So, what's this I hear about kale? Can this super food actually be bad for you? Do not panic. There is hope! So before you opt out of eating one of the healthiest greens around, please read this thoughtful and informative post from my fave farm market -- then go straight to your own market and find out how and where they grow their kale.
"Ok. Let's get this straight people. Before you show up to The Berry Farm with pitchforks and torches, let's take a minute to breathe and think this through.
Yes, plants that grow in soil use their roots to uptake nutrients and water for their growth above the ground. And yes, plants are capable of also pulling up heavy metals and other forms of soil contamination.
Brassicas, (Cole crops in the family Brassicaceae) like kale, collards & mustard, are particularly reputed as having the ability to "photo-remediate" the soil. What this means is that these plants are capable of up taking minerals (desirable and undesirable) from the soil and concentrating them in their above ground biomass aka leaves, stems & flowers.
Ordinarily, the term photoremediation is favorable. For example, the use of sunflowers to up take heavy metals from the soil is a good thing because the heavy metals (such as lead) are removed safely from the soil and concentrated in the flowers. The plants can then be removed, thus removing contamination from the soil.
So what does this mean? Well for starters, let me just lay out the facts for you about how we grow things here at The Berry Farm:
1.) The Berry Farm is situated on agricultural land that is both historically & currently the best & most fertile in the county.
2.) Our farm land has historical agricultural roots. (Yes that pun was intended)
3.) We care about our soil. We practice crop rotation both outside on our fields & inside in our greenhouses. We utilize cover crops & green manures to replenish the soils nutrients.
4.) We make our own compost. We use organic waste (food scraps: egg shells, banana peels, apple cores, spent fruit & veges), grass clippings, and leaf mulch from our farm. We use this compost in both our raised beds and throughout our greenhouses." The Berry Farm, Chatham, NY
2.) Our farm land has historical agricultural roots. (Yes that pun was intended)
3.) We care about our soil. We practice crop rotation both outside on our fields & inside in our greenhouses. We utilize cover crops & green manures to replenish the soils nutrients.
4.) We make our own compost. We use organic waste (food scraps: egg shells, banana peels, apple cores, spent fruit & veges), grass clippings, and leaf mulch from our farm. We use this compost in both our raised beds and throughout our greenhouses." The Berry Farm, Chatham, NY
Now, don't you feel better? I know I do!
