Liz On Food

From Backyard Garden to Community Supported Agriculture

Here's how NOT to position a vegetable garden: In the furthest corner away from the house, distant from a water source, snug to the fence on two sides, with the neighbors very healthy crabapple trees providing shade most of the day. That's what I inherited from the previous owners of our house. For four growning seasons, I've made the best of it with varying results. At some point, we'll move the garden bed. But this year, Farmer Liz is taking a break. It's just too much work for substandard results. I'm covering the plot with plastic and much, save for the hardy herbs and walking onions that have returned on cue. And the strawberries will, once again, go to the squirrels.

Enter Aspen Moon farm, Hygiene, Colorado, which offers community supported agriculture (CSA) shares and also sells at the Longmont and Boulder Farmers' Markets. If you're not familiar with the CSA concept, here's a snapshot from the USDA:

Community Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Typically, members or "share-holders" of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer's salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm's bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production. Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By direct sales to community members, who have provided the farmer with working capital in advance, growers receive better prices for their crops, gain some financial security, and are relieved of much of the burden of marketing.

So back to our local scene: A nearby resident secured enough share subscribers in neighborhood for Aspen Farm to agree to once-a-week delivery. We are splitting a share with our next-door neighbor.

Aspen Moon presents these seasonal examples, which will vary with availability and weather.

Spring: 10oz bag salad mix, 10oz bag spinach, bunch chard, bunch radish, bunch turnip or carrot or beets, bunch green onion, pint sugar snap peas

Mid-summer: 10 oz bag salad mix, bunch collards, 2 bunches carrot or beet, 2 onion, 2 zucchini or cucumber, pint tomato, pint purple green beans, 3 peppers, herb bunch

Fall: 2 heads lettuce, 6 oz bag arugula, 1lb broccoli, ½ lb shallots, head of celery, 1 winter squash, 1lb potatoes, 1 Asian cabbage, garlic bulb

No, I will not be missing that vegetable garden this year. I'm sure the neighbors will be glad to share some crabapples, especially if some of them boomerang in the form of jelly. And, well, I still have my flowers to tend.

    

    

If you're interested in joining a CSA, here's a list of Colorado CSAs as well as CSAs outside the state.

Soil and Fruit Quality Differs in Organic versus Conventional Strawberry Growing Systems

Studying different agricultural growing systems to learn the impact of various methods on the harvested food as well as the soil and other aspects of biodiversity is at best difficult. When looking at the end product (the fruit, vegetable, grain, meat, etc, intended for consumption) attributes that have been studied include nutrient content (vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals), pesticide residues, microbial pathogens and sensory properties, such as flavor, texture and appearance. Other research explores environmental impact at the farm and beyond. No wonder it's hard to sift through the news reports to make informed choices about whether or when it matters to buy organic products.

One approach consumers take is to lean toward buying organic, regardless of the debate, "just to be on the safe side." And that might be an easy decision if organic and conventional products are at price parity. That's some times the case, but more often than not, organic foods are more expensive than their conventional counterparts. Regardless of whether the rationales for purchasing organic are completely backed by science, sales of organic foods continue to climb, showing consumer preference. Top reasons for purchasing organic are health, taste and environmental impact. Because of rising popularity and the complexity of studying agricultural production systems, it's important that we continue to pay attention to new research on the impact of various production methods on nutrition, food safety and the environment. It's also key to try to consider the broader context of the research, thinking through questions like, "Is this the only study that makes this demonstration or are there several?" and "Would this study likely apply to other geographic areas?"

A review study published in 2009 that was aimed at just the nutritional profiles of organic versus conventional foods showed little difference between the two. However, critics have argued the study did not look at some nutritional attributes, such as certain antioxidants for which differences have been shown. Other published studies have looked at pesticide residues with conventional versus organic and have shown that while organic produce still does contain some pesticides, the levels are lower than  found in conventional. However, the pesticide levels are usually well within the range considered safe. Some produce is more likely to contain pesticide residues than others. Earlier this year, the Environmental Working Group published the 2010 Shoppers Guide and once again conventional strawberries are near the top of the "Dirty Dozen" list, a ranking of fruits and vegetables with the highest levels and numbers of pesticide residues. A self-published analysis (that is, not subjected to more rigorous peer-review process), the ranking none the less gives consumers easy-to-use information about "cleanest" and dirtiest" produce related to pesticides.

