The Health Benefits of Raw Produce Vs. Cooked Produce

Fresh. Organic. Packed with flavor. Harvested straight from the garden, most fruits and vegetables are richest in fiber and at their peak of their antioxidant, mineral, and vitamin content.

And it would seem logical that eating your fresh produce uncooked would surely make it more nutritious. After all, wouldn’t the process of heating damage or destroy the nutrients that are naturally present in the produce?

The short answer is ‘not always’. 

In fact, research shows that some vegetable varieties actually offer new health benefits when cooked. During the process of cooking, cell walls are weakened or completely broken through, allowing more soluble vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to become available to the body. And many of these newly-released nutrients are even more readily-available when cooked along with a healthy fat source like olive oil. 

But there is a trade off, and the nutrition gained from cooked produce, usually come with the loss of the health benefits from eating the same vegetable variety uncooked.

For example, cooking tomatoes increases the availability of a cancer-fighting carotenoid called lycopene, but diminishes the amount of vitamin C and potassium present when eating tomatoes raw. And the beneficial antioxidant lutein that’s present in kale and spinach is absorbed by the body far more efficiently when these leafy greens are cooked along with a fat source like olive oil or butter. Just consider the amount of healthy fat present, and, if cooking with oil, remember not to exceed the oil’s smoke point. When cooking with olive oil, for example, warm the oil in a pan on medium heat, then add and quickly cook your produce, perhaps covering with a lid to speed up the process.  

Other studies have shown that cooking organic produce can increase the amount of iron that we absorb when eating many fruit and vegetable varieties. Broccoli, for example, had five times more available iron when cooked, but also lost about as much of its glucosinates - substances present in raw broccoli that are believed to block the growth of cancer cells.

So which is the healthier way to eat your backyard produce, cooked or raw? It seems too close to tell, but that doesn’t really matter, because you can simply include a combination of both in your diet.

Just remember that raw vegetables offer far more fiber than cooked produce. Fiber helps lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar, and keeps your digestive system healthy. And avoid the temptation to see juicing vegetables as a substitute for eating them uncooked. Research shows that eating raw vegetables has far more health benefits than juicing them, which results in the loss of fiber, nutrients, and vitamins that are found in the skins of many varieties. 

And when you do cook your organic produce, consider these tips to minimize nutrient loss during the process.

-Whenever possible, don’t remove the vegetable’s skin before cooking ; the nutrients of many vegetable varieties are found in the skin.

-Try to time your harvest so that the produce is cooked and served right afterwards. This will help maximize the nutritional value of your fresh produce.

-Steaming is perhaps the best cooking method, but produce that’s roasted or grilled will also retain more nutrients than other cooking methods. When steaming produce, use a small amount of water to help minimized the loss of nutrients.

-For vegetable varieties that must be chopped before cooking, cut the pieces in the largest chunks possible. This helps minimize air exposure which reduces the amount of vitamins left after the produce is cooked.

-Cove the pot or pan with a lid, and remove from heat as soon as the vegetables are just tender. These steps help minimize cooking time so that fewer nutrients are lost during the process. 

Robust and Refined; The Chisolms' 8' Tall Deer Enclosure

Most organic gardeners are happy to share a little of their fresh produce with the area wildlife.  But even the most patient growers can get frustrated to find their entire garden continually gnawed down to the ground. Sometimes squirrels are the culprits, and other times, those nibbled leaves are the work of rabbits. And even in urban and suburban areas, but especially in outer-lying neighborhoods with larger lots, deer are the guilty parties. Under the cover of darkness, deer come in hungry and leave happy -  razing your carefully nurtured organic garden down to the very roots. 

Now, sometimes scent-based deer deterrents do the trick, and you should count yourself fortunate if sprays, granules, hair clippings, etc. really do keep deer out of your garden. 

But these methods aren’t always effective, and the most reliable solution is a fence or enclosure around your garden that’s tall enough to keep deer from jumping over.  Deer fence designs and prices vary as widely as the weather, but they should all be 8’ tall or higher to keep deer out of your garden.

For large gardens in rural areas, and on farms, low-cost deer fencing kits work just fine. These kits usually consist of plastic netting stretched along metal poles that have been anchored to the ground, and a large area of crops can be protected at a relatively low cost.

But if you live in town, these effective, if visually humble designs aren’t likely to win any praise from the neighbors, or an HOA if you have one. Chances are you’ve invested in the appearance of your own landscape - perhaps even one or more cedar raised beds -  and an 8’ tall deer enclosure design would have to do more than simply keep deer out of your garden;  it would also have to enhance the visual appeal of your existing landscape.

And this was the case with Dan and Lynetta Chisolm, seasoned organic gardeners who live in an upscale neighborhood on the North side of Charlotte, with an alert and active HOA. 

After growing their own organic produce in a ground-level garden for years, these two avid growers decided to invest in an elegant organic garden design that included five cedar raised beds with drip irrigation, and decorative white pea pebbles. 

The Chisolms’ new garden design was a big step up in visual appeal, and just looking at the 18” tall Kitchen Garden raised beds made even the idea of working in their garden seem far more comfortable.

But the 18” tall raised beds would also make it more comfortable for the neighborhood deer to feast on their produce, and a functional, but attractive deer fence was essential to protect their investment. 

Gladly, our 8’ tall garden enclosure design was swiftly approved by the neighborhood HOA. The enclosure is framed with 2”x4” rough-sawn red cedar, and wrapped with 1/2” hardware cloth mesh, giving the design a tremendous amount of strength as well as the visual appeal needed to win the approval of the HOA, and not to mention the neighbors, too. Red cedar and galvanized steel mesh are famously durable materials for outdoor projects like this, and the Chisolms can expect many, many years of service from their garden enclosure. And to minimize our time and impact on the job site, we built the enclosure in our workshop in sections, then joined the sections together around the newly completed raised beds, using structural steel screws. This kept the on-site assembly portion of the enclosure to only about three hours.

