A child said, What is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands;
How could I answer the child?
I do not know what it
is any more than he.I guess it must be the flag of my disposition,
out of hopeful green stuff woven.
Or I guess it is the handkerchief of the Lord,
A scented gift and remembrancer designedly dropped,
Bearing the owner’s name someway in the corners, that we
may see and remark, and say Whose?
Or I guess the grass is itself a child. . . .the produced babe
of the vegetation.
Or I guess it is a uniform hieroglyphic,
And it means, Sprouting alike in broad zones and narrow
zones,
Growing among black folks as among white,
Kanuck, Tuckahoe, Congressman, Cuff, I give them the
same, I receive them the same.
And now it seems to me the beautiful uncut hair of graves.
Tenderly will I use you curling grass,
It may be you transpire from the breasts of young men,
It may be if I had known them I would have loved them;
It may be you are from old people and from women, and
from offspring taken soon out of their mother’s laps,
And here you are the mother’s laps.
This grass is very dark to be from the white heads of old
mothers,
Darker than the colorless beards of old men,
Dark to come from under the faint red roofs of mouths.
O I perceive after all so many uttering tongues!
And I perceive they do not come from the roofs of mouths
for nothing.
I wish I could translate the hints about the dead young men
and women,
And the hints about old men and mothers, and the offspring
taken soon out of their laps.
What do you think has become of the young and old men?
What do you think has become of the women and
children?
They are alive and well somewhere;
The smallest sprouts show there is really no death,
And if ever there was it led forward life, and does not wait
at the end to arrest it,
And ceased the moment life appeared.
All goes onward and outward. . . .and nothing collapses,
And to die is different from what any one supposed, and
luckier.
Walt Whitman
photo copyright RGlavan, Bayville, NY 2010
Look what my incredible children made me for breakfast! All the vegetables were picked from our garden too! They know just what I like!
"Our Children no longer learn how to read the great book of Nature from their own direct experience, or how to interact creatively with the seasonal transformations of the planet. They seldom learn where their water come from or where it goes. We no longer coordinate our human celebration with the great liturgy of the heavens." - Wendell Berry
This is the first day of my 30 day challenge. The first thing I did this morning was to make myself a cup of green tea. Then I realized that the tea was from China! Oops!! Not a great start to my Challenge. After I put aside the tea, and all the negative thoughts that were flooding my mind about this challenge, I went into the garden to find breakfast. I emerged from the garden with a smile and a bounty- many types of greens, a cuke, a tomato and blackberries. The kids wanted more than salad. Local peaches and organic whole wheat pancakes made with local eggs and blackberries went over well for the kids. I don't think this challenge is going to be easy. I spent quite a bit of time over the last few days wondering how I will manage for a whole month. No almonds, or avocados? Sea salt or pepper? Am I crazy? What kind of oil can I use for salads and cooking? Are there any grains that are local? Can I really do this? Why did I even propose this crazy idea?
We were invited to my brother's house for dinner so I stopped at a local farm on the way. Peaches, lettuce, tomatoes, scallions, peppers, local apples and honey! I made a great salad for us. They served a nice watermelon for dessert. The kids ate nonlocal stuff at their house. I didn't push it. After all, I am not doing this to torture my family. I want this to be a great learning experience for us all. And it already has been.
“Food consists not just in piles of chemicals; it also comprises a set of social and ecological relationships, reaching back to the land and outward to other people.” - Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food.
The kids and I have a summer routine for the past three years. Every Saturday morning, we visit a local "Farmer's" Market which sells organic produce at a good price. There are some other regular vendors there as well- a really sweet woman selling home-baked sweets; a lady selling books, 3 for a dollar, to raise money for a cause. We buy produce, a few books, and head home for a fresh breakfast and book-reading.
This year I have been paying more attention to where things actually come from, and basically this may be a farmer's market, but not any with produce from farmers in our area. They have organic produce, yes, but most of it shipped in from another country.
There is also a "local" market that just opened up in our town. There is NOTHING local in the store. No local produce, honey, nothing.
So, I have been thinking....(uh-oh, for those who know me!)... how difficult would it actually be to eat completely local for a month?
Avocados, almonds, mangos are staples for my diet. They are not local. My husband loves his Columbian coffee. Even my green tea, or my kelp for that matter- where does it all come from? So, here's what I am thinking. This week, when everyone is fed and relaxed one evening, I am going to call a meeting. I am going to pose a challenge to my family to eat local for one month- the month of August. Will they accept the challenge? I will let you know, and if anyone else is interested in joining me, please email me at rebecca@kidsgrowingfood.com. I will keep you posted!
The Benefits of Blueberries
These little gems are now ripe for picking. Kids love picking them and putting them in a berry basket. They never make it past the sink for a quick wash. SInce blueberries are among the most pesticide-ridden fruits, it is nice to know that these are organic, and have nothing on them. Apart from being fun to grow and pick, they are great for your health. Read on!
