken salad or peanut butter sandwiches. Enjoy Apples this month and explore new foods!

Choose Kale for November’s Harvest of the Month! Kale has been grown in Europe and Asia for over 2,000 years. There are over 50 varieties of Kale! Some popular varieties include curly kale, Red Russian, Redbor, and Lacinato. A fun fact about the variety, Lacinato, is that it is also called Dinosaur Kale because of its bumpy leaves and texture!

Kale is packed with nutrients and helps our bodies stay healthy in many ways! Some of the key nutrients found in Kale are vitamin K, which is needed for blood clotting. Vitamin A helps keep our skin and bones healthy, resists and fights infection, and helps maintain good eyesight! Vitamin C helps heal wounds, is important for our immune system, and is an antioxidant which helps protect our cells from damage. You can find fresh Kale grown in Wisconsin from May through October! But look for it anytime in your grocery stores.

Try taste testing Kale with a variety of dressings, such as maple balsamic vinaigrette, ranch, and sesame soy. You can also compare raw Kale to “massaged” Kale salad. Add a little oil and balsamic vinegar to raw chopped Kale and use clean hands to rub the Kale. This helps to soften the leaves before adding salad toppings. Ask kids to compare the texture of raw Kale to the massaged Kale. Encourage kids to use their five senses to observe, smell, feel, listen, and taste both versions of Kale. Poll kids to find out if they prefer raw versus massaged kale and why! For other ways to enjoy Kale, add it to smoothies or salads, steam fresh Kale and season with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, or mix chopped Kale into the pot with pasta 5 minutes before it is done. Strain the pasta and Kale and add your favorite sauce! Choose Kale for November’s Harvest of the Month! 

Crunch into Carrots during January’s Harvest of the Month! This month we are talking all about Carrots! Carrots come in a rainbow of colors including purple, white, red, yellow, and orange. Carrots are a type of root vegetable, meaning that the part we eat grows underground and is called a taproot (a large, tapered root). Did you know that you can eat the leafy green tops of the carrots? 

All carrots are nutrient-dense, but each color offers different phytochemicals which act as antioxidants in our body, which means they protect our cells from damage. Carrots are best known for being an excellent source of beta-carotene. Our bodies turn beta-carotene into Vitamin A, which is important for keeping your skin and bones healthy, resisting and fighting infection, and good eyesight. In Wisconsin, fresh grown carrots are available from mid-July through October. 

Carrots can be stored through winter and you can find them in your local grocery store anytime of year! Try making veggie fries with your carrots - cut your carrots into ¼ or ½ inch segments, toss with olive oil, herbs and seasonings, spread them on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes until crisp. Eat them with a healthy dip! Enjoy carrots this month and explore new foods!

We got the Beets during February’s Harvest of the Month! Most beets grown in Wisconsin are red, but there are also pink, purple, white, and yellow beets, and even ones with candy cane stripes! Red beets get their bright red color from pigments called betalains, also known for their cancer-fighting properties. Beet juice can also be used as a natural dye! The Victorians dyed their hair with beet juice in 19th Century England.
 
Beets provide us with many key nutrients such as Vitamin C which helps our wounds heal, is important for the immune system, and is an antioxidant, which protects our cells from damage. Folate helps prevent birth defects, is needed to make DNA, and helps your cells divide, including red blood cells. And beets provide us with potassium which helps maintain normal blood pressure. 
 
Try mixing cooked beets into mashed potatoes for a pop of color! Add grated raw beets to salads. Cube and roast with olive oil and dried herbs for a healthy and tasty side dish! Beets are related to Swiss Chard and both the beet root and leaves can be eaten. Fresh beets grown in Wisconsin are available from June through October. We got the Beets this month so keep exploring new foods! 

Dig into Potatoes for December’s Harvest of the Month! Potatoes have been grown in the Peruvian Andes Mountains of South America since 5000 B.C. Peru is still considered the potato capital of the world, and they grow a wide variety of potatoes. There are more than 1,000 varieties of potatoes grown around the world and more than 100 varieties are grown in the United States. Did you know that potatoes were the first vegetable grown in space! And, the technology was developed by NASA and the University of Wisconsin-Madison! Potatoes have three key nutrients that help our bodies stay healthy in different ways. These include Vitamin B6 which is important for your immune system and brain function and helps you get energy from your food. The Vitamin C found in potatoes helps wounds heal, is also important for the immune system, and is an antioxidant, which protects our cells from damage. And they have potassium which helps maintain normal blood pressure. Try adding cubed potatoes to soups and stews, toss cooked, cubed potatoes with fresh garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper for a fun new twist, or make homemade potato wedges! Simply cut potatoes into wedges, toss with oil and seasonings, and bake 400° for 20-30 minutes until tender and golden brown. Dig into Potatoes for December’s Harvest of the Month!

Grab Your Greens for the March Harvest of the Month! This month is all about those green leafy vegetables. Beet greens, spinach, and Swiss chard are greens that belong to the same family of plants. Contrary to the name, Swiss chard did not come from Switzerland. Swiss chard originates from a wild version of the beet that naturally grew in the Mediterranean and it was named by a Swiss botanist. And for a fun fact about spinach, it was the first frozen vegetable sold in North America!

Greens have so many benefits to our health! They are packed full of nutrients like Calcium which helps build strong bones and teeth, Vitamin A which keeps our skin and bones healthy, resists and fights infection and maintains good eyesight. They also have Vitamin C which helps wounds heal, is important for the immune system, and is an antioxidant, which protects cells from damage. Greens also have Potassium which helps maintain normal blood pressure and Vitamin K which is needed for our blood. So many nutrients!

Try adding fresh spinach to your smoothies for a pop of color! Use fresh or frozen spinach in lasagna, casseroles, or soups. Try sauteing Swiss chard with garlic and add to eggs or top a pizza. Fresh greens grown in Wisconsin are available from May through October. Grab Your Greens and Enjoy the March Harvest of the Month!

Ask for Asparagus during May’s Harvest of the Month! This month we are talking all about Asparagus! Asparagus is a stem vegetable and the roots can grow 20 feet deep. Asparagus can be found in three colors: green, white, and purple! White asparagus is grown under the soil, so it is never exposed to sunlight which is why it never turns green. Asparagus gives us all kinds of different nutrients like folate, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K. These nutrients help our cells divide and protects them from damage, helps wounds heal, and supports our immune system. You can add bite size pieces of asparagus to your favorite soups, roast them with potatoes, add them to rice side dishes, or pasta salad. If you have some leftover cooked asparagus you can add it in your scrambled eggs! If you’re looking for a snack, you can dip asparagus spears in a healthy dip or dressing. Enjoy Asparagus this month and explore new foods!