Tag Archives: Mariel Borgman

Michigan honey is always in season

May 22, 20183-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Food, Health, Local FoodBeehive, Beekeeper, honey, Mariel Borgman, Michigan State University ExtensionJoanne

By Mariel Borgman, Michigan State University Extension

Thanks to the hard work of honey bees, we are able to enjoy the foods they pollinate such as apples, sweet cherries, blueberries, strawberries, pears, plums and peaches. Nearly 50 percent of the value of Michigan’s fruit and vegetable production can be attributed entirely to honey bee pollination. As an added bonus, farmers can harvest some of the honey the bees produce to sell as a delicious natural sweetener. Besides its great taste, honey has nutritional benefits as outlined in “Benefits of honey” from Michigan State University Extension. Learn why and how bees make honey by watching this short YouTube video, “How it’s Made: Honey.”

Michigan honey can be found year-round in stores and farmers markets. Honey has a long shelf life, but may form sugar crystals over time. Crystallized honey is still safe to eat. If crystals are undesirable, place the closed honey jar in a bowl of warm water and it will return to its previous consistency. If storing honey for longer than one year, putting it in the freezer can help retain flavor and color and prevent crystallization. For ideas on using Michigan honey in the kitchen, check out these Michigan Fresh recipes for Pear Party Salsa and Fruit Spread. Honey should not be fed to infants under 1 year of age.

Keeping backyard bees for honey production can be a fulfilling hobby or a great business opportunity. To explore what it takes to care for honeybees, MSU’s Beginning Farmer Webinar Series has an archived course on “Getting started with beekeeping for pollination and honey.”

MSU Extension’s Community Food Systems Work Team supports the development of local food systems in Michigan. The Michigan Fresh program has tips on growing, handling and preserving, as well as healthful recipes to take advantage of the delicious Michigan-grown bounty from your backyard or your local farmer’s market. For more information, connect with your local community food systems educator by visiting http://msue.anr.msu.edu/ or calling 1.888.678.3464.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. Reprinted with permission. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888.678.3464).

Radish variety can add flavor and crunch to your meals

May 10, 20183-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Food, Health, How-To'sMariel Borgman, Michigan State University Extension, RadishJoanne

By Mariel Borgman, Michigan State University Extension

As the seasonal farmers markets across Michigan begin to open this month and next, radishes of all sorts will be available from local growers.

Some popular types of radishes that you may see at farmers markets include:

Red Radishes

These are the most common radishes found in grocery stores. They have a bright red skin and white flesh.

Easter Egg Radishes

As the name might suggest, these radishes come in many colors ranging from deep purples, to reds, to pinks and whites. They are often sold in bunches of mixed colors.

French Breakfast Radishes

These long, thin radishes are white near the root end and pink at the top.

Black Radishes

The skin on these radishes is dark brown or black and they have a very strong flavor.

Watermelon Radishes

A winter storage variety radish with green skin that reveals a magenta and white center when peeled.

Daikon Radishes

These radishes are white and long in shape, like a large carrot or parsnip. They are popular in Asian cuisines.

Quick-picked radishes were a big hit among farmers market shoppers when Michigan State University Extension sampled them last year. These quick pickles are ready to eat in just 40 minutes, and don’t require canning as they are eaten fresh. Check out the four-ingredient recipe.

Plain, fresh radishes can be delicious on their own as a quick snack. Try them with different dips such as hummus or vegetable dip like the Tangy Yogurt Vegetable Dip recipe in this article from Michigan State University Extension. Other ways to enjoy radishes include roasting, using them to top salads, or shredding them into a slaw.

Radish greens are also an edible and nutritious vegetable. Remove them from the root and store separately. The greens will keep two to three days in the fridge and are delicious sautéed and added to stir fry or egg dishes.

Michigan State University Extension’s Community Food Systems Work Team supports the development of local food systems in Michigan. The Michigan Fresh program has tips on growing, handling and preserving as well as healthful recipes to take advantage of the delicious Michigan-grown bounty from your back yard or your local farmer’s market. For more information, connect with your local community food systems educator by visiting http://msue.anr.msu.edu/or calling 1-888-678-3464.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Spice up spring salads with Michigan-grown greens

April 4, 20183-bottom, Citizen JournalismMariel Borgman, Michigan State Extension, MicrogreensJoanne

By Mariel Borgman, Michigan State University Extension

Adding seasonal greens, especially dark leafy varieties, to your salads provides an abundance of nutrients and flavor (see chart for flavor characteristics). Salad greens are vegetables harvested for their leaf and petiole, the stem portion of the leaf. The greens may be harvested at different stages of development:

- Microgreens: Seeds are planted at high density and microgreens are harvested once the cotyledons, the first leaves to emerge when a plant germinates, have fully developed or when the first true leaves have emerged, usually when the plant is half to two inches in height.
  - Baby leaf: Seeds are planted at high density, and leaves are harvested when the plants have four true leaves and are two to five inches tall, still young and tender. Mixtures of various baby leaf salad greens are often marketed as mesclun, spring mix or field greens.
Leaf: Harvesting leaves beyond the baby leaf stage requires the greens to be cut into smaller pieces for use in salads. Many greens become less tender after the baby leaf stage, but lettuce and fresh herbs work well for salads in leaf form. Leaf-stage kale and Swiss chard can be chopped into bite-sized pieces for salad. Often leaves, such as mustard greens and collard greens, are cooked once they reach this stage.
Baby leaf

Head: This growing pattern is found in lettuce and some Asian greens such as pac choi. Typically, only lettuce heads are used as salad greens, as mature Asian greens are less tender and better suited for cooking.

Popular salad greens available in the springtime in Michigan include lettuces, mesclun mix, spinach, kale, arugula and chard. Asian leafy vegetables such as pac choi and tatsoi are also gaining popularity in the United States as salad greens in their baby leaf and microgreen forms. To reduce the risk of pathogen growth, store leafy greens in the refrigerator at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or lower and wash salad greens under cool running water prior to use. It does not hurt to give them a quick rinse, even if they are labeled pre-washed.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. Reprinted with permission. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888.678.3464).