Blueberries are literally bursting with nutrients and flavor, yet very low in calories. Recently, researchers at Tufts University analyzed 60 fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant capability. Blueberries came out on top, rating highest in their capacity to destroy free radicals.
An Antioxidant Powerhouse
Packed with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins, blueberries neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer. Anthocyanins, the blue-red pigments found in blueberries, improve the integrity of support structures in the veins and entire vascular system. Anthocyanins have been shown to enhance the effects of vitamin C, improve capillary integrity, and stabilize the collagen matrix (the ground substance of all body tissues). They work their protective magic by preventing free-radical damage, inhibiting enzymes from cleaving the collagen matrix, and directly cross-linking with collagen fibers to form a more stable collagen matrix.
Cardioprotective Action
While wine, particularly red wine, is touted as cardioprotective since it is a good source of antioxidant anthocyanins, a recent study found that blueberries deliver 38% more of these free radical fighters. In this study, published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, researchers found that a moderate drink (about 4 ounces) of white wine contained .47 mmol of free radical absorbing antioxidants, red wine provided 2.04 mmol, and a wine made from highbush blueberries delivered 2.42 mmol of these protective plant compounds.
A Visionary Fruit
Extracts of bilberry (a cousin of blueberry) have been shown in numerous studies to improve nighttime visual acuity and promote quicker adjustment to darkness and faster restoration of visual acuity after exposure to glare. This research was conducted to evaluate claims of bilberry's beneficial effects on night vision made by British Air Force pilots during World War II who regularly consumed bilberry preserves before their night missions.
Protection against Macular Degeneration
Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants' consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. Food intake information was collected periodically for up to 18 years for women and 12 years for men.
While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but by simply topping off a cup of yogurt or green salad with a half cup of blueberries, tossing a banana into your morning smoothie or slicing it over your cereal, and snacking on an apple, plum, nectarine or pear, you've reached this goal.
A Better Brain with Blueberries
In laboratory animal studies, researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Researchers found that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging animals, making them mentally equivalent to much younger ones.
Promotion of Gastrointestinal Health
In addition to their powerful anthocyanins, blueberries contain another antioxidant compound called ellagic acid, which blocks metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer. In a study of over 1,200 elderly people, those who ate the most strawberries (another berry that contains ellagic acid) were three times less likely to develop cancer than those who ate few or no strawberries. In addition to containing ellagic acid, blueberries are high in the soluble fiber pectin, which has been shown to lower cholesterol and to prevent bile acid from being transformed into a potentially cancer-causing form.
Protection against Colon Cancer
Laboratory studies published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry show that phenolic compounds in blueberries can inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis (programmed cell death).
Extracts were made of the blueberry phenols, which were freeze-dried and further separated into phenolic acids, tannins, flavonols, and anthocyanins. Then the dried extracts and fractions were added to cell cultures containing two colon cancer cell lines, HT-29 and Caco-2.
In concentrations normally found in laboratory animal plasma after eating blueberries, anthyocyanin fractions increased DNA fragmentation (a sign that apoptosis or cell death had been triggered) by 2-7 times. Flavonol and tannin fractions cut cell proliferation in half at concentrations of 70-100 and 50-100 microg/mL, while the phenolic fraction was also effective, but less potent, reducing proliferation by half at concentrations of 1000 microg/mL. Bottomline: eating blueberries may reduce colon cancer risk.
Protection against Ovarian Cancer
Among their rich supply of phytonutrients, blueberries include a flavonoid called kaempferol. Research calculating flavonoid intake in 66,940 women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study between 1984 and 2002 revealed that women whose diets provided the most kaempferol had a 40% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer, compared to women eating the least kaempferol-rich foods. In addition to blueberries, foods richest in kaempferol include tea (nonherbal), onions, curly kale, leeks, spinach, and broccoli.
A significant 34% reduction in ovarian cancer risk was also seen in women with the highest intake of the flavone luteolin (found in citrus). Int J Cancer. 2007 Apr 30; Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 May;79(5):727-47.
Healthier Elimination
Blueberries can help relieve both diarrhea and constipation. In addition to soluble and insoluble fiber, blueberries also contain tannins, which act as astringents in the digestive system to reduce inflammation. Blueberries also promote urinary tract health. Blueberries contain the same compounds found in cranberries that help prevent or eliminate urinary tract infections. In order for bacteria to infect, they must first adhere to the mucosal lining of the urethra and bladder. Components found in cranberry and blueberry juice reduce the ability of E. coli, the bacteria that is the most common cause of urinary tract infections, to adhere. See more about Blueberries and other fruits and vegetables at www.whfoods.com.
We have taken a strip of land on the front yard of this suburban house and replaced it with a much more eye-catching, beautiful edible garden. Here are the before and after photos. Planting has just begun. We will keep you posted on the progress.
As a child, one has that magical capacity to move among the many eras of the earth; to see the land as an animal does; to experience the sky from the perspective of a flower or a bee; to feel the earth quiver and breathe beneath us; to know a hundred different smells of mud and listen unself- consciously to the soughing of the trees. -Valerie Andrews