Pinnacle Foods' Birds Eye® Brand Announces New Steamfresh® Chef's Favorites Varieties

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Discounted fruits, vegetables available to Morton Grove seniors

By Cathryn Gran cgran@pioneerlocal.com August 12, 2011 11:08AM

Updated: August 12, 2011 11:08AM

Morton Grove has found a way to put fresh fruits and vegetables into the hands of its senior citizens.

The village has teamed up with Skokie, the Skokie Valley Senior Services and the Levy Center in Skokie to provide coupons seniors can use at the Morton Grove Farmers’ Market, explained Jackie Walker-O’Keefe, director of family and senior services for the village.

“This is our first year with the program,” she said. “The federal Farm Bill granted money to states to provide seniors with coupons to use at any farmers’ market.”

The program is open to single senior citizens with an annual income of less than $20,146. Couples must have an annual income of less than $27,213, according to the guidelines.

“Each eligible senior receives a book with seven, $3 coupons,” Walker-O’Keefe said. “And in addition to fruits and veggies, the Farmers’ Market has added honey this year, which also can be purchased with coupons.”

The market is open from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 15 in the parking lot at 8930 Waukegan Road.

Walker-O’Keefe said most vendors at the market will accept the coupons.

“Seniors can use the coupons as money, but they will not get back change,” she said. “They can use all the coupons in one shot or use them until the end of October.”

Fruits currently in season in Illinois include blackberries, blueberries and cantaloupes. Vegetables include corn, eggplant and cauliflower.

Applications for the program are available from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays at the Civic Center, 6140 Dempster St.

Additional information is available by calling (847) 470-5246.

c 2011 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit http://www.suntimesreprints.com/. To order a reprint of this article, click here.

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Sunday roasts and vegetables just too popular

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Calls for supermarket code of conduct

Supermarkets are regularly marking up fruit and vegetables between 100 and 300 percent, according to a Green Party survey, but the figures are being rubbished by the big two supermarket chains.

The survey, released today, of 121 fruit and vegetable growers has found that despite high retail prices for fruit and vegetables, growers as well as consumers are struggling.

It showed that supermarket pricing practices need to be investigated and a supermarket code of conduct and ombudsman established, Green Party food spokeswoman Sue Kedgley said.

"Seventy-eight percent of growers in our survey are being forced to sell their produce, at times, for less than it costs them to produce it."

Ms Kedgley said that of the growers that were being forced to sell their produce below cost, more than a third had to so on a frequent basis.

"Supermarkets are still routinely putting substantial mark-ups of 100-300 percent on fresh fruit and vegetables.

"This suggests that supermarket mark-ups remain a key factor in the high price consumers are paying for fresh local produce, and that the low prices many growers are getting for produce are not being passed onto consumers."

Ms Kedgley said many growers detailed the returns they got for produce, and the amount their produce retailed for. Some growers reported margins of up to 800 percent on their produce, while most suggested supermarket margins were around 100-200 percent.

One grower said they received less than $2 for a tray of 20 avocados - which cost $8 to produce - which the supermarket then sold for $19.80, a margin of 880 percent.

One apple grower said he was getting the same price of 50 cents a kilogram as they did in 1998.

Many reported seeing their produce marked up between 100 and 300 percent in the supermarkets.

The survey found 87 percent of growers supported a supermarket code of conduct, while 83 percent believed a voluntary code would not be effective.

Ms Kedgley said serious questions needed to be asked about why supermarkets put such high mark-ups on fresh produce, while they put virtually no mark-ups on alcohol, and the mark-ups on processed foods are normally around 23 percent.

But Foodstuffs managing director Steve Anderson told the Sunday Star-Times the survey contained "blatant and deliberate misinformation".

"Consumers are not being overcharged in our stores and accusations that supermarkets make mark-ups of the nature claimed in this survey are outrageous, and insult the intelligence of all shoppers."

