Math on the Road!

No need to turn that DVD on for your child to learn math on your next road trip! There are plenty of math experiences to enjoy together when you simply look out the window. Count cars and trucks by color or type. Count stop signs, green lights, trees, whatever you choose. Sing songs and play games such as “I Spy.” Give your child a clip board with paper and a crayon so they can draw their own “map” as you drive. Look at a map together before and after your trip. Time how long it takes and how far you have gone. Count the gallons at the gas pump. Older children can even use a calculator to figure out the mileage you are getting. With today's gas prices children will also learn a bit more about where all of our money goes! Talk about your longest and shortest trips and which way has the most cars, trees or buildings. Before you know it, you will be at your destination! Your child will have gained skills and spent time in conversation that would not have been gained by simply pushing PLAY on that DVD player.

Selecting Produce for Peak Freshness

While gardening can be very rewarding some of the same skills are needed whether you are purchasing from your local farmers market, harvesting from your garden or buying from the produce section of a grocery store. Selecting at peak maturity along with proper storage will help maintain the flavor and texture of fruits and vegetables.

Remember fruits and vegetables are easily bruised when not handled carefully. When harvesting, purchasing, or transporting treat produce as if it is glass to prevent damage to the flesh. The flesh under the skin may not show visible damage until cut and will shorten shelf life and lower the quality. Use all of your five senses when choosing produce. Avoid produce with visible damage that are limp, dull in color, wilted looking or brown on the edges or leaking juices. Look for even shaped smooth skin and general overall bright color. Smelling is a great way to help in selection of tree fruit such as plums, peaches and pears this can also be applied to cantaloupe, honeydew and lettuce by scratching near the stem end. Feel for bruises and soft spots, root vegetables should feel firm. Most ripe produce will be heavy for its size and give slightly when lightly squeezed in ones hand. In the case of watermelons listen for deep pitched tone when slapped with an open palm. Tasting for quality can be helpful when selecting, just remember what you may be tasting does not always determine if the item beside it is of the same quality whether on the vine or in the market.

Buying locally in season is great way to increase the chance of getting peak freshness and quality and at a good price. Contact your local Penn State Extension Office http://extension.psu.edu/ for farmers markets in your area.

The following is a general guide on seasonal availability.

Spring: Asparagus, lettuce, radishes, strawberries and spinach,

Summer: Apricots, Blueberries, cabbage, carrots, cherries, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, peppers, melons, peaches, plums, raspberries, red potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes, and Zucchini

Fall: Apples, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, grapes, pears, potatoes, pumpkins, and red beets

In my next posting I will cover proper storage to get the most shelf life out of your produce it is the next important step in eating great tasting produce.

Corn - The Stalk of Life?

Corn is getting a lot of attention these days. Always a summer favorite in its fresh form on the cob, corn is also being grown by Pennsylvania farmers for fuel. Penn State is heavily invested in the research needed to convert plant materials, including corn, into biofuels that will ease our increasing energy needs. http://www.bioenergy.psu.edu/crossover2007 Corn has the distinction of being both a vegetable and a grain. “Sweet corn” is grown to be eaten fresh, canned or frozen. The sugar in corn converts to starch once the ears are picked. Keeping the corn cold and moist will delay this process and most corn will keep for nearly a week in the refrigerator. Of course, the sooner eaten, the sweeter! Sweet corn is high in fiber, niacin and folate with some vitamin A in the yellow ears. Florida grows most fresh market corn. “Supersweet”, a variety of Florida corn, has twice the sugar content of most corn and allows this corn to be shipped to distant markets. “Field corn” is picked at a mature starchy stage and the kernels are dried until hard. These kernels are ground and used as an ingredient in many foods as corn meal, corn starch or even corn syrup. Corn is the only native American cereal grain, originating in Mexico or Central America. The early explorers took corn kernels back to Europe where corn became a staple food. Because corn is ground as a whole kernel, foods made from corn meal are whole grain and contain a significant amount of fiber. Popcorn is a field corn with thick walled kernels that cause it to explode when steam builds in the kernels during cooking. Raw corn cannot be digested by human digestive tracks so needs to be cooked to break down the starch. Boiling may be the most common cooking method where the ears are immersed in boiling water. Corn can also be steamed or microwaved. More recently, recipes have called for roasted corn. To roast corn, pull the husks back and remove the silk, then replace the husks and tie with kitchen string. Soak the corn ears in cold water for five minutes. Place the corn on a hot grill and cook 15 – 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Corn can also be roasted in the oven at 375°F for 20 – 30 minutes. Roasting will leave a charred look to the kernels and a distinctive smoky flavor. Kernels can be cut off of the cob and used in salads, soups or casseroles. They can even be frozen for later use. Pennsylvania corn is available from July to September. Look for fresh green husks and moist, plump kernels. Visit your farmers’ markets or local produce stands for “just picked” corn to get the sweetest ears. Enjoy corn all year long in its various forms. And who knows, we may even be driving to the grocery store on corn biofuel in the near future! For more information, recipes and activities on corn, go to: http://panep.psu.edu/snap/material/corn