Scientific Illustrations but Also Grow Romanesco Broccoli.

What is Scientific Illustration? 

Host of Real World Gardener radio show Marianne, speaks with Sydney Botanic Gardens Scientific Illustrator, Catherine Wardrop

Catherine Wardrop

 1.    Scientific illustration is one of many aspects of botanical research to aid plant identification and conservation at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.  How does it help?

2.    Why do botanists still use drawings instead of photographs?”

a.    Simply put, scientific illustrators create images of plants by referencing recent and historic herbarium collections. Catherine says "In my role, I use my artistic skill to translate the taxonomy, interpret microscopic botanical details, omit the unnecessary, document the essential and (hopefully) describe a species so well that it never has to be drawn again."

Prostanthera lasianthos

3.    What do you need to know about a species before you start drawing it?

•        Any knowledge of plants helps.Catherine had studied 5 years at arts school completing        an undergrad and post grad studies in visual art. Post grad was in plant and wildlife        illustration.

4.    Is there a method when approaching botanical drawing?

•     For a full plate which includes the habit of the plant, Catherine likes to do the microscope drawings first. It also involves a bit re-constructing. Scientific illustrator will include all parts of the life cycle of the plant.

7.    Which plant species have proved challenging to draw?

•     When you start drawing a new species that has no previous illustrations or specimens. 

8.    How long have you been doing scientific illustration?

a.    Since 1998 Catherine has illustrated native, exotic and invasive weed species at RBG Sydney and the most recent examples of her work are to be seen accompanying botanical descriptions in online publications of Telopea and PlantNET.

VEGETABLE HEROES

Which vegetable has more vitamin C than an orange?

Broccoli, Brassica oleracea var Italica or botrytis cymosa?

Earlier this year I mentioned that Broccoli heads are actually groups of flower buds that are almost ready to flower?

•     Each group of buds is called a floret.
  

That’s still true, nothing’s changed.

Broccoli is of course in the Brassicaceae family of vegetables along with cauliflower, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, turnips and many of the Asian greens.

Just to remind you why should you grow any type of Broccoli if it’s available all year round in your supermarket?

•     Firstly, supermarket Broccoli has probably been sprayed for all manner of pests whether or not the pests visited the Broccoli plant.
•      Secondly, supermarket Broccoli stems are pretty tough to eat, when they’re supposed to be tender.
•     Why, because that type of Broccoli transports better?
•     Homegrown Broccoli, especially the heirloom varieties, also re-shoot after your cut of the central Broccoli stem. Plus, Broccoli is pretty easy to grow.
•      If you just buy broccoli at the green grocer’s, the broccoli may look great but the taste may not be up to scratch. How so? They may have been picked before becoming fully-mature. Or they may have been picked at the right time but then stored too long.
•     With home-grown broccoli, you can also be sure how it has been grown: You know exactly where it has come from, what you used to grow and protect it, unlike those sold in supermarkets and even in farmer’s markets.

Today’s Broccoli is the Romanesco broccoli or some call it roman cauliflower

You might think this lime green cauliflower come broccoli is a new invention but it’s been around since the 16^th century.

•    The reason why broccoli is making an appearance in this segment is that even though it’s called Romanesco broccoli it’s much more crunchy than either broccoli or cauliflower.The flavour is different as well, some say nutty even, while others say it tastes like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower.That seems too hard to imagine.
•      To add to the confusion, apparently the French call it Romanesco cabbage and the English called it Italian asparagus.

So it’s a mixed up vegetable if you like but the most fascinating part of Romanesco is its appearance.

Much has been said about the mathematics of this spiral pattern, a lot of which is fairly complex.

Its spiralled buds form a natural approximation of a fractal, meaning each bud in the spiral is composed of a series of smaller buds.

•     You might’ve heard of the Fibonacci sequence?
  

The spirals follow the same logarithmic pattern.

Plus it’s a very attractive vegetable to be growing in the garden.

Where did it come from?

Romanesco is a unique Italian variety of broccoli with a yellowish-green dense head that forms an unusual spiral pattern.

How to grow Romanesco Broccoli?

Sow the seeds of Romanesco broccoli in from February July in arid zones, March through to August in sub-tropical areas, Spring and Autumn in temperate zones,

 And for cooler regions, you’ll have to wait until October before sowing.