Foodstuffs had almost completed its own supplier relationship guidelines and it opposed a mandatory code because it would add costs for consumers, he said.

A Progressive spokesman told the paper the figures provided by growers were "grossly inaccurate".

Responding to the call for a code of conduct, he said the company had very good relationships with produce suppliers.

"We pay them a fair price and we have regular reviews. We are interested in supporting growers because without them, we wouldn't be able to put quality kiwi produce on our shelves."

Horticulture NZ said a code could benefit growers and consumers as it was aware of frustration over the issue of mark-ups.

"We would definitely be interested in having a look at it because Australia and the UK have progressed it," a spokeswoman said.

"There is a concern that there isn't enough transparency. Who knows what goes on?"

- NZPA

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All Consuming: Critics dispute list of 'Dirty Dozen' fruits, vegetables

By Susan Salisbury

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Since 1995, the Environmental Working Group has garnered a lot of attention with the annual release of its so-called "Dirty Dozen" list of fruits and vegetables found to be "highest in pesticides."

Now critics, including food scientists at the University of California, Davis, are saying: Wait a minute.

Their scientific paper published recently in The Journal of Toxicology casts doubt on some of EWG's claims.

It matters because EWG's "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides" is said to be influential in the buying decisions of millions of consumers.

The critics' message is: Relax and eat your blueberries, apples, celery and other favorites, even if they are not organically grown. There's no scientific proof that residues at the levels detected pose a risk to consumers. On top of that, there's no evidence that eating organic produce has any health benefits that surpass those of conventionally grown produce.

In fact, EWG's methodology does not appear to follow any established scientific procedures, say the study's authors, Carl Winter, director of the university's FoodSafe program and a toxicologist, and Josh Katz, a fourth-year doctoral student.

EWG contends that consumers can lower their pesticide consumption by nearly four-fifths by avoiding conventionally grown varieties of the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables. But the UC Davis scientists say EWG made no effort to quantify actual consumer exposure to the pesticides.

Another point the scientists make is that organic produce isn't necessarily pesticide-free. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Data Program, which EWG uses as the basis for its data, indicated that 23 percent of organic food samples tested positive for pesticide residues.

Organic growers use pesticides, too

Longtime Belle Glade grower Paul Orsenigo, vice president of Grower's Management Inc., said the public's perception is that organic growers do not use any chemicals, but that's not true. Organic and conventional growers use many of the same fungicides and other treatments approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Orsenigo's operation farms lettuces, such as romaine, bibb and Boston, as well as parsley, green beans, sweet corn and sugar cane in western Palm Beach County.

"Many products are used by both. These are things that cannot be disputed," he said. "My point is, organic growers have a whole arsenal of materials that are EPA--registered that are pesticides that are used on crops that are organically produced."

A products database at www.agrian.com shows there are 423 products, such as fungicides, that can be used by organic and non-organic growers. Of course, many products for conventionally grown crops are not permitted on organic crops. But all must meet strict EPA standards.

"They are all EPA-approved," Orsenigo said. "You could have residue on an apple that came from a product such as Oxidate or Champ or something else that is approved for organic production. To say that organic food has fewer residues that may or may not be true."

He said consumers should buy produce grown in the U.S., where there are standards about what growers can use. If there is a problem, it can be traced back.

"Our philosophy is that we use pesticides judiciously and wisely," he said. "We are on a program that includes regular scouting of our crops and looking for pests, trends and patterns.

"We want to grow the kind of crops the consumer is going to buy. They are not going to eat an ear of corn with a worm in it or a head of lettuce that is infected."

123,016 servings of 'dirty' celery OK

EWG's response to those critical of its Dirty Dozen list is that the produce industry feels threatened by the rapid growth of the organic produce industry.

EWG believes Big Produce's motivation is profits and the threat posed by the rapid growth in the organic industry's market share, which jumped from 3 percent in 2000 to 11.4 percent in 2009 (even higher for some particular fruits and vegetables), EWG states on its website.

