• October Did You Know . . . "DYK"
     
    True False Answers From the October Harvest Of the Month page
    1. TRUE - Kale is in the same plant family as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower
     
    2. FALSE - There are more than 50 varieties, and they come in different shapes, sizes and textures from purple to green. Names include Dinosaur Kale, Russian Kale, and Cow Kale.
     
    3. FALSE - Kale is more and more popular and found on more menus and in more homes these days but it is not a new food! Kale has been cultivated (grown) for over 2000 years and was a popular dish in ancient Rome, and was eaten in a more wild form for much longer.
     
    4. TRUE - It should be easy to remember because Kale starts with K!
     
    5. TRUE - Kale is a hardy plant, and the waxy layer on the outside of the leaves called the epidermis allows it to grow into the colder months of fall and winter. With a greenhouse or cold frame, kale be grown even longer!
     
     
    Some more in-depth discussion questions:
    1. What is found in greens that makes food for the plant?
    * Nutrients are the parts of food that gives us energy. Leaves can be considered the food factories for a plant. Things inside the leaf that we can't see convert energy from the sun into energy, or nutrients, that plans can use, and that we can use when we eat plants!
    2. What is a mineral found in greens that is also found in milk?
    * Greens such as Kale are high in the mineral Calcium - Calcium helps our bones, heart, and nervous system. In addition to the high levels of Calcium available in Kale, other important minerals include Sulphur and Magnesium.
    3. What do we call the lines in leaves that carry food?
     * Veins: AKA vascular bundle. The veins' job is to transport (move) water, minerals and food energy through the leaf and on to the plant. The veins in a leaf do the same things that the veins in our bodies do!!!
    4. What makes leaves green and also makes food for plants?
    * The leaves of Kale are the part of the plant richest in chlorophyll, which makes them green. So we can actually see the chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is used in the process of photosynthesis. Chlorophyll supports our body in making blood, and our liver in getting rid of bad stuff in our blood (toxins) when we eat it.