August 15, 2021
Even More New Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury

Two new veggies will be available in the U Pick field: edamame and husk/ground cherries.

Edamame - aka soybeans tend to be easy and fun to pick because there are so many on a single plant. Look for the largest and filled out beans towards the lower part of the plant. Much has been written about the health benefits of soybeans - excellent source of protein, iron, calcium, vitamin K and antioxidants. They are also delicious and store well while still raw. Place them in fridge in a plastic container for up to 10 days for best quality. To enjoy, they must be cooked. Boil in heavily salted water and begin testing for doneness at 9 minutes. Use a larger pot than you think necessary because they boil over easily. There are a lot of recipes on this site - from Soybean "Hummus", Edamame Burger, Edamame and Carrot Salad with Rice Vinegar and more! Try them all and eat some simply boiled with either a nice sea salt or sprinkled with herbs.

Husk or Ground Cherries - another member of the nightshade family, these look like mini tomatoes or tomatillos. They are high in antioxidants and vitamins and can be stored for literally months on your kitchen counter. Do not remove the husk before you are ready to use them. To harvest, simply look on the ground under the plants. The husks on ripe cherries are dried out and even brown. To enjoy, they are a delicious tropical tasting snack, or check out this site for uses - my favorite is the Fresh Ground Cherry Salsa.

A farmer's note on the husk cherries: For a reason we haven't determined yet, husk cherries have begun to perform poorly on the farm, starting a year or two ago. While similar in growth habit and a cousin to tomatillos, which have been robust, husk cherry plants' vigor has been lacking of late. There will be some fruit available but not an abundance. We'll try something different next year.