Broccoli

Some of the vegetables in our garden are transplants. Locally we have a farmers market, Frog Pond, which covers most items on your gardening wish list. Though I enjoy the challenge of raising crops from seeds some plants are just simply much easier to deal with in the form of starter plants due to the short growing season in NY.

Personally I find few veggies fresh from the garden that can rival freshly cut broccoli. Hit is with a bit of heat to soften it but not deplete it of nutrients and you have a delicious side dish. Last year I had lost my job and my wife was 8 months pregnant and going out on maternity leave soon so our garden went from a hobby to becoming a corner stone of our evening meals. My daughter and I would gather garlic and potatoes along with broccoli just before her mother arrived home from work. Though money was very tight we were able to maintain a reasonably healthy diet and there was a certain satisfaction in providing for ones self that helped build character within our family.


Broccoli is an important source of calcium as well as Vitamin C and Vitamin A, mostly in beta-carotene. An interesting point with calcium is that there is now belief that it may play a roll in controlling high blood pressure.