month - sheboygan area school district · month ca started growing it that broccoli really became...
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HARVEST
MONTH
NUTRITIONBroccoli is a powerhouse of nutrients including: Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Calcium, Folate, and fiber. This combination of nutrients makes broccoli very useful in detoxifying the body, reducing inflammation, and supporting heart health. All these characteristics including antioxidants in broccoli make it an important food for cancer prevention. If that wasn’t enough, compounds found in broccoli support eye health, prevent harmful bacteria from growing in the stomach, and counteract sun damage.
BOTANY CORNERBroccoli belongs to the family Brassicaceae which turnips, radishes, mustards, and arugula are all members. What’s more, broccoli is actually the same species, Brassica oleracea, as cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, kale, and brussels sprouts. All of these vegetables have been bred for different characteristics to create the various delicious parts we eat. Broccoli was bred for the tightly formed flower buds that we call a head of broccoli.
Broccoli is a cool season crop, which means it prefers spring and fall in Wisconsin. Start seeds in early March for a spring harvest or late July for a fall harvest. Broccoli seedings are susceptible to frost, but once established, broccoli can withstand a light frost and gets a little sweeter with cool temperatures. Most broccoli varieties mature in 100–120 days. Broccoli has shallow roots so requires regular watering. It also requires a lot of nitrogen and prefers acidic soil between 6.0–7.0 pH. When harvesting cut it with a stem of 8-10 in. and cool immediately.
SERVING IT SIMPLY• Try not to overcook broccoli. It’s
fabulous and most nutritious lightly steamed or quickly boiled. Top with your favorite spices, herbs, or some shredded cheese like Parmesan.
• Broccoli is delicious when roasted in the oven at 375-400°F until some edges get a little crispy. Toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper in a baking dish before putting in the oven.
• Broccoli can be cooked with onions, potatoes, broth, salt and pepper for a simple soup.
• Cut up broccoli very finely, add shredded carrots, chopped nuts or seeds, and apples or raisins topped with your favorite salad dressing for a delicious slaw.
• Don’t forget to eat the stem and leaves of broccoli too! They are all delicious.
FUN FACTS• Step aside carrots (but eat those too),
broccoli is very good for eye health.• The word broccoli comes from the Italian word
“broccolo” which means “cabbage sprout.”• Broccoli is the same plant species as kale,
cabbage, and cauliflower.
AROUND THE WORLDBroccoli, with Italian roots, was originally cultivated by the Ancient Romans, approximately during the 6th century BCE. The word broccoli comes from an Italian word that means the flowering part of a cabbage. Thomas Jefferson was one the first to grow broccoli in North America, but it wasn’t until Italian immigrants in San Jose,
october
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HARVEST
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CA started growing it that broccoli really became widely distributed. California grows about 92% of the broccoli in the U.S.
CLASSROOM CONNECTIONTaste Test
• Have students try broccoli prepared in three different ways: raw, cooked from fresh, cooked from frozen (steamed, boiled, roasted, or microwaved are options or cooking. Just be sure to cook the fresh and frozen the same way).
• Have students explore each kind of broccoli based on color, smell, taste, and texture. Analyze the results of the survey by use of averages, graphs, and charts.
Bring in different members of the species Brassica oleracea to connect students with vegetables we eat and what botanical part of plant vegetables are. These vegetables can also be used to explore how vegetables are bred for different parts of the plant. Brassica oleracea has been bred to eat the flower buds
(broccoli), flowers (cauliflower), leaves (kale and cabbage), stem (kohlrabi), and stem buds (brussels sprouts). A connection could be made with Mendelian genetics and the hybridization of plants, and then even comparing this kind of genetics with genetically modified foods.
BOOKSHELF• All Our Fruits and Vegetables by Roberta Duff
and Patrick McKissack• Use book to discuss how we eat different
parts of the plant, including broccoli as a cluster of flowering buds.
• Broccoli Chronicles (Little Kids, Big Voices) by Taneeka Bourgeois (author) and Alvina Kwong (illustrator)
• Use this book to share how one young girl stood up for what she believes in and who also happens to really love broccoli.
Community Education & RecreationPlymouth School [email protected]://www.plymouth.k12.wi.us
Nourish Farms, Inc.920-627-GROW (4769)
Sheboygan Area School DistrictSchool Nutrition Program
www.sheboygan.k12.wi.us/ families/nutrition.cfm
Harvest of the Month highlights a locally available crop each month of the year in school cafeterias, community organizations, restaurants and grocery stores. The program helps children, their
caregivers, and the broader community learn more about healthy, seasonal, whole-foods eating, while supporting local farms.