Radishes - The Season's First Jewels!

In just a few short weeks, our CSA share program begins and we start our regular donations to food assistance programs.  We'll also be hosting several school groups for Farm Visits and finishing up our spring Little Sprouts and after school programs, with youth engaging in farm-to-table food preparation in our solar kitchen.  Everyone looks forward to complimenting the season's first greens with the season's first jewels - radishes plucked from the fertile soil with a range of colors, shapes, and spiciness!

Radishes come in all shapes and sizes, and cutting them open can reveal even more color than you'd expect. Let's look at some information and trivia about these root vegetables and see just how much they can add to your health and well-being.

First things first: Nutrition and Health

Let's take a look at the nutrition chart, shall we?

Thank you, NutritionData!

As you can see, there are a lot of zeroes up there! Radishes are made up mostly of water and fibrous materials, and like the table shows, it is jam packed with plenty of Vitamin C! What is really great about radishes is how much they fill you up and keep you feeling refreshed. In fact, it seems that radishes Eastern medicine is a fan of "prescribing" radishes during the hotter months.

And that Vitamin C? As we all know, Vitamin C keeps the doctor far, far away during the cold season. But, if we look further, Vitamin C keeps many more nasties away: including certain types of cancer! Radishes are therefore great in combating various illnesses and infections. It's amazing to think so many curative qualities can come from these pretty guys, but they do.





 Radishes in Art

Funnily enough, there is something that we all know about radishes, but tend to take for granted. Radishes make some of the most beautiful edible decorations. In fact, videos of how you can make some of these gorgeous edible sculptures are plentiful online. Here's one that shows you how to carve a Thai flower.

Did you know?


According to a couple of sources, radishes are a valid treatment for insect bites. Their juices, watery and packed with that Vitamin C, can calm reddened skin and irritation. That's something to consider for your next camping trip!