Vegetables

That vegetables are a keystone to a healthy diet is a true but tired sentiment expressed by multitudes of parents ever since the increased accessibility of mass-produced junk food. Trying to instill good eating habits in the young is an honorable task, but I wonder how many of these same adults are only echoing the lessons of their own parents when in their heart of hearts they'd much rather be gorging themselves on pumpkin pie instead of cauliflower on Thanksgiving Day or any other day for that matter.

It is my impression there is a certain strain in our culture that portrays vegetable-eating similarly to how it portrays a heady, intricate subject matter such as mathematics. Regardless of the expressed admiration we may have for the brainy people who are competent in this field, there is a general understanding among the rest of us that it is not only a chore, but something to be feared, an impossible undertaking for most mortals. This explains the knowing nods and sympathetic looks of an older generation that tells its children, "Once you get your math done, you can do the pleasurable activity of x, y, or z." In short, it is an undesirable task that really does not merit your full attention. It is something that is to be gotten through hastily (and therefore carelessly) to get to something else, something supposedly better. What results is a shallow understanding of some bits-and-pieces, but a lack of appreciation and knowledge of how these bits-and-pieces play into the greater whole, which whole has helped produce most of modernity's greatest human achievements.

The contribution of vegetables to humankind is also not insignificant, historically and currently providing us with the nutritional staples we need to live and live fully. Yet, as with mathematics, we eat our vegetables to get to dessert. Our knowledge and appreciation of these (usually) green organisms is limited. Indeed, except for the more exuberant health-conscious individuals among us, the most we know about these various items is where to find them in the canned-good or produce sections respectively. Aside from this basic knowledge, we do not bother ourselves to delve any deeper into the origins of our food, how to prepare it so that it can be enjoyed just as much as dessert, or ideally how to grow it.

Growing a vegetable and herb garden can be the commencement of a fuller relationship with food that is good for you. Gardening is a proven way to reduce stress, get exercise, and build family ties. Moreover, the more you plow and plant, the more your interest in and appreciation for your homegrown food will increase. Instead of alphabetically dumping some watery corn kernels from a can into a pot, you will go out to harvest the corn yourself and do it with not just a little satisfaction.

On the left you will find a gradually increasing number of links to the different vegetables and herbs we have knowledge or experience with at Piscataway Acres. Please feel free to explore them and write with any questions, comments, ideas, or suggestions you may have.