•    The plants need the same care as either Broccoli, or cauliflower and that is they’re not too choosy about the site they’re growing in but prefers to be in full sun, but also will tolerate partial shade with no problems.Growing in too much shade will reduce the size of the Broccoli head.
•    The ideal soil is a reasonably heavy (not pure clay) which is rich in nutrients and has been well-dug. Like all brassicas, Broccoli needs a minimum soil pH of 6; but really prefers a pH of 7. Add lime if you need to raise the soil pH.
•     Broccoli is what’s called a heavy feeder, so do add plenty of blood and bone, and decomposed manures by the bucket load before you start.

Sowing Broccoli Seed

Sow your Broccoli seed about 1 ½ cm deep, and space the seedlings about 40cm apart so they don’t crowd each other.

Once a fortnight feed your broccoli with a liquid fertilizer; seaweed, manure tea, nettle tea etc.

•    TIP:Don’t plant or sow Romanesco Broccoli in your veggie bed if you’ve grown it before in the past 3 years. You may get a disease called Club Root that causes you Broccoli plant to wilt regardless of how much water you give it.
•      Remember the acronym. LRLC-Legumes, root veg, leafy then Cucurbits, Brassicas.

Harvest broccoli heads when they have reached maximum size, are still compact, and before the buds loosen, open into flowers, or turn yellow.

Romanesco broccoli

•     It will be about 70-100 days or 2 ½ -4 months, when your Broccoli will be ready if you plant it now.

When do you pick your Romanesco Broccoli?

You’ve got to time it just right, and that’s when the cluster of tight buds in the central head is well formed and before the individual flowers start to open.

Make a sloping cut (this allows water to run off), picking a piece that's about 10 cm long.

That way you’ve left a reasonable amount of the plant intact to produce smaller sideshoots or "florets," which you can pick as well.

Great for stir fries.

At this stage, don’t stop feeding and watering the remaining broccoli stem otherwise your plants will go to seed and you won’t get any side shoots.

TIP: If your Broccoli plants starts to flower it’ll going into seed production and you won’t get any more side shoots.

Why is any type of Broccoli good for you?

Broccoli contains twice the vitamin C of an orange.

Did you know that just 100g of Broccoli has two day’s supply of vitamin C (don’t overcook  or you’ll lose some).

Broccoli also a good source of dietary fibre, potassium, vitamin E, folate and beta carotene

100g broccoli has 120kJ.

Broccoli also contains magnesium and as much calcium as whole milk.

One cup of broccoli boosts the immune system with a large dose of beta-carotene. 

Great for preventing colds. Don’t underestimate the power of broccoli!

AND THAT WAS OUR VEGETABLE HERO SEGMENT FOR TODAY!

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1 Potato 2 Potato and Hot Compost

THE GOOD EARTH

Hot Compost

How many of you out there still do not have a composting system of some kind?
There’s no excuse, even if you only have a small balcony, everyone should be composting their kitchen scraps instead of it going to landfill.

• You just need some space for your compost.
• you could have compost bays, compost bins, or any structure that can hold up to 1 cubic metre of compost.

Compost bins at Margaret's House: Photo by Margaret Mossakowska

There’s so many systems out there to accommodate all kinds of limitations that you might have.
You can even make a compost heap without building or buying anything.
I'm talking with Margaret Mossakowska from www.mosshouse.com.au
Let’s find what to do .

Vermin: put Rapid mesh under you bins if you have rodents invading your compost.
Alternatively, put food scraps into a worm farm, and use you compost bins just for green waste.
Worm farm that is smelly:

• Too many food scraps will make the worm farm smelly and anaerobic. Mainly nitrogen rich.

The way to fix it is to add more carbon rich material such as shredded newspaper, coffee chaff or straw.
note: coffee chaff is free by-product of coffee roasting, that is husks of coffee beans. You just need to ask.
Compost Bins/Bays

• To make a hot compost you need to assemble at least 1 cubic metre of material in one go.
• Wait for it to heat up to 55-60 C, usually after 2-3 days, then you can turn it.
• Use a compost thermometer so the compost doesn't get over 60 C. This temperature is enough to kill weed seeds and insect eggs.
• Commercial compost is biologically dead because it is heated to  more than 70 C.
• Ratios are important: 4 buckets of carbon rich material to 1 bucket of green clippings/food scraps.
• Molasses can be added to compost to innoculate it, or use comfrey, nettles, nasturtium soaked in a bucket of water.

