“It’s unfortunate that French radishes have this reputation for being a stinky, spicy food” says Bryanna Eisenhut from Stone’s Throw Farm, where she and her team recently grew 9,000 French radishes to distribute to thousands of children through our Harvest of the Month Program.“When you grow French radishes in the fall and spring, they are more sweet and mild, with just a tiny kick,” says Bryanna, who loves the versatility of this under-rated vegetable and has used her creativity to enjoy them in a number of ways.
“Put them in a hot skillet and fry them, and you’ll get a buttery, slightly nutty flavor. We also make ‘fickles’ – a false pickle – with a brine of water, vinegar, bayleaf, salt & pepper. These are really great on top of tacos. The greens are really mild and warm – you need to cook them, they are prickly – but they are so delicious with some crushed parsley or a squeeze of lemon. The greens are a warming quick delicious treat, not the gross slime-ball you might expect.”
Bryanna and her partner Steven have young children of their own at home. When asked if her kids eat French radishes, she said they like them raw with a pat of unsalted butter. “Kids in general get pigeonholed into being simple food eaters, and it’s our responsibility to change that.”
Our Harvest of the Month Program, now running in it’s 11th year, is designed to do just that! By delivering fresh, local vegetables and fruit directly into the hands of our local school children, children develop an increased preference for these foods and many of them begin to request them at home! This year, Harvest of the Month is being delivered to students on campus and through school meal programs distributed in class and through curb-side pick-up locations. Special thanks to the BriarPatch Food Co-op for sponsoring all the fresh, delicious produce distributed for this program!
Stone’s Throw Farm was excited about this opportunity to grow 9,000 French radishes for our local school children. “The whole crew was talking about how cool it was to grow food for kids of all backgrounds, not just the ‘foodies’. It was a real treat to know we were helping expose kids to fresh, local organic food.” Stone’s Throw Farm, located in Colfax, offers tasty organic produce through their farm stand and CSA program, with on-line ordering options added this year. You can often find their salad greens in the BriarPatch Food Co-op bulk bins and enjoy their produce at Three Forks Bakery & Brewery Co. through much of the year. You can also book a farm-stay experience at their beautiful yurt overlooking the pond and forested “campground” for that intimate farm experience. Learn more about Stone’s Throw Farm and sign up for their newsletter!