The produce industry has defended itself with its own pesticide calculator, available at http://safefruitsand

Dirty Dozen

Environmental Working Group's list of produce highest in pesticides:

Apples Celery Strawberries Peaches Spinach Nectarines (imported) Grapes (imported) Sweet bell peppers Potatoes Blueberries (domestic) Lettuce Kale/collard greens

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Malaysian Employers Federation’s Shamsuddin Bardan says more people must grow vegetables

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The Summer Bounty from Farm to City

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It’s mid-August and this means the farms surrounding Philadelphia where I live are readying for their biggest harvests of the year. Sweet blueberries and cherries have made way for peaches (already at their peak), tomatoes, melons and sweet corn. From now through September these fruits and vegetables, and others like them, will be practically falling over the tables and bins at the farmers markets throughout the city, sharing space reserved for the standbys such as string beans, beets and carrots.

True farmers markets, where small farms operators bring their crops to urban and suburban locations to sell directly to residents, have experienced dramatic growth over the past 15 years. What was once an unusual site not too long ago in American cities is now part of the urban landscape.

These markets provide affordable, convenient and healthful access to fresh fruits and vegetables. They promote good health and nutrition. And these markets are a way to help reduce the obesity epidemic affecting this country. They also play a key role in developing local and regional food systems that support the sustainability of family farms, revitalize communities and provide places for farmers and consumers to meet.

For me, good fresh fruits and vegetables, pastured eggs, and locally raised meats and poultry just taste good. These products may cost more but I pay less in fuel and energy to buy them, I buy fewer items and I gain an education about food every time I speak to a local farmer.

In today’s industrialized food system, you can live an entire life without actually experiencing the true taste of a strawberry. Supermarkets and the mass food system are here to stay and they provide affordable food for the masses. But there’s no reason not to try to supplement your diet with fresh food from your local farmers market. Most likely it’s very close to where you live.

The slide show has photos of four of the many farmers markets in Philadelphia. They are:

Headhouse Farmers Market. The 18th Century red brick open air Headhouse Market in the city’s historic district is the scene for the largest of Philadelphia’s farmers markets on Sundays during the season (approximately May till December). Rare organic vegetables locally raised meats and poultry and tables filled with beets and carrots are in evidence. Even Iron Chef Jose Garces has gotten into the act selling his own cheese, bread and pastries made at his Garces Trading Company restaurant market.

Rittenhouse Square Farmers Market. This market lines the exterior of Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia’s best known park in the heart of center city. It has grown in size to rival the Headhouse Square market and has some of the same vendors. It’s a year-round market open on Saturdays from 9: 30 a.m. till 3 p.m. During the season a smaller version of the market is open on Tuesdays.

Greensgrow Farms. A true pioneer in the urban farm movement in Philadelphia, Mary Seton Corboy and Tom Sereduk, acquired a patch of abandoned land in the downtrodden Kensington section of Philadelphia to open a hydroponic growing operation, beginning with lettuce and tomatoes. Today, the hydroponic operation is gone and the little farm that could has gradually grown into a full-service agriculture community center. It now grows a full supply of produce on raised soil beds. It has a nursery, a Community Supported Agriculture operation and, of course, a farmers market open on Thursdays and Saturdays with locally produced produce eggs, meats, poultry, cheese and other goodies from the area. The farm makes its own honey from an on-site bee operation where it produces “Honey from the Hood.” This year it introduced chickens, which are producing fresh eggs. Corboy is threatening to bring in goats as well but I haven’t seen any yet. It makes it own strawberry jam from the excess strawberries it grows. And the farm is constantly involved in partnering projects with the neighborhood and city. The operation closes closed in the winter.