Margaret now runs workshops that you can attend without leaving your home because they’re via Zoom, that’s on your computer.
If you have any questions, why not email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

VEGETABLE HEROES

Which Potato Shall You Grow?

Potatoes are scientifically Solanum tuberosum

• Did you know that Potatoes are a vegetable that is one of the most energy-giving foods there is, because of the starch and carbohydrates in them? Farmers in the Andes Mountains of South America first discovered the potato 7,000 years ago

Captain William Bligh planted potatoes on Bruny Island, Tasmania in 1792. In Australia they are now the largest vegetable crop.

• Other than eating ,potatoes are used to brew vodka and Potato starch is used in the food industry as a thickener and binder for soups and sauces and, in the textile industry as an adhesive, and for the manufacturing of papers and boards.

The potato is a member of the nightshade or Solanaceae family and its leaves are poisonous.

TIP Here’s something to think about when storing your potatoes.

• A potato left too long in the light will begin to turn green.The green skin contains a substance called solanine which can cause the potato to taste bitter and green potatoes can upset the stomach, so don’t try them.

How to grow potatoes

• Always grow potatoes from Certified Seed Potatoes from reputable suppliers.

If you use leftovers or buy from supermarkets or green grocers, you might think it’s only a small risk, but once you get potato blight into your soil, it’s their forever. 

No chemical will shift it.

When to plant

Potatoes can be planted now all over Australia, in temperate and sub-tropical districts, August to October is the best time, in arid areas August until December is your best time,

Cranberry Red Potato

In cool temperate zones, September through to January is your best time so cooler areas have a bit of extra time to order some of the more unusual varieties before they grow in the ground.

Some Varieties You May Want to Consider

How about Cranberry Red?

Cranberry Red has red skin and red flesh, great in salads, for boiling and baking.  These stay red, even after cooking.

Or what about Potato Sapphire that has purple skin and purple flesh?

Royal Blue Potato

Purple Sapphire I’m sure is sold also as Purple Congo, is perfect for mashing, boiling and roasting, and yes, it stays purple after cooking.

Purple mash, Yum, and yes, I’ve cooked it.

And for a good all rounder, try growing Royal Blue.

Potato Royal Blue is oblong, with purple skin and dark yellow flesh.

If you’re buying through mail order or online, you have until the end of August to buy them. After that, they’re not available.

But What do they really need?

• They need lots of sunshine because the soil needs to be warm for them to grow their very best.
• They also need loose soil that isn’t too wet or too dry. If the ground is too wet, the potatoes will rot in the ground.
• Potatoes plants are started from the buds or ‘eyes’ of an existing potato. You can cut the potato into pieces and plant them with the bud or ‘eye’ facing up.

To grow your Potatoes-

Chicken manure or blood and bone should be dug through the bed as potatoes need a lot of phosphorus but not too much nitrogen.  Too much nitrogen will mean lots of leaves rather than potatoes.

Put seedling potatoes into a trench in as deep and rich a soil as you can get.

Plenty of compost and manures please.

And as they grow pile the earth up around them.

• You will need to hill the rows or potato container several times until the potatoes have flowered. You need to do this to stop the greening of tubers and also protect them from potato moth. Also, hilling up the soil and mulch will give you more potatoes as they tend to form on roots near the surface. That means, as you pile up the soil, you get new roots, and more potatoes....
• Keep the water up and but only water moderately as potatoes will rot in soil that is too wet. They can also get a fungus growing inside them if the soil’s too wet.When you cut them open, they’ll have grey patches inside which actually do taste mouldy. Euwwww!
• You can add fish emulsion and seaweed extract when you’re watering too.

How To Grow Potatoes in You Black Compost Bin.

Potatoes can also be grown in your black compost bin if you’re not using it for compost.

