Flowers represent so many things in our culture. We gather them up to give to a girl we're sweet on, we give them to our teacher on the first day of school, we take a bunch to our mom on Mother's Day, and we carry them to the grave site of someone we've loved and lost as a symbol of our continued commitment to them.
One of the things we love to do most on our farm is walk through the fields when the sun is rising. Nighttime gives the plants a reprieve from the heat of the day and it's when they're at their perkiest and most vital.
“The road of science,” César Vega tells us, “is becoming increasingly more important in the kitchen.” Vega is the principal scientist at Mars, Incorporated. In that role, he focuses on the research and development of nutritious, safe and affordable foods, and he hopes that science will play an even bigger role in the food ecosystem in the future. At Roots 2016 – and in a follow up interview – he shares his thoughts on the importance of true innovation and how the need for a particular innovation varies around the globe.
As children we picked blue kale when it had reached full maturity like most traditional farmers do. It was tough and leathery and I never developed a fondness for it. Kale was something to be endured during the autumn months, not something to be celebrated.
I always loved Brussels sprouts as a kid because let's face it, anything served with greasy, crunchy bacon and a side of mashed potatoes is a home run. But so many people are turned off by Brussels and it comes down to the fact that they've never had a good one. This is where our baby Brussels swoop in like a sprout superhero to save the day.