Print the NEW Harvest Calendar for Your Refrigerator!
This new harvest calendar will look great on your refrigerator! You and your family will enjoy being able to easily see what's in season and what you might be able to find at your local farmers' market, farm stand, CSA, or grocery store that sells locally grown produce. You will also be able to anticipate the fresh, locally grown goodness to come and plan for changing menus well in advance.
The new harvest calendar is designed to be downloaded and printed onto a standard sheet of paper, in either color or black and white.
Spinach is much loved as a versatile and nutritious spring treat. As a cool-season crop, New Mexicans can expect to find locally grown spinach in spring and late fall/winter; if you live at a higher elevation you might even find it being sold through June.
Spinach is well known as a nutritional powerhouse, largely due to its high iron levels, which is important for keeping our red blood cells fully loaded with the oxygen needed for energy production throughout the body. But spinach has a lot more to offer than just iron; it's also a great source of vitamins A, C, K1, B9 (folic acid), and calcium (among others). All of these, and others like magnesium and potassium, help increase bone strength, immune function, skin and blood health, and more.
Spinach also contains important plant compounds such as lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health, quercetin to protect against inflammation, and kaempferol that is believed to help protect us from chronic diseases and some cancers.
Sautéed spinach is a quick way to get the health benefits of spinach onto your plate as a delicious, and nutritious, spring side. Or, enjoy it by itself as a filling lunch!
Save Beet Greens for Your Plate and not the Compost Pile
Beet greens can be included in the "dark, leafy" variety of healthy foods we hear so much about, and with good reason. Surprisingly, beet greens contain more iron than spinach and even contain protein (about 2 grams or protein per 100 grams of greens). They're high in vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, and antioxidants like beta-carotene. Taken as a whole, beet greens have more nutritional value than the beetroot itself.
The health benefits of beet greens are many, including improving oxygen levels, lowering blood pressure, fighting inflammation, and helping to ward off some cancers. Beet greens are classified as a "super food" and are worth a regular appearance on your table.
Beet Greens with Fresh Eggs
When you buy produce such as beets or carrots from a farmer, you'll get a two-for-one deal: in addition to the main vegetable you're buying, you'll also get the greens, which are a delicious food in their own right. Try this as a tasty, healthy, and frugal breakfast or lunch after buying New Mexico-grown beets from your local farmer.
Farmers' markets and farm stands are opening around the state as spring advances, and you can read this post to learn how they are a very safe shopping option for you and your family! (In case you haven't heard, markets have officially been deemed "Essential Businesses;" you can read more about that here.)
But each market in the state is independently operated, and each manager is having to navigate local officials who may have additional rules or requirements for their municipality. To learn more about your community markets, head to our market locator and search for your market to find the contact information, then contact the market directly to learn about current news and updates.
Beet greens can be included in the "dark, leafy" variety of healthy foods we hear so much about, and with good reason. Surprisingly, beet greens contain more iron than spinach and even contain protein (about 2 grams or protein per 100 grams of greens). They're high in vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, and antioxidants like beta-carotene. Taken as a whole, beet greens have more nutritional value than the beetroot itself.