• Plant the seed potatoes at the bottom, let them grow to about 50cm,( so with your ruler that’s  almost 2 x ruler heights) then, over the top and add 8cm of soil, let them grow a little more, add some more soil, and so on, in the end a stack of potatoes.
• Pick your potatoes when the vine has died down to the ground, that’s if you want the most potatoes, but they can be harvested from when the first baby potatoes are formed. 
• The lower leaves should be turning yellow – this happens about 3 to 4 weeks after flowering.

If you plan to store your potatoes, cut off the foliage and let the potatoes rest in the ground for 3-4 weeks to allow the skin to 'set', they keep longer this way. Store in a dark, cool, well ventilated spot.

Roasting Potatoes include: Arran, Royal Blue, Cara, Celine, Desiree, Maxine, Picasso, Ruby Lou, Romano, King Edward, Kondor, Maris Piper, Stemster and Valor.

For Chip Potatoes try: Nadine, Kestrel, King Edward, Desiree, Kennebec.

For Boiling Potatoes try: Nadine, Dutch Cream Kestrel, Desiree, King Edward.

For Mashing Potatoes try: Kestrel, Nadine, King Edward, Tasmanian Pinkeye.

For Salad Potatoes try: Nicola, Tasmanian Pinkeye, Ponfine.

Harvesting Potatoes When The Vine Has Died Down

For something different try: Sapphire, with purple flesh it looks great mashed and roasted.

Another method for growing potatoes is underneath straw.  This no dig method is easy and will still provide you with a great crop.  First, prepare the growing area with a layer of manure, dampening it, and then covering it with a thick layer of wet newspaper.  Ensure that each piece of newspaper overlaps the next to stop weeds from getting through.  Put the seed potatoes on the newspaper 50cm apart and cover with a layer of straw.  Add cow manure and blood and bone over the straw.  After this add more straw, and repeat until the straw is 40cm deep.  Water it in well.  Because straw is organic, it will decompose so you will need to add more straw as it does so to prevent sunlight from reaching the potatoes.

Why are potatoes good for you?

The potato is densely packed with nutrients.

A medium potato provides vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6 and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.

Potatoes are known as the foods people crave when they are stressed. 

Why? because the carbs in potatoes (about 26%) help make space for tryptophan, this, in turn, boosts the serotonin level in the brain.

High serotonin levels help boost your mood and help you feel calm.

To preserve these nutrients it is important to peel the potato just prior to cooking and not leave

THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY

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Sign Up for Summer Meals

Have you been taking advantage of your school district's summer meal program? If not, you are missing an opportunity for your kids to have nutritious meals all summer long!" The school year might have ended differently this year but that does not mean kids cannot have fun during their break and not worry about feeling hungry.

Throughout the state of Maryland, the USDA offers FREE summer meals programs for children up to 18 years old (and individuals 19 years of age and over who have a mental or physical disability and participate during the school year in a public or private non-profit school program). The summer meals are nutritious and are available until the end of August.  

You do not need to fill out any paperwork for your child to receive these meals. They can just show up to the sites. Given the current COVID-19 situation, some sites might operate a little differently from past years. Many sites are offering grab and go meals.  This means parents remain in the car with their child while a staff member hands the meal bag through the car window. Sites may provide all the meals for the day or more than one day’s worth during pick up.

You can find information on your closest summer meals sites at: https://mdsummermeals.org, by texting “FOOD” to 877-877, or calling 211.​

You can also get FREE food and other assistance for the entire family if you qualify through your local pantry or food bank. Check the links below depending on your area of residence.

·   Maryland (except for Prince George’s & Montgomery counties) -  Maryland Food Bank 
·   Prince George’s County - Capital Area Food Bank
·   Montgomery County - Capital Area Food Bank & Manna Food Center

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When Do Fruits and Vegetables Go Bad?

During summer, we see more local fruits and vegetables ripe for eating! However, many households may be shopping less frequently, and storing fresh produce longer. Plus with warmer temperatures during the summer, these are some factors that allow for food to spoil faster-think slimy greens, soft spots, smelly, and maybe even mold. 

However, the germs that spoil foods such as fruits and vegetables are different from the germs that can cause foodborne illness. But, following safe food handling practices can help reduce food from spoiling faster, as well as keep our food safe! 

How do I keep foods from going bad?

