From the Farm

Asparagus is a nutritious vegetable favored by many because of its vitamin and mineral content, as well as its taste. Asparagus is native to Europe and Asia but is grown commercially in the cooler areas of North and West Texas. Asparagus can also be grown in the Dallas and Houston areas, but as it is an early- spring vegetable, it produces poorly in areas with mild winters and long, hot summers.

Asparagus can be grown in a home garden, provided that there is plenty of room and climate conditions in your area are favorable for asparagus growth. A 20-foot row or 100 square feet of bed is a great size allotment when producing asparagus for a family of four. A bed that size will yield around 10 pounds of harvested asparagus per season. Make sure your bed is positioned in full sunlight and has deep, well-drained soil with a sandy or light- texture. Asparagus crowns grown in the right conditions can last for 15-25 years!

For more information on the process and timeline, and techniques of growing asparagus, visit https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/asparagus/.

If you live in an area where growing asparagus is not accessible and have to purchase asparagus, try to source it locally. Asparagus tends to taste better when homegrown than when it is shipped to Texas from other areas (such as from Central or South America).

Whatever way you choose to get your asparagus, you are sure to get an excellent addition to your plate. Asparagus can be topped on pizzas, used in a breakfast egg bake, roasted or grilled as a side, or steamed and enjoyed with fish, chicken or beef. Asparagus can be worked into your meals in many creative ways, adding essential nutrients to your meal.

Whether you bring asparagus home from the store or in from your garden, be sure to wash just before consuming. After being harvested, asparagus loses quality very quickly and becomes more fibrous and tough to eat. Asparagus can be stored for up to three weeks in the refrigerator, or blanched for 3-5 minutes, packaged, and then frozen for longer storage. AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight has a great selection of recipes using asparagus, like an Asparagus Breakfast Bake, Salmon Bowtie Pasta, a Roasted Asparagus Salad, and Oven Roasted Parmesan Asparagus. For more recipes using asparagus and other wholesome ingredients, visit dinnertonight.tamu.edu/.

Extension Specialist

Contact: Dr. Larry Stein

Phone: (830) 278-9151

Email: larrystein@tamu.edu

Sources

https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

https://pathtotheplate.tamu.edu/ 

https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/

https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/

https://extension.psu.edu/asparagus-production

Grapefruit has been a popular Texas crop for over 100 years. Grapefruit makes up 80% of all citrus grown in Texas and is produced in the Rio Grande Valley. The Rio Grande Valley provides the perfect subtropical growing conditions for grapefruit trees to thrive. It takes at least three years for grapefruit trees to produce fruit, but as the trees age, yields increase. In fact, a 10-year-old tree can produce up to 250 lbs. of fruit annually!

Grapefruit can be enjoyed fresh, frozen, or canned, and can be utilized in a number of ways. Grapefruit juice can be extracted from the fruit and frozen, grapefruit peel can be candied and used as a source of pectin for the preservation of other fruits, and grapefruit peel oil is commonly used as a soft- drink flavoring. Even grapefruit byproducts are incredibly useful! The waste from grapefruit packing plants is converted to molasses for cattle, and grapefruit seed hulls can be used for soil conditioning or combined with dried pulp and used as cattle feed.

Not only is grapefruit a versatile multipurpose product, it is also very nutritious. As a citrus fruit, grapefruit is high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, and is sodium free, cholesterol free, and nearly fat free. Just one half of a grapefruit can provide up to 70 percent of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C.

MyPlate recommends including two servings of fruit in your diet daily. One half of a grapefruit is considered one serving of fruit. Include grapefruit in salsa, salads, or atop greek yogurt for a filling and nutritious breakfast today!

Spinach, a nutrient-dense leafy green hailed for its health benefits and versatility in cooking, is a popular Texas crop. For quite some time, Texas was the top spinach producing state in the nation, thanks to the ideal growing conditions of the “Wintergarden” region. The Wintergarden region is an area in south Texas recognized for its long growing seasons. 

Spinach prefers a full sun environment with enriched, well-drained soil, and grows best when given plenty of fertilizer. Spinach can be planted in the spring or late fall. 

Spinach contains many vitamins and minerals and can be a low-calorie source of added nutrients to any meal. Spinach is also very heart-healthy.

In addition to the nutritional benefits outlined above, spinach also contains flavonoids, an antioxidant compound that helps build our body’s defenses and can help reduce the risk of cancer. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also cites beta carotene, Vitamin E and many other vitamins and minerals as benefits of this mighty green. 

Spinach is a great addition to any meal and can be used in far more than salads. Try spinach cooked in an omelet, in soups, pasta dishes or as a side with a lean protein like chicken or fish. AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight has developed many simple and healthy recipes to incorporate spinach into your meals as the main ingredient, including Chicken and Spinach Lasagna, Spinach Quiche, Black Bean and Spinach Quesadillas, and Spinach Pasta Toss.

To find more nutritious spinach recipes, visit dinnertonight.tamu.edu/.

Cauliflower has long been a favorite as a nutritious side dish. In the last few years, however, cauliflower has found its place on our plates in new ways as the versatility of the crop has been discovered.

Cauliflower is a Cole crop. Cole crops are cool-season crops that can be grown in Texas if the right varieties are planted at the right time. Other Cole crops include cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.  Cauliflower can be grown in a home garden but requires very fertile soil and grows best in full sun. Cauliflower is ready to be harvested when the flower heads (called curds) are full sized (6-8 inches), white and smooth.  Homeowners find that broccoli is an easier Cole crop to grow than cauliflower. Visit agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/cole-crops/ to see what varieties of cauliflower and other Cole crops grow best in your area.

Cauliflower and other Cole crops are a good way to add protein, vitamins and minerals to your diet, and can be prepared in many different ways. Cauliflower can be thickly sliced and roasted or grilled, included in curry or blended in soups. Cauliflower florets can be “riced” in a food processor and used as a low-carb rice substitute or made into a pizza crust for cauliflower pizza- the possibilities are endless.

AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight has developed many recipes that utilize this wonder crop in different ways, including Cauliflower Fried Rice, Baked Cauliflower, Shrimp & Broccoli Alfredo, and Baked Potato Soup. For more creative and delicious cauliflower recipes, visit dinnertonight.tamu.edu/.

Strawberries are a nutritious addition to any plate, and a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way! Strawberry production is small scale and scattered across Texas, with production in the Houston area, the Hill Country, the south plains around Lubbock, and the area south of San Antonio around Poteet. Poteet claims the title of strawberry capital of Texas. Strawberries are a short season crop in Texas but thrive in California and Florida, the top two strawberry producing states in the nation.

Picking fresh strawberries is ideal in peak season (March – June), when strawberries are at their most flavorful and aromatic. When shopping for strawberries, look for ones that are bright red, aromatic, and have an intact green cap. Avoid strawberries that are damaged or soft, moldy, or strawberries that have large white or green areas.

Be sure to not wash your strawberries when you bring them home from the store. Instead, wash your strawberries just before eating them to ensure your berries don’t spoil or get moldy. Store strawberries in the refrigerator separate from any raw poultry, beef or seafood.  

Strawberries can be enjoyed fresh, juiced, frozen, or made into an array of products from jams and syrups to body care products and soap. Strawberries are easy to incorporate into your meals! Because they are high in Vitamin C, potassium and folate while being low in calories, strawberries can elevate the flavors and nutritional value of any meal or snack.

AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight has great and inventive recipes using strawberries, including Strawberry Cucumber Salad, Strawberry Oatmeal Cookie Balls and Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta. For more creative and delicious strawberry recipes, visit dinnertonight.tamu.edu/.