A peer-review study was published online at PLos ONE September 1, detailing the work of University of Washington researchers who compared 15 pairs of conventional and organic strawberry growing systems in California.The scientists examined three strawberry varieties, took several samples over a two-year period and looked at mineral content, shelf life, phytochemical composition, and sensory properties of strawberries. They also analyzed solid properties. Here's what they found:

• "The organic farms had strawberries with longer shelf life, greater dry matter, and higher antioxidant activity and concentrations of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds, but lower concentrations of phosphorus and potassium."
• One variety of organic strawberries was judged to "be sweeter and have better flavor, overall acceptance, and appearance" than its conventional counterpart, according to a sensory panel.
• The organically farmed soils had "more total carbon and nitrogen, greater microbial biomass and activity, and higher concentrations of micronutrients. Organically farmed soils also exhibited greater numbers of endemic genes and greater functional gene abundance and diversity for several biogeochemical processes, such as nitrogen fixation and pesticide degradation."

So this study shows that organic strawberry farms "produced higher quality fruit and that their higher quality soils may have greater microbial functional capability and resilience to stress."

California is the number-one state for strawberries, with farm sales "of almost $37 billion in 2007, almost double the $19 billion (each) of number two Texas and number three Iowa." According to the California Strawberry Commission, strawberries make up over 5% of produce sales and are ranked one or two (seasonal variation) in retail fresh fruit sales in the United States. So this newly published University of Washington research is of significance.

Photo Credits: Fotolia.com

Backyard Garden Early Season

This year, I purchased Abbondanza's locally cultivated seeds for my backyard garden. You can find the dirt (pardon the pun) on the whys and wherefores of this investment in this post: Can I Make My Back Yard Garden More Local? I am excited to see what my locally purchased seeds will do in my garden compared to longer-distance seed sources in years' past. I will be updating my blog throughout the growing season so you'll have a chance to check out the progress as well.

While early June may seem like mid-season in those in more temperate climates, it's early season here on the Colorado front range, especially considering we had snow mid-May this year. So far, I have healthy seedlings signally a solid harvest to come, in large part due to the seeds, but also because of rabbit fencing, compost and irrigation.

One row of green and wax bean seeds were eaten by blackbirds, so I replanted those a few days ago. Oddly enough, the birds discovered only one of my two rows originally planted so a have a line of nicely progressing plants. And those pesky birds may have actually done me a favor, as now my bean harvest will be spread out over several weeks.

I planted several varieties of leaf lettuce. Sprinkling the seeds together in a row will result in a blend of greens later in the season. The charcoal-colored tubing is soaker hose we installed last year. The timed drip system allows for water conservation, ideal in arid areas such as Colorado where gardens required irrigation.

Here's how zucchini and yellow summer squash look when they pop up. It will be a few weeks before fried squash blossoms are on our home menu.


Carrots always seem to take a while to get started. These little Nantes Scarlet seedlings are so small, I had trouble focusing the camera! This is the same cultivar that produced Carrot Love last season. Notice the cottonwood fluff that has settled in the garden.


Turnips are one of my favorite vegetables, especially when harvested as young, tender, small globes. You can see some bugs have been enjoying the leaves, but not to the extent that it will deter the growth of the plants.

Our beet seedlings are coming along. These could have been planted sooner but it was tough to get motivated when it was still snowing in April and May! No worries, we'll have luscious beets in no time. Well, not quite no time. With a growing time of 45-65 days, we should have beets by mid-July. I'll get back to you on that.


I've limited this particular season preview of my garden to seeds purchased from Abbondanza. Within the last week, herbs, eggplant and tomato plants from local green houses and farmers' markets have thickened the plot (pardon another pun). Stay tuned for the next episode.