Fairmount Farmers Market. In the shadow of the massive fortress-like facade of the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, is a seasonal farmers market on Thursdays serving the residents of the Fairmount neighborhood. One of many markets in neighborhoods throughout the city, it’s smaller than the other markets mentioned but it has all the staples: local and organically produced fruits and vegetables, breads, meats and poultry; plus a few surprises, such as raw goat milk.

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Food inflation up at 3-month high of 9.9%

TNN Aug 12, 2011, 02.20am IST

NEW DELHI: Costly onion, fruits, vegetables and protein-based items pushed food inflation to a three-month high in late July, highlighting the extent of price pressures in the economy and posing another challenge for policymakers.

Data released by the commerce and industry ministry on Thursday showed the wholesale price index for food articles rose an annual 9.90% in the week to July 30, rising from 8.04% in the previous week. Food prices had displayed tentative signs of easing in the previous months but have remained volatile. The data showed onion prices rose an annual 36.62% while the weekly trend showed prices of vegetables, potatoes, fruits, eggs, meat and fish have remained firm.

A sharp increase in the prices of onion last year had pushed food inflation into double-digits and had emerged as a policy headache for the UPA government which is battling a slew of corruption charges. Policymakers have been consistently wrong footed on inflation in the recent past.

The index for food articles group rose by 1.6% to 195.3 from 192.2 for the previous week due to higher prices of fish-inland (17%), poultry chicken and fish-marine (4% each), ragi and fruits & vegetables (2% each) and rice, coffee and gram (1% each).

"For a couple of weeks, rainfall has been deficient and that could have led to some short-term price pressures," said Samiran Chakraborty, economist at Standard Chartered Bank. Economists say it is difficult to draw any sweeping conclusions from sharp fluctuations in weekly food inflation data.

Chakraborty said the Reserve Bank of India was unlikely to reverse its monetary policy stance soon and the central bank would carefully watch the movement of global commodity prices. "They have to be convinced that there is a sustained and continuous fall in commodity prices, only then can they reassess their monetary policy stand," he said.

Expectations of a pause in the central bank's monetary tightening had gathered pace after downgrading of US debt by ratings agency Standard & Poor's sparked off fears of a global economic slowdown and spooked financial markets.

The RBI has raised interest rates 11 times since March 2010 and has said it is ready to sacrifice some growth in the short-term to tackle stubbornly high inflation. Inflation, as measured by the wholesale price index, hovers around 9% now and some economists say there could be a period when it could hit double-digits and then start easing by October-November. Policymakers expect inflation to be around 7-8% by end-March 2012.

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Ed Blonz: Toxic vegetables?

Contra Costa Times correspondent

Posted:?08/09/2011 12:00:00 AM PDT

DEAR DR. BLONZ: As a new vegetarian I’ve become concerned when I began reading about all the toxins that can be found in vegetables. How much of an issue does this become for vegetarians? — B.S., San Jose

DEAR B.S.: Interesting story here. Nature equips many fruits and vegetables with an ability to produce a variety of chemical toxins to help ward off insects, bacteria, fungi and animal predators. Although they’re meant to help these plants survive in their natural environment, if taken by humans in sufficient quantities, these natural toxins can cause illness, cancer or even death. Have no fear, though. Eating fruits and vegetables is healthful, not hazardous. A look at a few of these natural toxins will illustrate the point that it’s the dose that makes the poison. Here are some examples.

Potatoes can produce solanine, a bitter-tasting toxin that affects the nervous system. This toxin is produced when the potato is exposed to sunlight or allowed to sprout. Solanine is most concentrated in the sprout, but it’s also present in potatoes with a greenish tint to the skin. To avoid solanine, potatoes should be kept in a cool, dark place. Carefully cut away all sprouts and green portions before cooking. Discard any potatoes that taste bitter.

Cyanide, a deadly poison, is naturally present inside the seeds of apples and the pits of apricots, peaches, bitter almonds, cherries and other

fruits. There’s no danger if you don’t chew on the pits, because the cyanide isn’t released unless the pit is crushed. Lima beans and other legumes once contained cyanide compounds, but through selective breeding, commercial varieties have been developed that no longer have this trait.

