Crop Talk, July 11: Week 7
What Are the Benefits of Eating Red Cabbage?
By Sandi Busch

Red cabbage’s primary characteristics -- its red hue and bitter, peppery flavor -- signify that you’re getting two types of cancer-preventing substances. The red pigment comes from plant-based chemicals called flavonoids, while the sharp flavor is the result of sulfur-based compounds. In addition to these important phytochemicals, cabbage contributes to your overall health with fiber and a range of vitamins and minerals....

Red cabbage belongs to the cruciferous, or Brassica, family that includes broccoli, turnips and Brussels sprouts. Cruciferous vegetables are the only source of sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates that are responsible for their bitter flavor. Glucosinolates are digested into isothiocyanates that reduce inflammation and fight bacteria. The red pigment comes from a flavonoid, cyanidin, that functions as an antioxidant. Both cyanidin and the isothiocyanates prevent some types of cancer by stopping the growth of cancer cells, inhibiting enzymes that activate carcinogens and helping cells repair damage caused by carcinogens. In April 2012, Vanderbilt University Medical Center released research results showing that breast cancer survivors who ate more cruciferous vegetables reduced their risk of dying by 62 percent.

Read more here.
Week 7 CSA Shares Include:

Red Cabbage
Nectarines
Pristine Apples
Green Beans
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Potatoes

About this week's fruit:

   You may notice dings and nicks on your nectarines and apples -- that's hail damage. A couple of violent thunderstorms in June pelted our orchards with hailstones the size of acorns, and a lot of our fruit wound up marked. We wish that weren't the case, but it is. The fruit is still perfectly good to eat, but it may ripen faster than usual, so either refrigerate these items or eat them right away.

   Group site members, please remember that boxes must be picked up on the day they are delivered. Most group site hosts can't refrigerate boxes, so many items will be spoiled by the next day. Fragile items wilt quickly if left out in the heat.   
Sweet and Pungent Apple and Cabbage Slaw

I have a weakness for any kind of coleslaw, which I’m happy to eat for lunch every day. This one is especially nice with a little feta sprinkled on top.

Read more here. (Featured in: Recipes For Health: An Apple A Day.)

Cucumber and Sweet-Onion Salad

"The freshness of this salad offsets the richness of our Southern Pulled-Pork Sandwiches."

Read more here.

Pick-Your-Own Bonus

July 19 -- 25

5 peaches

Wagon Rides from 9:15 through 5:00.

This week's Bonus Value: $5.00
Year-to- Date Bonus Value:  $67.00

Got Allergies?  Eat Real Food
By Nicole Seevers, www.colesmoveablefeast.com

   My family has been visiting Great Country Farms for nearly ten years.  We love everything about it: the rope swings, the goats, pick-your-own! A few years ago I decided to take the next step and sign up for a CSA share.  We love getting our box of ripe local produce every week, and my kids especially love taste tests . . . our CSA cantaloupe vs. the grocery store cantaloupe that was picked 2000 miles away before it was ripe.  You can guess which one wins.

   Read more here.

What’s going on in the Big Red Barn on Sunday mornings? Classes in Canine Parkour and Confidence Foundations for dogs, of course!

Canine Parkour is a sport in which you turn your surroundings into an environmental agility course. You and your dog will begin to see neighborhood walks in a whole new way. A park bench becomes an opportunity to practice “2 paws up," and a tree becomes the perfect obstacle for a “go around!" You’ll discover things to go under, over, through and in, and balancing on curbstones and landscape timbers will be a walk in the park.

In Confidence Foundations we pay particular attention to communication with our dogs, building skills for on-leash and off-leash cooperation. Your dog will become more sure-footed as we observe the way he navigates labyrinths, hoops, cavalettis, textures, and more. We'll improve balance and coordination using bodywork, body wraps, and thoughtful movement.

These classes are part of Joyful Dog LLC’s Great Country Fidos offerings. We’re accepting registrations for our final four-week summer term, which begins on July 31. Canine Parkour is at 9:30 Sunday mornings, and Confidence Foundations is at 11:00. Tuition is $108 for farm members for each four-week term, and $140 for non-members.

Joyful Dog also offers private training in good manners for puppies and adult dogs, Tellington TTouch, and behavioral issues by appointment at the farm, or in your home. Call 703-554-2384 to register.
Great Country Farms | 540-554-2073 | CSA@GreatCountryFarms.com | www.GreatCountryFarms.com