1. Visit the website “Eat or Toss” that gives science-based information about whether you should eat or toss weird spots or holes you might find in your fruit or vegetable. You can even submit your own photo and question too!
   
2. Download a free app to have reliable information fast!
   
3. Learn and understand what food packaging dates mean. The ONLY date you DO want to use the food by is infant formula. All other packaging dates are for quality and not safety.
   
4. Keep an appliance thermometer in your refrigerator, because refrigerators at 32º-40°F, will slow growth of most germs.
   
5. Wash your produce (with water only) right before you cook or eat it raw. Why? Because prewashing produce can give microorganisms the water they need to grow.
   
6. Clean your refrigerator and other containers you use to store produce in.
   
7. Freeze food to use later. Freezing is easy and quick. Use packing material that is specific for freezing foods. Remove as much air as possible and remember to label the package with the food contents and date.
   

Other factors that can cause food spoil faster are:

• Microorganisms (germs)-Spoilage germs are different than germs that cause foodborne illness.
  
• Enzymes-Naturally found in food, and will cause foods to ripen, such as bananas going from green (unripe), to yellow (ripe), to brown (overripe).
  
• Air-Can cause oxidation, a natural chemical process that can cause changes in food, making it less appetizing
  
• Light-Can cause color and vitamin loss.
  
• Pests (insect, rodents, parasites, etc.)-Damage food to spoil faster
  
• Physical damage-Bruises and cracks can cause food to spoil faster
  
• Temperature-All germs can grow faster in warmer temperatures
  
• Time-Allows germs to grow, and allows for other natural processes to ripen and spoil produce.

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Summer Activities (COVID-style)

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After a rainy spring, it’s a relief to take advantage of the warm weather outside! But unfortunately during the COVID-19 pandemic, we might not be able to do all of our favorite summer outings and activities. Here are some ideas for getting outside and being active as a family:

• Create an outdoor obstacle course outside using toys or things from around the house, like balls, cones, jump ropes, and cardboard boxes. Get creative! See who in your family can make it through the fastest, then try running the same course with a bike or scooter.
  
• Get out and enjoy nature! If you have a nearby park, go for a walk there, or go on a neighborhood wildflower walk to see how many different plants and flowers you can find. Or go for a Letter Scavenger Hunt (find instructions here)!
  
• Balloon fun: Throw a blown-up balloon into the air and see how long you can keep it in the air without letting it touch the ground. Or go further and play balloon tennis! Take a paper plate and attach a paint stirring stick or something similar for a handle. That’s your tennis racket and use the balloon as your tennis ball. For more ideas, watch this video.
  
• Find a Citizen Science Project here on a topic your family is interested in. Many of the projects will get you outside and interacting with nature.
  
• Hold your own Summer Olympics for your family! Include different games and activities that your family members excel at from a dance competition to crossword puzzles. For some cooling fun, add water games. For example, give each player a full cup of water. One at a time, each player must jump rope for ten turns while holding their cup. The player with the most water still in their cup wins.
  
• Draw a game board on the sidewalk with chalk and make up the rules. Kids can become life-size pieces in a game of your own invention.
  
• Take the “Create Your Own State Park” Summer Challenge from Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. It includes all kinds of activities to turn the outdoor space around your home into a State Park! If you complete the challenge, you can enter to receive an  official certificate from Maryland State Parks and win prizes.
  
• Make art outside: Paint the sidewalk with water. See how fast the sun makes your art disappear. Draw big chalk murals that encourage your neighbors to add to it (while socially distanced). See what kind of art you can create using nature and found objects.
  

 

For even more ideas, check out this Activity Library!

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Three Can Climb:Running Postman, Happy Wanderer and Snake Vine

PLANT OF THE WEEK x 3

Scientific Name:Kennedia rubicunda; 
Common name: Dusky Coral Pea, Running Postman
Family: Fabaceae

Etymology:Kennedia...after John Kennedy, an English nurseryman
rubicunda...referring to the colour of the flowers
Flowering: Spring with pea like flowers, that is, a standard of 4 petals, a keel and two wings.

Grows: 3m high x 3m wide

Suitable as a trellis climber or covering embankments. Bird attracting.

