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THIS WEEK’S FRUIT

Emerald Beaut Plums
A freestone plum, the Emerald Beaut is a delicate green that turns golden with a hint of a blush. It has a firmer texture than the Santa Rosa with a crisp almost crunchy mouthfeel. One of our most hardy fruit, the Emerald Beaut just gets sweeter and sweeter without losing texture as it ages. Nutrition Scientists call plums a superfruit. Plums contain an antioxidant called chlorogenic acid, which may help reduce anxiety.

Shinseiki Asian Pears
Asian pears are also known as “apple pears” as they’re often described as having the texture and shape of the apple but with the smooth sweetness of a pear. Botanically, they’re true pears and are native to China and Japan. The Shinseiki is a medium-sized pear with smooth yellow skin. They’re nicely crisp with a sweet white flesh that’s refreshingly juicy. Pears are great sources of Vitamin C which, fights free radicals. They are also an excellent source of fiber. Eat the skins! Research shows that the skins contain three to four times as many antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flavonoids as the flesh. Doctors also recommend pears for introducing babies to solid foods because they are low in acid and will be easier on babies tummies.

Warren Pears
The Warren is to our pears as the Cal Red is to our peaches and the Flavor King to our pluots. This is Frog Hollow Farm’s signature pear and for good reason. Too difficult to grow for most farmers to consider it’s never caught on commercially but Farmer Al has never shied away from putting the time and effort into a fruit that tastes so good. It has a classic European texture, very soft and juicy with a silky sweetness that avoids the typical grittiness found in most pears. Pears are great sources of Vitamin C which, fights free radicals. They are also an excellent source of fiber. Eat the skins! Research shows that the skins contain three to four times as many antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flavonoids as the flesh. Doctors also recommend pears for introducing babies to solid foods because they are low in acid and will be easier on babies tummies.

Pink Lady Apples
A cross between the Golden Delicious and Lady Williams, the Pink Lady is a crisp and juicy apple with a tart finish. A creamy white colored flesh that resists browning makes this an excellent apple for salads and slicing. Also a modern day favorite for eating out of hand. The apple a day adage may be spot on. Recent research has shown that apples are associated with lower risk of heart diseases and strokes. They are also an excellent source of fiber and a good source of vitamin C.

Flame Seedless Grapes
Firm, large, and sweet the Flame Seedless are one of the most popular varieties in North America. Enjoy these out of hand or try them in green salads, chicken salads, or fruit salads. Another superfruit. Grapes are packed with a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol, which promotes a healthy heart.

Muscat Grapes
The Muscat family is among the oldest of grape varieties. A gorgeous green to golden blush color gives way to a perfumey and sweet flavor. These grapes have seeds but the flavor is worth the effort. Another superfruit. Grapes are packed with a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol, which promotes a healthy heart.

A Note From Farmer Al

Dear CSA Members,
Whenever I travel and meet people, when they learn that I am an organic farmer, they ask all the obvious questions: What does organic mean? How is it different from non-organic? Is it really better? Why is it more expensive? Is it more nutritious?

The so-called “Stanford study” was published recently and of course the media quickly distilled sound bites from it which added to the controversy and the confusion, even among those who are fairly knowledgeable about what organic means. Is it more nutritious; maybe not, if you’re not considering the exposure to trace chemicals in your food. Is it healthier for our bodies; probably, but that in and of itself is not the only reason to buy organically.

For me, the answers are clear and compelling. It’s all about the environment: that of the soil which grows the food and that of the earth, which sustains all life. The earth, the soil and our bodies are all one. We are all part of an intricately connected continuum which is in a precarious balance at this point in time because of what we humans have done in just the last century. We must all pull together and cooperate as never before, to save or planet. How we choose to eat is the most fundamental, powerful and effective way to do that. Choosing organic is the first step. Organic food is nature’s food; it’s the food our bodies evolved with over the last 10 million years. It cannot be improved upon. Modern food has been designed by scientists whose goal is to make money for the corporations they work for, by creating food which is package- able, storage- able, distributable, shelf stable, merchandisable and profitable under the guise that they are helping feed the world by creating products, (seeds, pesticides, fertilizers) that are impermeable to pestilence and adverse weather and storage conditions. Their goal is to grow food more cheaply and by keeping costs down, entice buyers to buy their products and thereby increase their profits. But who pays the hidden costs of this environmental cultural and economic degradation? We do. We will all pay more in the long run for the short sightedness of this food system driven by greed.

The question we should be asking ourselves is, is it sustainable? While organic has a narrowly defined legal description mostly pertaining to the kinds of materials which can be used to produce food, sustainability is a much broader, but also more fundamental concept. Does it renew rather than deplete natural resources like water and soil? Does it contribute to the culture, economy and health of the people?

I propose an additional definition for CSA, not only “Community Supported Agriculture” but also “Community Sustaining Agriculture”. We here at Frog Hollow Farm thank you for your sustaining membership, which helps us do our part in building more sustainable communities.