2010 Colorado Farm Fresh Directory

If you live in Colorado or if you're thinking about visiting, you might find Colorado Farm Fresh Directory useful. Published annually by the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), the directory includes statewide listings of farmers' markets, food, wine and ag festivals, farm and ranch vacation destinations, a crop calendar, and more. The 2010 Farm Fresh Directory was just published. To entice you with Colorado's offerings, I'm interspersing this post with photos I took at the Boulder County Farmers' Market, Longmont, a couple seasons ago.

Historically to present, agriculture has made significant contributions to the Colorado economy generating $20 billion annually and supporting 100,000 jobs.

Here are a few Colorado stats from the 2007 US Ag Census, the latest edition published:

• More 80% of Colorado’s farms and ranches are family or individual owned.
  
• Most of the top 10 ag revenue generators are related to animal products (beef, dairy, grain for feed, eggs and poultry, lamb and pork), with some notable exceptions. Wheat is #3 and produce is #6.
  
• Many people may not think of Colorado as being suitable for fruit and vegetable production but producers know better. Comparing fruit and vegetable production by state, Colorado ranks 3rd in head lettuce, 4th in summer and fall potatoes, 5th in cantaloupe and onions, 6th in sweet corn, 7th in peaches, 8th in cabbage and pears, and 9th in edible dry beans.

In looking at these numbers, you might have noticed that our state's production and processing is not limited to local distribution. While the CDA encourages buying local, it also touts that "Colorado's produce is shipped throughout the US and to over 115 countries around the world." And CDA also notes Colorado is home to several prominent food and beverage brands with national and international distribution, including Celestial Seasonings, Coors, Engstrom's Toffee, Hot Pockets, Leprino's, New Belgium and Rudi's Organic Bakery.

Don't these fresh veggies look like the start of a great meal..or two...or three?

E coli in organic, natural and conventional cattle

Sipping a brown ale, I stared at my pink burger while dining at a Boulder. Yes, the burger that was supposed to be cooked to medium doneness. I was surprised that the waiter asked how I wanted my burger cooked. I had hoped by now that rare and medium-rare burgers were off limits in dining establishments. I gingerly picked around the rare parts, considering whether I should ask for a new burger, cooked crispy charred. But we were running late for my stepson's high school play. No time for trepidation, be brave, I told myself. Nonetheless, sitting in downtown Boulder, the bastion of organic and natural foods, I couldn't help but think of a recent study about E. coli and matters fecal in cows of every persuasion: organic, natural and conventional.

In a study published in the August 2009 issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology, researchers at Kansas State University demonstrated the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in the feces of organically and naturally raised beef cattle to be similar to that of conventionally produced cattle in prior studies.

These findings suggest that when compared to conventionally raised beef cattle, organic and natural production systems don't affect antibiotic susceptibility of E. coli O157:H7. Although organic and natural beef are popular for their suggested health benefits, little is actually known about possible differences in food-borne pathogens associated with organic and natural versus conventional production methods.

Considering the ongoing reports of E. coli-contaminated ground beef, I am mindful food safety risks exist with ground beef, whether organic, natural or conventional. Cooking all types of ground beef thoroughly should be de rigueur. As I write this 12 hours after dinner, I'm still feeling fine. (However, illness from pathogenic E. coli typically sets in three days after ingestion.) But I'm not sure the restaurant will see me again any time soon.

Update November 12, 2009: Earlier this week the FDA released the 2009 Food Code, "a model code and reference document that provides a scientifically sound technical and legal basis for regulating the retail and food service segment of the food industry." At least one revision to the code is related to the subject at hand:

Serving hamburgers and other ground meats in an undercooked form upon a consumer’s request is no longer an option for items offered on a children’s menu.

(Source FDA press release November, 9, 20009, FDA Issues 2009 Food Code.)

The code applies to conventionally, organically or naturally produced ground meats. Yesterday evening, at another restaurant in Boulder I was, once again, asked by waitstaff how I wanted my burger cooked. Maybe I need to start ordering from the children's menu.