HORSERADISH

Armoracia rusticana may be harvested about once a year for its long, white roots to make a pungent horseradish sauce or add heat to fall soups. We are waiting until the leaves have lost a bit more of their green but, unable to resist checking out what was going on under the soil, we finally decided to dig out a plant or two this week. The roots were super deep and beautiful!

Nutrition: Horseradish root is low in calories in fat and high in vitamins and minerals such as folate, Vitamin C, and dietary fiber. Horseradish also packs quite a punch to the sinuses and, because of its intense flavor, may also send a wave of endorphins when consumed-- all great benefits to this underrated treat!

Harvesting and cooking: Horseradish is most commonly planted in early fall and then is harvested about 12 months later. (One plants the side roots shooting off of the main root-- the main root may be harvested and used.) Like I said, we wanted to check out how the plants are doing, but typically you should harvest them once most of the leaves have lost their green and a deep frost or two has hit. We started off with a potato fork but quickly learned that the roots had dug way too deep, so switched to a shovel for harvest. Take care to dig far around the base of the plant so as not to break the root in the process.

Once harvested, the most common use for the root is to be grated and pureed with vinegar to make a sauce. This is a super simple process, but beware-- once the enzymes in horseradish have broken down, its super potent, causing the nose to run and perhaps the eyes to water. You may find some suggestions for horseradish sauce and other uses here. Make sure to scrub the heck out of them first, and remember to save the offshoot roots for next years' harvest!

Storing: If not used fresh, horseradish will quickly darken and bitter. Like most roots, you may store it in a root cellar space for a time, but it is best to use immediately or make into a sauce that may keep in the fridge for months to come.

Other uses: Over the summer, I often traveled to the horseradish patch while canning. Just like grape leaves, horseradish leaves release tannins in a pickling mix that keep your veggies crisp. Just roll up a leaf or two like a cigar and stick in the jar with all your veggies and herbs before the water bath-- it makes a huge difference!

PINE NEEDLE TEA

Pine needle tea is an idea I came across while reading about winter foraging. While most of the greens have died away in the cold, and other foragables are hidden underneath the snow, conifer leaves may be found everywhere in Iowa woods, even in the bitter cold. I love the idea of making a winter tea that looks and smells like Christmas.

Nutrition: The incredibly compelling part of tea from steeped pine needles is the huge amount of Vitamin C it provides-- a cup of pine needles packs a punch five times that of a lemon! Pine needles also have a large dose of Vitamin A, making this cozy drink even more appealing for your body.

Harvesting and cooking: I love any foods that can be foraged because they are guaranteed to be great for their environment (found thriving naturally!), are free, and give me a good excuse to go on a walk and feel connected to nature. Harvesting for the tea doesn't get much more simple. Just go out into the woods and pick out the most beautiful, fresh green needles you can find. Just beware-- there are a few types of conifers you should try to avoid, as they have toxins our bodies don't like, and a few known to lead to abortion in pregnant mammals. Most are safe for your tea experiments, but stay away from the Yew, Norfolk Island Pine, and the Ponderosa Pine. Just consult your plant ID book (or for those less nerdy, Google) to double-check the safety of your pine needles before consumption.

Steep your rinsed handful of needles (after removing any brown spots and bruising all the leaves-- a rolling pin works well) in 2 cups of boiling water. Just leave your needles in the bottom of the cup and pour the just-boiling water overtop, or chop up the leaves and put in your favorite steeping device. Pine needles can use quite a bit of time to steep, you may even leave them overnight, with no fear of the drink turning bitter. Once it has been steeped to taste, just strain the leaves and add some spices and sweeteners to your liking. Drink up and enjoy!

LEAVING NYE HILL

As sad as it is to leave this amazing farm that has given me so much knowledge and experience (some of which I've shared with you!), I am looking forward to helping out on Iowa City farms, shopping the markets, continuing to forage, and learning more about the wild, weird, and rare produce we should be growing and eating. I will continue to share with you profiles of a few of those foods too! I am taking a few weeks off to spend time with my family and friends, but look forward to a profile on edible acorns soon!

Until then, peace and love,
ReNee

PUMPKIN SEEDS

Happy Halloween to you! Or rather, here in Keene, their annual Pumpkinfest, full of downtown activities and a lighting of a huge tower of pumpkins. This year we carved 11 pumpkins to go on the tower-- each carved with one letter of NYE HILL FARM for the pumpkin tower-- pictures here! So we had a lot of pumpkin guts, and because I am a sucker for holiday traditions, insisted we save the seeds to roast like I remember doing with my family when I was little.

Nutrition: Pumpkin seeds are mostly sentimental to me. They taste like watching Charlie Brown ("I got a rock!") and sorting our candy after trick-or-treating. But these guys are actually super nutritious too. They are high in calories, but the great kind-- full of fats that lower your cholesterol and encourage great circulation. They have also long been valued as an excellent source of zinc. And though those are the big too, these seeds are truly loaded with vitamins and minerals our bodies love. A satisfying seasonal snack you can feel great about eating!

(Fun fact: It's recommended that one does not roast pumpkin seeds for more than 20 minutes, as roasting past that point actually changes the fats in the seeds, decreasing health benefits.)

Harvesting and cooking: After scraping out all the pumpkin innards, we separated the seeds from most of the gunk by submerging it all in water. The seeds will float away from the pulp and may be skimmed off the top of the water. After a rinse-off and pat-down, the seeds are ready to go into the oven. Season them any number of ways; I looked up recipes on pinterest for ideas, but we also made a basic batch with just a tiny bit of olive oil and sea salt tossed in before spreading them in one layer on a baking sheet. Roast these guys at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes, flip them over, and roast for about the same. They will be sizzling hot out of the oven, and smell heavenly. Happy Halloween!