Kennedia rubicunda

This next plant is a climber as we have been taking about climbers for a couple of weeks.
It’s got these attractive scarlet to pink flowers but what else?
Let’s find out…

I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, qualified horticulturist and native plant expert.

The running postman title is probably because of the red flowers that appear on this fairly vigorous vine or creeper.
Did you also know though that it’s a very useful medicinal plant to grow?
Apparently its leaves were bruised and drunk as a tincture when recovering from illness. Don’t know what sort of illness though.

Use it as a groundcover, for arches, teepees and vine supports. 

some will say that it's happy growing in a pot.  I can't be sure about that.

Dusky Coral Pea does best in full sun but will tolerate part shade. 

It needs to be protected from frosts.

There is another cultivar Kennedia nigricans that Adrian and Marianne mention. This has black and yellow coloured flowers. 

A cultivar known as Kennedia nigricans 'Minstrel' was registered with the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority by Goldup Nursery of Mount Evelyn, Victoria in September 1985. This cultivar was selected from a batch of seedlings in 1983 and has a pale colouration instead of the yellow, which appears almost white.

PLANT OF THE WEEK X 3

Scientific Name: Hardenbergia violacea
Common Name: Native Sarsparilla, Happy Wanderer
Family: Fabaceae

Grows:the species form grows to 6m. There are many other forms that grow only as a sub-shrub or smaller climber.
Etymology: Hardenbergia...after Franziska Countess von Hardenberg.
violacea...referring to the typical flower colour

Cultivars: 

"Happy Wanderer" (very vigorous, purple flowers)

"Pink Fizz" (pink flowers - climbing, not vigorous)

"Mini Haha" (compact, shrubby - purple flowers)

"Alba" (white flowers)

"Free 'n' Easy" (whitish flowers, vigorous climber)

"Blushing Princess" (shrubby - mauve-pink flowers)

"Purple Falls" (trailing - purple flowers, good for rockeries)

"Bushy Blue" (shrubby - blue-purple flowers).

If you love the colour purple in the garden you’ll love this next plant because it’s got it all.
It’s tough, it flowers for ages, and you don’t even have to do too much to look after it.
Let’s find out more...
I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, qualified horticulturist and native plant expert.


There’s so many Hardenbergias to choose from that come in not just creepers or climbers, but small little shrubby things that spread a bit.

Some of the shrubby forms of Hardenbergia are very useful for mass plantings, rock gardens, retaining walls and banks for home gardens and larger landscapes.

There are some good shrubby forms on the market such as ‘Bushy Blue’, ‘Purple Spray’ and ‘Regent’ which can grow from 60cm tall (‘Bushy Blue’) to 1.5m tall (‘Regent’). ‘Mini Haha’ is a compact dwarf form but it is not as robust as other types.

There’s also ‘Meema’ will grow to approximately 450mm tall with a 2 metre spread which is ideal for outcompeting weeds and creating a ground cover with a shrubby appearance.

PLANT OF THE WEEK X 3

Common Name:Golden Guinea Flower: Snake vine

Latin Name: Hibbertia scandens

Family: Dilleniaceae

Etymology: Hibbertia...after George Hibbert, a patron of botany; scandens.... "climbing", because of the climbing habit of the species.

Flowering:spring, summer but spot flowers throughout the year
Description: a scrambling climber or vine anywhere between 2 to 4 metres. Glossy mid green leaves with buttercup yellow flowers with prominent golden stamens.

Hibbertia scandens

What else?
Let’s find out…

That was Adrian O’Malley, qualified horticulturist and native plant expert.
Hibbertias are sometimes called Guinea Flowers because the flower shape and colour looks like the ancient Golden Guinea coin.
When Adrian has seen it in the bush, it's mostly in open forest or gullies. 

The flowers shape and colour is a dead give-away for the hibbertia species.
The "snakes" are the tendrils that twine themselves together and climb up.

Perfect specimen for sloping sites where it can scramble freely.
If you have any questions of course, why not email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

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Farmers' Markets are Open!

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Shop at your community farmers’ market for healthy, fresh food.  You can buy fresh fruits and vegetables and other foods like milk, eggs, meat, and cheese.  Most community farmers’ markets and farm stands will be open this spring, summer, and fall. 

