Knee High By The 4th of July
Dear Dad,
Growing up around farms I am well familiar with the adage, “knee high by the fourth of July,” used to describe the hopeful growth stage of sweet corn.
My July 4th weekend travels took me on a nice tour of some rural upstate New York farmland and corn growth seems to be on track! It’s been a rainy spring and early summer with some scattered scorching days which has led to some unique crop growing conditions. I’m guessing by early August the sweet corn crop will be abundant!
Many other foods are growing well too this year. My in-laws have a wonderful garden and over the weekend we picked perfect leaves of lettuce for salads, Hungarian peppers for a little spice, delicious deep red raspberries, and parsley to make homemade tabbouleh! Meanwhile, the tomato and zucchini plants look ready to pop.
The nutrient content of food is highest when ripe and closest to harvest. Just like it’s essential to grind your coffee beans as close to brewing as possible for the best cup, it’s advantageous to eat your fruits and vegetables soon after they’re picked. 😊
So you could go to the grocery store to buy your produce, likely shipped from a different corner of the country or in some cases the world, or you could walk outside to your own garden, or down the street to a regional market, and pick some produce straight from the vine!
Eat some fresh fruits and veggies this week!
With Love,
JSR
