Kale a member of the Brassica family, is at times an overlooked gem. In the middle ages kale was a staple food because of its hearty constitution and its ease to propagate.It is very high in vitamin A an C as well as a source of potassium and Folic acid. When it is young and fresh it is a nice addition to salads.The most tender variety is Lacinato kale, also referred to as dinosaur kale.
Now that its June, Kale is at its most tender and just getting to be big enough to harvest. I found some just harvested bunches at the farmers market from Common ground farm ( Fishkill Ny) they made a great salad.
Kale and mixed green salad for two
Handful of mixed greens, spinach or arugula5-6 Kale leaves with the stem removed, torn in to bite sized pieces a handful of home made croutons, (still warm is the best) toast small cubes of bread in olive oil in a pan until golden brown, season with salt and pepper shave some Romano cheese on top, a squeeze of lemon and some olive oil, and toss.
Science has taken over our plates and our grocery stores. Genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are a silent tasteless enemy. They have affected our world’s farmers and diners alike. What are these hidden Frankenstein’s doing in our grocery stores, our fields and on our plates? Playing with the evolution of plants and nature can be a risky business. Effecting both nature and farmers. It already has affected small farmers due to cross contamination. Most farmers who are growing organically want nothing to do with GMO’s or the use of synthetic pesticide or herbicides in their farming. However, the wind will still carry pollen from a GM crop to that of a farmer’s crop being grown organically. Making it impossible to control its effects on the natural world, or to judge the effects genetic modification will have in the coming years. In 1998 an employee from Monsanto walked on to the farm of Canadian canola grower Percy Schmiser. They claimed he was growing a stolen strain of their GM seed. The truth was that Percy had saved seed from the previous year, seeds that later were found to contain anywhere from 0 to 68% of GM contamination. Contamination that came from pollen or seeds that had blown from fields of GM canola that was near by. This was just the tip of the iceberg for Percy; Monsanto sued him for patent infringement and damages equaling $400,000, amongst those charges they had ordered him to pay $15- an acre, for 900 acres of tainted canola. Percy and his family endured years of legal battles, ending on March 19, 2008, in an out of court settlement. Percy Schmeiser settled his lawsuit with Monsanto. Monsanto has modified a brand of seed called “round up read” meaning that even when spraying large amounts of the toxic herbicide on to a crop, only the weeds will die. I can’t imagine this is healthy for human consumption. It also has affected ladybug numbers who have eaten aphids that were found on the “round up ready” plants killing the bug. Through the use of excessive pesticides, super-insects are being created. Ones that is resistant to the chemical pesticides. This is causing more crops to be lost, getting us back to the problem that we were trying to solve. We have come out of this situation with more tenacious bugs and an even bigger problem, plants with unsafe levels of chemicals. Chemicals that were built in to protect the plants are harming us; levels that we cant peal or wash off. In the end studies have shown that increasing the use of pesticides is not decreasing crop loss. When creating GM plants and seeds, scientists use genetic material from viruses to create seeds that are immune to disease and pests. Scientists haven’t had enough time with these new plants to know how they will affect our bodies or the bodies of animals. Plants are being made with the best intentions in mind for the consumer, longer shelf life and plants that are easier to grow. Scientists are addressing world hunger by creating a strain of rice that contains high levels of vitamins, including beta-carotene. I’m sure that it seems like an easy fix, and easy solution. But in truth none of us will know what will happen to our genetics when we play with one of the things that keep us alive. The first genetically modified tomatoes contained genes that made them resistant to antibiotics. These genes spread to animals and people, making it difficult to fight infectious diseases. GM foods are affecting our heirloom and wild crafted plants as well. Around 75% of U.S. processed foods including grains and some cooking oils, contain some part GM ingredients. Growing numbers of non organic products containing corn, soy, canola cottonseed oil, wheat and rice, are contaminated with GMO’s, making it very difficult to avoid GMO’s all together.The most common misconception made when talking about Gmo’s is that we have been doing this for as long as we have been farming. The truth is that there is a very big difference between the two. Genetically modifying a plant or animal means that the genetic code has been altered, subtracted, or added in order to give it characteristics that it does not have naturally. This means creating something that cannot happen in the wild. (Barrett) Naturally a jellyfish or a flounder does not cross breed with our common tomato. Cross breeding and hybridizations have happened through out time to create stronger livestock, seedless fruit and many types of domestic dogs and cats. The difference between cross breeding and genetically modifying something is that cross breeding takes two species that are of good genetic strength and breed them with the same species. For example, a farmer has saved the seeds of his prize tomato, which he has, meticulously hand pollinated in a green house every year. At the end of the growing season he save the seeds only of the plants that had high yield and strong healthy vines. The next year he plants those seeds, next to another variety of tomato in a controlled environment, making it possible for the plant to cross breed. This creates a different variety of tomato, which the farmer has created through selective breeding. The same process has been used to breed livestock for over a hundred years. Genetically modifying on the other hand is a different story entirely. GM Is when genetic material has been modified in a way that is not found in nature, or under the conditions of crossbreed or natural hybridization. For example arctic flounder have naturally accruing “antifreeze” genes that prevent the fish’s blood from freezing in the frigged waters, Scientist found a way to pinpoint the “antifreeze gene and force this intravenous in to the molecule of the plant. By doing this Scientists had created a tomato that could to ship longer distances and withstand lower temperatures. (4 examples of genetically modified crops ) As well as prevent a ripening enzyme and slow rot. While this seems like a break through in science we have no idea what consequences will be if GM plants fall through the cracks and begin to reproduce with regular plants. Through evolution our earth has changed drastically, from dinosaurs to the first humans. This long process has produced plants and animals unique to their species and even to their climate. Today scientists have taken the evolution of our resources in to their laboratory. They may be taking risks that may not be worth taking.
When you think of sustainable farming the first thing that comes to mind is not a plot on the top of a city building. But things are changing; it seems for the first time in years the idea of being self-sustainable in a city is not just for hippies or activists any more. Rooftops all over our countries cities are turning green in this new movement.The change is coming from people of all demographics; schools, Chefs and foodies seem to be the most active majority. For children who don’t get a regular chance at seeing carrots be planted and then pulled from the ground, it can be a life altering experience. While they still may go for the cheetoz later that day, they have the information that may help them make healthy choices down the line.Gardening in the city is not going to solve all of our problems, but when people begin to make a connection to their food, slowly the ideas will spread and foster change and growth. Gardening in an urban environment makes you appreciate the green spaces tucked in the nooks and crannies. It becomes very evident when planting a window box, a terra cotta pot or a roof top garden that plants are incredible adaptable. For restaurant owners, schools, and residents gardening on a rooftop or a park in a city fosters community and breaks the cycle of the constant concrete jungle. It reminds us that our food really did come from plants, and that the taste difference is overwhelming. Many folks love the idea of sustainable farming and gardening but don’t want to leave the city, by adapting and creating their own green spaces, they have the best of both worlds.As a student living in a small apartment, as well as being an advocate for sustainable farming and gardening. I have found a creative way to garden in whatever space I can find. Old trash barrels cut down, wooden boxes, terra cotta pots. It becomes a big project to achieve a small yield from my miss-matched garden. It is satisfying to be able to watch things grow and enjoy even a sprig of fresh herbs. It is amazing how having this process, reminds me to think about the types and amounts of a product that I use and where it is coming from. I believe it is an important exercise as an aspiring chef to start and foster a garden, especially if you are in an urban environment. A relationship is formed with the process and with foods that are otherwise overlooked.For me it is just a surrogate for the time when I can actually be farming, but it is a wonderful exercise.