Cabbage, mustard greens, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts contain goitrogens, compounds that prevent the nutrient iodine from being used by the thyroid gland. Without iodine the thyroid cannot function normally and an enlarged thyroid, or goiter, results. Goitrogens are not a concern unless you have an iodine-deficient diet and the above foods are a major part of your daily menu. With the advent of iodized salt and the wide distribution of ocean fish (another good source of dietary iodine), iodine deficiencies are no longer common.

Spinach and rhubarb contain oxalates, another toxic compound. One serving of rhubarb leaves contains one-fifth of the toxic dose of oxalates for humans. However, rhubarb stalks — the much more commonly eaten part — contain lesser amounts, as do spinach leaves.

To put all these natural toxins in perspective, it is essential to appreciate that the body is equipped to handle small quantities of many toxins, rather than large amounts of a few. For example, one potato poses little risk, but the combined solanine from 100+ pounds of green potatoes could be enough to kill a horse. Your best defense against natural toxins is to eat a variety of foods. With variety you not only limit your exposure, you provide the nutrients the body requires to maintain its defenses. And as the name suggests, natural toxins are part of nature; they are not to be feared so much as respected.

Ed Blonz, Ph.D., is a nutrition scientist and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Francisco. He is the author of “Power Nutrition” (Signet, 1998).

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Coimbatore devotees decorate temple with vegetables ahead of Independence Day

Coimbatore, Aug.13 (ANI): To commemorate the 64th Indian Independence Day, residents of Coimbatore have decorated a temple with 30 varieties of vegetables and prayed for peace and harmony in the country.

The entire 'Mahaliamman Temple' was decorated with vegetables like carrot, radish, ladies finger, bitter gourd, pumpkin, cauliflower, cabbage, drumsticks, potatoes, brinjal, onions and many others vegetables.

Interacting with mediapersons, Sivashree Krishnamoorty, a priest at the temple, said they did this decoration for the maintenance of peace and harmony in the country.

"Every year, we celebrate Independence Day in a different way in this temple. This year, as a part of 63rd (factually 64th) Indian independence, we have decorated the entire temple with five tons of vegetables. The main objective behind this decoration is that we know that the entire world is facing crisis, so we would offer special prayers for the prosperity of the people of India and the around the world. Moreover, we would also pray for peace and harmony in the country and across the world and also for good governance by rulers in the country. So, we would pray to our god 'Mahaliamman' (a Hindu god) with five tons of vegetables, and we believe that the 63rd (factually 64th) Independence would give peace, harmony and freedom to the people of this country. So far, hundreds of people have prayed for this cause,"said Krishnamoorty.

Hundreds of locals gathered to see the unique and attractive decoration at the temple.

"We came to know that the entire temple is decorated with tons of vegetables in wake of 63rd (factually 64th) Indian independence. The sanctum of the temple and the goddess was decorated with tricolour vegetables like the national flag. It has been designed with carrot, radish and ladyfinger and Vande Matharam (salute to my mother, matrabhoomi) has been written in golden words. I really enjoy seeing this," said S. Keerthan, a local.

As a part of custom, the temple priest later distributed vegetables among the locals.

India will celebrate its 64th Independence Day on August 15th. (ANI)

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Additional news "Business News"

Uzbekistan in the first quarter of 2011 exported 77 thousand tons of fruits and vegetables for $ 125.6 million, including 54.8 thousand tons of vegetables, 12.3 thousand tons of fruits and 7.9 tons of grapes. BelTA BakuToday the press service of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic.

