07/12/2025
So. Many. Vegetables. Is this a dream? 🤔Someone pinch me. 😬
I am guilty of getting lost in the weekly to do list to fully realize the impact of our efforts. We’ve been harvesting, packing, storing and transporting a small grocery store of fresh, nutrient dense food to two farmers markets weekly since the beginning of June. Offering our community and members over 30 different vegetables and herbs every week.
A recent article in titled “Declining nutrient density in vegetables could be another selling point for local” reminds me of one reason we got into growing our own food in the first place:
‼️ You are what you eat. And if what you eat is deficient in vitamins and minerals you too will be deficient. ‼️
From the article: “In general in the Western World, the nutrient density of vegetables has dropped significantly over the last 100 years…In 1975, on average, 100 grams of broccoli had 103 milligrams of calcium, but in 1995 the average calcium content had dropped to 48mg, down 53 percent.” I wonder what that number would be today.
I know this is important work for the health of our community. Industrial, commercialized agriculture (the stuff at the grocery store) is nutrient poor food, unfortunately. Nutrient dense vegetables and fruit come from small farms following good farming practices including beyond certified organic, among others, PERIOD.
But, this work doesn’t come without a sacrifice. Today, my hands are swollen and my neck is sore from a week of pruning, trellising, harvesting, weeding, and more. The margins are incredibly small and the work is hot, sweaty, and exhausting. So, when you arrive at the market to vibrant, abundant tables full of nutrient packed food, remember there’s a family, a farmer and farm workers overworking their bodies and giving up their summer weekends for this service. Spending $20 (or more!!) at a farm stand helps ensure this work continues and you get the benefit of actually tasty and nutritious food. It’s a win-win, really.
