Chard: Super Healthy Superfood
Look at this lot of luscious leafy green chard, grown by Legacy Farms for Lightfoot Restaurant
by Colin W.
Legacy Farms Apprentice
Did you know that the most important factor of gardening is your plants’ health? Your crops will need good care and attention unless, that is, you prefer your veggies small, limp and dry! Depending on what crops you’re tending to, they could need differing amounts of nutrients. So let me hone in on a specific plant known as chard, that Legacy Farms has nurtured so that it not only survives, but thrives!
Chard or Swiss chard is a leafy green plant that is known for its large stalks, and is often used in soups or salads. In order to grow chard, it needs everything a plant needs. Clean water, fresh air, rich soil, and lots of sunlight. Chard needs quality soil and plenty of sunlight in order to survive. Chard also requires lots of water (as any plant does) so make sure your soil is wet and moist.
All that being said, why should you grow chard? Well as it turns out, chard is a superfood and one of the healthiest veggies on planet earth. 100 grams of chard will give you 3 times the amount of vitamin K you need per day. You’ll get more than 20% of your daily doses of vitamins C and A.
A freshly prepared bowl of Pasta e Fagioli
Now that you know how to grow chard, and how healthy it is, you should know about a recipe with chard in it. Pasta e fagioli, or pasta fasul, is a traditional Italian soup that started off as a peasant dish. But now, it's as renowned as pizza and polenta. Pasta e fagioli is composed of relatively inexpensive ingredients, so cooking it up at home should be a sinch. If that sounds appetizing to you, feel free to make it yourself by clicking the link below!
Sources:
Pasta e Fagioli Recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/255823/pasta-fazool-pasta-e-fagioli/
About Swiss Chard:
https://www.almanac.com/plant/swiss-chard
Harvesting chard at Legcy Farms
Close-up of rainbow chard growing in the Legacy Farms garden.