According to the official agency, as part of a new and rehabilitation of existing orchards and vineyards implemented planting new fruit trees on an area of ??14.4 thousand hectares of vineyards and – 5.3 hectares. The reconstruction of 11.1 thousand hectares of orchards and 5.3 hectares of vineyards. “The implementation of measures to improve agricultural production provided the increase in production of vegetables compared to the same period last year by 18%, meat – by 6.5%, milk – by 7.1% and eggs – by 14.2%,” – said spokesperson. According to him, as a result of livestock development programs, incentives to increase the number of livestock at private subsidiary farms and farmer, a network of services and enhance livestock forage personal subsidiary, dekhkan and farms sold at auction 1.623 head of breeding stock, at the expense of sponsors, private foundations and neighborhood 1.660 needy families free of charge, provided cattle.

“As a result, the number of cattle farms of all categories was 9.1 million heads (106.4% of the corresponding period in 2010), including the number of cows – 3.73 million units (105.8%). In addition, created 302 poultry hozyaystva.Kommercheskimi banks allocated 3.9 billion soms ($ 2.3 million) credit facilities to farmers and agricultural firms to finance the prisoners in the exhibitions “AgroMinitehEkspo” contracts to acquire a mini-technologies and compact equipment. During the reporting period as a whole been created by 10 companies in-depth processing of fruit and vegetable, meat and dairy products, and five points for receiving milk from the population “, – concluded the agency.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic, and estimated the parameters of fruit and vegetable production of melons, potatoes and grapes in 2011, are: vegetables – 6 million 605 thousand tons, melons – 1 million 225.5 thousand tons, potatoes – 1 million 832.9 tons, vegetables – 1 million 746.8 thousand tons, grapes – 998.9 thousand tons. In 2011, the republic on the major and minor vegetable crops planned to take (tomatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage, etc.) – 213.7 thousand hectares of land area, in particular potatoes -72 thousand ha, melons – 50 6 ha. According to operative data of April 1, 2011, the acreage of vegetables amounted to 172.8 thousand hectares, 25 thousand hectares melons, potatoes and 72.3 thousand hectares. Of the total area of ??the existing (235.4 hectares) of gardens, fruit-bearing area of ??185 hectares, together with that of 127.9 thousand hectares of vineyard, 113 hectares are fruit-bearing.

Today in the republic has 267 agricultural firms. Agricultural company contracts with agricultural producers (farmers) for the purchase of 1607.8 thousand tons of fruits and vegetables, melons, products, grapes and potatoes.

August 12 in the Ulyanovsk region offers summer youth camp for a legal forum “Legal-Volga”. In the region will gather senior students of law faculties of universities from 30 cities of Russia. Such an event held in Russia for the first time – the correspondent BakuToday Organizers of the event. Ground for its holding Ulyanovsk region was selected at the first...

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Availability of vegetables & its prices go up in India

New Delhi, Aug 12 : India's per capita availability of vegetables has gone up even as its prices have also risen.

"...per capita availability of vegetables has increased from 279 gm per day to 317 gm per day over a period of 5 years(2005-06 to 2009-10)," government informed Parliament today.

Government data released yesterday said onions became costlier by nearly 37 per cent in July from the year-ago month, while vegetables prices rose by 14.61 per cent in the week ended July 23.

Production of vegetables in the country increased from 111.39 million tonnes in 2005-06 to 133.7 million tonnes in 2009-10, Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Rawat informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

At the same time, the Minister admitted that there were issues relating to enhancement of productivity, post-harvest losses and improvement in quality of vegetables.

Stung by the high food inflation for quite some time, government this year allocated Rs 300 crore for a scheme to ensure supply of good quality vegetables to one city or town in every state having a population of one million and above.

 

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Gardeners donate fruits, vegetables to combat hunger

???HIGHTSTOWN — Does your garden rock?

???Rise, a non-profit organization that fights poverty, recently initiated a new program that encourages locals to donate fresh fruits and vegetables harvested from their own gardens.

???”This is the time of year that people have their gardens overflowing,” said Leslie Koppel, executive director at Rise, located at 116 N. Main St., in Hightstown.

