Hi Everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your first share this past week and that our vegetables were a tasty addition to your dinner tables.

First I'll start out this newsletter with a brief introduction about myself. I've been here at Serenbe for about 2 months now. I'm an Atlanta native and am excited to be here on the crew to help provide food for the Atlanta community and beyond. I graduated in 2009 from Agnes Scott College with a degree in Spanish and Political Science. During college I was active in the campus environmental club, as well with other sustainability efforts. During the summers I worked outside doing trail work in national parks and national forests.  

After I graduated I knew I wanted to continue pursuing working outside and focusing on the environment. Last summer, working in the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania, I met some farmers at a local farmers market and volunteered on their farm the rest of the summer. While I worked with them harvesting and planting, I also became informed about how sustainable agriculture can be a solution for many of our world's environmental problems. At the end of the summer I knew farming could be the right career for me. I'm glad to be here at Serenbe, learning from such talented farmers as Paige and Justin.

Maya harvesting this week's lettuce (this morning).

            This weekend was my first weekend "on". This meant that for the weekend I had to handle the irrigation duties and greenhouse watering. It was really nice to have some time to observe the fields and appreciate all that we have going on at the farm. My favorite field right now is number 4, which is growing all the brassicas (swiss chard, collards, broccoli, cabagge...) I don't know about you, but I love eating leafy greens. They are chock-full of nutrients, and super healthy.  

Here are some of the health benefits: 

1)      Good for your bones- 1 cup of cooked kale provides 1300 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin K, which helps with healthy bone formation. Kale also contains manganese and calcium, which promote bone density.

2)      Heart health- One cup of Swiss chard has nearly one third of your daily potassium requirement which helps to control blood pressure.

3)      Aids in digestion- When eaten raw, leafy greens simulate digestion, and digestive enzymes

4)      Keeps eyes sharp- Leafy greens contain phytochemicals such as lutein and zeaxanthin. These help to protect against muscular degeneration of the eye.

5)      Cancer protection- Greens contain powerful antioxidants and other nutrients that have cancer protective studies. A Swedish study showed eating 3 or more servings of leafy green vegetables significantly reduced the risk of stomach cancer.

Source:

http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/benefits-of-green-leafy-vegetables.php 

Field 4 -- full of greens and broccoli, cabbage, etc.

Below is a simple, but delicious recipe for collards, kale, or chard (you'll also find this on our blog). 

Simple Greens

1-2 bunches greens: chard, kale, or collards
1 barletta onion or 2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Preparation:

Remove and discard stems and center ribs of greens. Cut leaves into 1-inch pieces. In a kettle of boiling water cook collards 15 minutes and drain in a colander, pressing out excess liquid with back of a wooden spoon.

Mince onion or garlic. In a 12-inch heavy skillet heat butter and oil over moderately high heat until foam subsides and stir in onion or garlic, greens, and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté mixture, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Drizzle greens with lemon juice and toss well.

  Hope that makes you all excited for eating some of the leafy greens in your share this week. There will definitely be more on the way as well. Have a great week!

Maya