Because of COVID-19, farmers and markets are working hard to make shopping at the farmers’ market as safe as possible.  Watch this video to learn more about shopping at the farmers’ market this season: Safe Shopping is a SNAP at the Farmers' Market 

This year, things will be a little different at the farmers’ market. Make a shopping list before you go, bring hand sanitizer and look for hand washing stations at the market to clean your hands often.  Bring a shopping bag to carry your food home.  Bring your SNAP/EBT card, eWIC, or FMNP checks if you plan to pay with these.

Follow these easy steps to keep your family and your food safe:

1. Do not go to the market if you are feeling sick.
   
2. Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
   
3. Bring and use hand sanitizer.
   
4. When possible, only one person from your family should go to the market.
   
5. Leave pets at home.
   
6. Do not touch your face while you are away from home.
   
7. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, when you get home.
   
8. Wash fresh produce under running water before you put it away.  Do not use soap to wash fruits and vegetables.
   
9. Wash the counter and sink with soap and water after washed produce is put away.
   

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No pressure, no diamonds. ~Thomas Carlyle

No pressure, no diamonds. ~Thomas Carlyle

The best collection of quotes and sayings for every situation in life.

♥♥ Share Inspire Quotes ♥♥

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Love Quotes | Funny Quotes | Quotes about Life | Motivational Quotes | Life Quotes | Friendship Quotes | Daily Quotes | Positive Quotes | Encouraging Quotes | Favorite Quotes | Romantic Quotes | Famous Quotes | leadership Quotes | Inspirational, Motivational, Funny & Romantic Quotes

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Happiness is found when you stop comparing yourself to other PEOPLE.

The best collection of quotes and sayings for every situation in life. Visit - https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.com for beautiful quotes about Life, Love, Relationships, Happiness and more. Quotes in this Video 1. Forget all the reasons why it wont work and believe the one reason why it will. Read more: https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c... 2. Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you, and treat you bad. Let GOD deal with the things they do, 'cause hate in your heart will consume you too. ~Will Smith Read more: https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c... 3. Stop BULLYING... Read more: https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c... 4. Happiness is found when you stop comparing yourself to other PEOPLE. Read more: https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c... 5. The greatest mistake we humans make in our relationships; We listen half, understand quarter, think zero, and react double. Read more: https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c... For More Quotes visit below links Quotes about Life - https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c...Quotes about Relationships - https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c...Quotes about Love - https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c...Quotes about Friendship - https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c...Quotes about Famous People - https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c...Follow us on Social Media - https://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.c...

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Spotlight on Plums and Nectarines

Look for plums and nectarines at your farmers’ market in July. 

Watch this video on how to buy, store and prepare plums and nectarines.

Recipes 
Use nectarines or plums to replace peaches in these recipes

Fruit Salsa
Fruit Cobbler
Fruity Oatmeal 
Grill It! – Cut the fruit in half, brush on some oil, and put it on the grill for a sweet or savory dish.
 
Plums and nectarines are called stone fruit because of their large, hard seeds that look like stones. They both contain Vitamin C to help keep you from getting sick, and fiber to help your digestion.
 
Did you know??

•  Nectarines are a type of peach, just without fuzzy skin
•  There are over 2,000 varieties of plums
  

 
Choosing Plums and Nectarines

Look for smooth skin with no bruises or mushy spots.

•  Nectarines should smell sweet, like a peach
•  Plums should be heavy for their size and firm
•  If the plums have a white film on the outside, that is okay, and it can be washed off
  

Look for locally grown plums and nectarines in your favorite store, or at your local farmers' market, for the tastiest options.
 
How to Store Plums and Nectarines
Put ripe plums and nectarines in the fridge, unless you are going to eat them right away. When you are ready to eat them, let them sit on the counter for about an hour for the best taste.
Put plums and nectarines that need to ripen in a brown bag in a warm spot – like on top of the fridge.
 
How to Prepare Plums and Nectarines

Cut the plum or nectarine in half by cutting down the seam (center) of the fruit, in a full circle around the seed, twist, and separate.

If you cannot twist the fruit, cut wedges out with a knife.

Eat plums and nectarines any way you like – raw, grilled, baked – and in a savory or sweet dish!

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Impossible is for the unwilling. ~John Keats

Impossible is for the unwilling. ~John Keats

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