???Thus far, locals have brought in eggplants, cucumbers, squash and more from their gardens, she said. She hopes soon for peaches and apples.

???The program was conceptualized a few weeks ago in attempt to expose fresh fruits and vegetables to people with very limited incomes, she said

???”If we put the need out there, people will ‘rise’ to the need,” Ms. Koppel said, referring to the generous spirit of the East Windsor and Hightstown communities.

???She noted that fresh vegetables and fruits are the most expensive items for people to buy and store.

???Ranging from this new program, that encourages locals to donate home-grown produce, to an ongoing initiative to provide special Thanksgiving meals in November, Rise works to provide individuals and families with the one thing that many people take for granted: food.

???People are encouraged to donate fresh produce to the food pantry until the harvest this autumn.

???Regular donations are accepted yearlong.

???The food pantry is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and accepts donations from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Located at 225 Franklin St., in Hightstown, the pantry is open 51 weeks a year.

???The organization is also helping youngsters learn and have fun this July and August through its Hightstown-East Windsor Learning Partners-Summer HELP educational program.

???120 students are currently enrolled. These youngsters are providing a talent show and art display beginning 2 p.m. Aug. 11 at Grace N. Rogers Elementary School, 380 Stockton Street, in Hightstown. The public is invited at attend.

?? To learn more, visit www.rise-community-services.org.

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IN THE KITCHEN WITH: SHAWN BENGIVENNI

Bengivenni's vegetables wow CSA members and Lafayette Farmer's Market, By Laurie Gordon

Wantage ? Every Wednesday, Shawna Bengivenni sees something most people don't. She watches the sky transform from a dark gray to a gradually lighter hue and finally, dawn rises over her garden. Bengivenni starts picking by 5:30 am, carefully selecting those vegetables that are worthy of being loaded into her truck for delivery later on.

Bengivenni has a CSA ? that stands for Community Supported Agricultural group. She started her CSA last year and had 13 members. It went so well and word of mouth spread, so this year, she upped the membership to 23. With most CSAs, members go to the farmer's house to pick up the hand-grown, culinary treats, but Bengivenni did it a little differently this year making the deliveries herself each Wednesday.

It's a little like getting a visit from Santa Claus. Her members leave their coolers on their front stoops for her each Wednesday and she fills them with vegetables and fruit from her garden.

"It's so amazing to come home from work and have a cooler full of such wonderful things she's grown," said Deborah Drumm, a CSA member who lives in Stillwater. Like some others, Drumm shares a "share" of the CSA with a friend.

Debra Pazoria, of Newton, just heard about the CSA last week when she had dinner at a friend's house who served dishes including tomato marmalade as an appetizer. "I asked about the recipe and learned all about the CSA. We'll definitely sign up next year."

Created many years ago, the idea of the CSA is that people buy shares or half shares and get fresh vegetables every week or every other week during the growing season. The farmer can then use the money from the CSA during the winter months to buy such things as seeds, trellises, tools and other supplies needed for the garden.

Back in 1980, when Bengivenni was living in Paterson, her neighbor had a garden. She would watch him work in his garden, and then, when most of the work was done, sit in a chair placed right in the center to admire it and "watch it grow." She befriended the man and soon, she found herself his student, learning the ins, outs and secrets to creating a garden. One of the most precious things he taught her was about heirloom tomatoes. An heirloom is an old variety that has gone out of fashion in favor of perfectly-shaped varieties found in stores these days. But heirloom varieties are coming back in vogue and this year, Bengivenni paid $13.80 per seed to grow a variety as part of her bounty called the Annlee Heirloom. Bengivenni's garden has over 300 tomato plants including dozens of varieties. She has countless types of vegetables including ? just to name a very few ? some unique types of squash, purple basil and even a plum tree near the center.