Storing: After roasted, pumpkin seeds may keep for quite awhile in your pantry, if you can keep your hands off them long enough to find out!

GIANT GARNET MUSTARD

It isn't hard to tell why this particular variety of brassica juncea is often grown as an ornamental. Left to its own devices, with enough space, its leaves grow huge, a beautiful maroon with an interesting texture and glossy finish. As an edible, though, giant garnet mustard is equally satisfying.

Nutrition: I have had trouble finding nutritional details on giant garnet specifically, but most mustards share a similar nutritional profile-- low in calories and high in vitamins. For example, the more famous arugula contains a large amount of disease-fighting properties, and mizuna a high amount of Vitamin C, iron, and folate. I think it's safe to assume that giant garnet mustard shares similar benefits and can be a delicious, healthy part of your diet.

Harvesting and cooking: Unlike other kinds of green and mustards which you may harvest by cutting off the top few inches and waiting for regrowth, giant garnet provides a harvest of individual leaves, picked or cut off at the stem. Be sure to leave at least half of the leaves on each plant so that the plant is not shocked and will continue to produce and regrow for you. Giant garnet has a spicy, mustardy flavor that may range from mild to quite spicy depending on soil, temperature, time of the year, maturity when harvested, etc. It is delicious in a salad mix of mustards and other greens, but can really be used in a wide variety of dishes used in replacement of or in conjunction with other mustards and greens.

Other uses: Recently, seeing how huge and yet durable the individual mustard leaves had grown to, I realized they could be used as a great, flavorful and low-cal, low-carb wrap! I filled the leaf with hummus, greens, shredded carrot and kraut (any number of veggies and herbs could go in there) and it was absolutely delicious, my favorite way to enjoy this mustard.

THAI BASIL

O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora, unlike its sweet counterpart, has a clove or anise scent and strong licorice flavor. Its beautiful stems are purple and square (indicating its plact in the mint family), and its flowers are equally pretty in purple. As we are putting the field to rest, I have had to pull many Thai basil plants. It is an ingredient I have never used before, so I did a little research...

Nutrition: Thai basil leaves have an outstanding amount of Vitamin A and a smaller amount of Vitamin K and iron. They also have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. As part of a meal, this variety provides a good amount of your required minerals and vitamins, while still being super low in calories!

Harvesting and cooking: As lovely as they are, it is recommended that you cut off the flowers with a knife while the plant is still growing, so that more energy may be focused on leaf growth. When harvesting leaves for use, try to harvest early in the morning for flavor retention. Cut the plant down to about six inches. When ready to use in cooking, strip the leaves off of the stem.

Thai basil is most often found in Thai recipes, but if you as nervous as I to try to perfect such complex and incredible dishes, there are other ways to add Thai basil to more familiar recipes: Chop up some fresh basil for scrambled eggs or an omelet (just remember that a little goes a long way with this powerful herb), or add to a rub for meat. Make a pesto or basil mayonnaise for burgers. One blogger has a wonderful suggestion for an herb vinegar that I really want to try: "Put four sprigs of basil in a bottle of white wine vinegar. Seal the bottle and leave in a sunny place for two weeks. It is delicious poured over sliced tomatoes."

Storage: Basil is one of those herbs that only lasts a few days after harvested, and turns grassy and loses its distinctive flavor if dehydrated. Most growers suggest making Thai basil ice cubes (once frozen solid, you may transfer from the ice cube trays to a freezer bag) to break out for fall or winter dishes.

Other uses: Thai basil is also known as a mosquito repellant and headache reliever! Rub all over the skin for an outdoor summer outing to repel mosquitoes, or rub on the temples when your head aches. You could also put some thai basil on the fire or grill to deter those skeeters during a campout or barbeque.

RASPBERRY LEAVES

Rubus idaeus, the red or European raspberry, provides us with two incredible fruitings here at Nye Hill-- one in the summer and another in early fall. Today will be our last harvest for the season; the leaves will go to sleep and we will prune back any dead plants, and then wait for more delicious berries next year. In the meantime, however, the leaves of the raspberry plant have a lot of incredible medicinal uses which should not be overlooked!

Nutrition: We do not eat raspberry leaves or consume them for amazing flavor, but rather for the incredible range of bodily aid they provide, typically fresh or dry in an herbal tea (medicinal herbal teas are also known as tinctures). Raspberry leaves have been steeped throughout history to help out with circulation, and anti-inflammation. Steeped along with a mint, these leaves are known to help reduce nausea as well. This tea is dually helpful for pregnant women, as raspberry leaves' most common use is its well-documented aid in all aspects of female reproduction, especially menstrual health. It is also a great way to boost the pregnant woman's immune and circulatory systems when she most needs it.

Harvesting and steeping: Harvesting these leaves is not a science... there are probably so many on your plants, and such a small amount is needed for a tea, that neither you nor the plant will notice their absence. Just pull the suckers off and rinse them before use. Raspberry leaf tea may be made with fresh or dry leaves, and because of their slightly astringent taste, should probably be steeped with a combination of other herbs, such as mint. When making fresh, boil for about 10-15 minutes, and make sure a lid covers the pot-- you want to keep those goodies in your tea and not to evaporate in the air.

Storing: You may also dehydrate raspberry leaves before they die so that you may have leaf tea available to you all year. Thinly layer your leaves in a dehydrator (or harvest and lay out in the sun) to dry until crumbly. Crumble them up and store them in a baggie or jar until use, or dry other herbs to make a ready-to-go tea mix. Steep 2 tsp of dried per 2 cups of water for about 4 minutes.