"I never realized how much produce it is to get it to 23 customers," she said. One of her disappointments was her broccoli and cauliflower, which didn't prosper as she'd planned. "That's just part of the CSA. The weather took out the plants. They were ready to go and then come picking day the next day, they'd rotted due to the weather." But that was her only casualty, and her customers are not only pleased, they are amazed by what she grows.

In addition to the CSA, Bengivenni can be found every Sunday at the Lafayette Village Farmer's Market. This is a rare chance for non-CSA members to purchase her all-organic veggies. "I don't spray anything," Bengivenni explained. "Organic means there are certain natural ways you control the bugs in your garden so there are no chemicals used at all." She can be found every Sunday at her booth at Lafayette Village called Fresh as it Gets Garden.

As for the CSA, with growing numbers, next year Bengivenni will return to the traditional method and have her customers pick up their veggies at her house once a week. "My pick up truck just isn't big enough to transport all of the coolers to keep things fresh when I add more people," she said. "I'll charge less for people to come to me and can take on more customers this way too."

For information about reserving a spot to be part of Begivenni's CSA for next year, e-mail her at olditalian47@aol.com. You can also find Bengivenni and her produce weekly at Lafayette Village at the Sunday Farmer's Market.

Bengivenni's garden is her heart and soul and a true labor of love. And when she's all done ? at least for a while ? she sits in a chair similar to the one her former neighbor had in the center of his garden just watch it grow.

Tomato, Basil and Garlic Pie from Shawna’s Garden
INGREDIENTS
2 defrosted frozen pie crusts
regular, not deep dish)
5 thinly sliced medium sized tomatoes (mix up the variety)
2 handfuls of fresh basil (some green and some purple)
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup lite mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (get the fresh stuff in the grocery cheese section)
3 cloves of garlic from Shawna’s garden
Divide mozzarella in half and sprinkle in each of the two pie crusts.
Arrange tomatoes and fresh basil in the pie crusts.
Mix together the mayo, Parmesan and finely chopped garlic and spread over the pies.
Put tin foil over the crusts to prevent from burning and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until done
? Recipe created by Laurie Gordon from a base recipe by Jackie Kaufman

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Bagwell: Vegetables a good choice for pizza toppings

Pizza is a popular food that's enjoyed at any time of the day or night and served hot or cold. Recipes for pizza vary with cultures and personal taste. While some prefer vegetable pizzas, others order an assortment of cheese and meat toppings. Vegetable pizzas can vary, too, from the type of crust to the type of sauce and vegetable toppings used. Options are limitless.

Cream cheese makes a unique sauce in place of the traditional tomato base and can shorten preparation time. Just bake a pizza crust beforehand and allow it to cool before spreading with a thin layer of cream cheese. Regular or lower-fat cream cheese may be used, as well as cream cheese flavored with herbs and vegetables.

For vegetable toppings, finely chop fresh vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms and green peppers. Sprinkle over the cream cheese layer. Slices of tomato may be added too. Top with shredded low-fat cheddar cheese. It's delicious and can be put together in a short time frame, especially if the crust is ready and the vegetables are cut ahead of time.

If you prefer tomato sauces, following is a recipe from the United States Department of Agriculture. The recipe uses convenience foods for the crust so it may be purchased ahead and kept on hand.

Vegetable toppings may be altered to your family's likes and taste. Fresh or canned foods may be used for sauces and the vegetable toppings.

Snack Pizzas

Refrigerator biscuits -- can of 10

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup mushrooms, chopped

1/2 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease baking sheets. Pat each biscuit round into a 4-inch circle on baking sheets. Mix tomato paste and oregano. Brush on each biscuit round. Mix onion and mushrooms. Sprinkle over tomato paste mixture. Top with shredded cheese. Bake until crust is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Makes 8 pizzas.

Per pizza: 108 calories, 4 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fat, 1 milligram cholesterol, 409 milligrams sodium.

Bagwell is nutrition and wellness/family life program coordinator for the University of Illinois Extension, McLean County. Contact her at (309) 663-8306.

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