Strong. Elegant. And Effective. This project really came together, and Dan and Lynetta were very pleased with the finished product. And we were just as happy as they were to see their new raised bed design safe from all those stealthy deer. After all, we’re gardeners, too. We know all about the disappointment of a nibbled up harvest, and we also know the satisfaction of protecting your garden from hungry wildlife. 

Seed Swap Essentials

Seed swaps can be a fun way to connect with other growers and share samples of favorite heirloom cultivars, and gardening knowledge and experience that will help other growers succeed in their own gardens next season. And not surprisingly, late fall and Winter are the most popular times of year for many seed swap events, as seed crops have been harvested and dried, and there’s still time to think over and plan what you’ll grow in the next season’s garden. 

START SMALL

Plenty of swaps are large, heavily promoted  events open to the public or are part of a large event, but a seed swap doesn’t have to be a complicated, large gathering with catered food, entertainment, and a whole day of workshops. Plenty of seed swaps consist of a small group of friends gathered around the dining room table, or meeting up at the local brewery or coffee shop. If you’ve never hosted a seed swap before, a small gathering like this is a good place to start, or you could even make your seed swap a fun and memorable theme for a winter birthday party or part of a holiday gathering.

PROMOTE THE EVENT

Once you’ve chosen the date, location and size of your seed swap, it’s time to begin promoting the event. For a smaller gathering, digital media like Evite, social media pages, and group text messages and emails will work great. Give two or three weeks advance notice of the event and be sure to follow up with reminders. To build excitement and boost attendance, you might include a few specifics about what guests can look forward to at your seed swap, like your uncle Tony’s prized orange bell peppers, a rare heirloom watermelon variety, or a raffle for a cool prize.

CONSIDER SEED SOURCES

Now, letting guests share their own seed that they’ve harvested, as well as seed purchased from retailers will mean more seeds to share at your seed swap, and probably better attendance, too.  But whether their seed is self grown, or store bought, remind your guests to only bring open pollinated seed varieties. Seeds from hybrid plants , even though they be non-GMO , won’t grow ‘true to type’ ; in other words, there’s no way to know for sure what result you’d get from planting hybrid seeds. Store bought seed packets will almost surely already be labeled, but remind guests that bring their own harvested seed, that it should be clearly labeled with the type of crop, name of the variety and the date of harvest. And planting seeds is way more fun when they actually sprout, so be sure to ask your guests to bring only seeds should have been carefully stored (in a dark, cool, dry place), and are not more than three or four years old at the most. And consider that all of your guests, but especially the new gardeners attending your seed swap would, appreciate having at least one experienced grower to ‘lead’ the event. This seasoned gardener would answer questions, ensure seeds are properly labeled, event guidelines are followed, etc.

HOW MANY SEEDS TO TAKE

Larger seed swap events often have a firm limit on how many seeds one guest can take of a single variety -  usually, somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty five seeds. But a simple verbal reminder, or a note included in the digital promotions of the seed swap, should suffice for a smaller gathering. Large seed swap events also sometimes allow guests that arrive empty handed to leave with a packet or two of seeds, but consider that a smaller seed swap wouldn’t really be much of a swap if every guest didn’t at least bring one or two seed varieties. To encourage folks to arrive with seeds to swap, one common rule of thumb is that a guest not take any more seed packets than they bring. And there’s no need to fret over what to do with a cache of leftover seeds after the swap is over ;  these can simply be stored away until the next seed swap, or donated to schools and similar non-profits who will be delighted to have them.

 

WHAT TO SUPPLY

At the very least, you’ll want to have plenty of blank labels and a few pens so that everyone knows exactly what they go home with. You should also have some blank paper seed packets or small resealable plastic bags for any bulk seed samples that your guests will take home. Signs that clearly spell out the guidelines of the event and indicate specific areas at larger seed swaps are almost essential to keep things running smoothly there. And even though these signs aren’t as crucial at a smaller seed swap, your guests will still appreciate some creative signage and, perhaps, a little colorful decor. These small touches will make even the coziest winter seed swap more fun. Have a few scoops or spoons handy if you expect anyone to bring large amounts of bulk seed to your event. And if possible, send your guests home poised for success by having printed seed-saving and growing guides that they can take home along with their new seeds.

Stylish and Strong ; The Garden Loft Coop Design

Protection from the elements and security from predators are the most important features of any backyard coop design, and plenty of coops seem to manage this with an effective, but all too often, unappealing design.

But you’ll get way more enjoyment from your backyard flock when you combine these must-have strengths with an elegant design that enhances your existing landscape, and earns the approval of the neighbors and even the neighborhood HOA. 

And The Garden Loft does just that. This spacious backyard coop plan from the designers of the Garden Coop is large enough for up to sixteen hens, and like it’s smaller cousin, has a covered run integrated into the design. 

With the entire footprint of the coop covered with tinted polycarbonate roof panels, your hens will stray drier and more comfortable during the cold, rainy months, and shaded during the hottest part of the summer. 

And the Garden Loft is completely protected from predators and pests, whether they fly, dig, slither, or bite. This backyard coop design’s sturdy frame is clad with a combination of T1-11 siding and 1/2” galvanized hardware cloth mesh that’s buried around the entire perimeter of the coop. The open ceiling is protected with the same 1/2” wire mesh, keeping out predators and letting in fresh air. 

Some of the other delightful features in this clever coop design include the waist-high high hen house area on the back of the coop that makes it easier to clean, and helps protect the hens from sun and wind. There’s an interior access opening and chicken ladder that lets the flock go back and forth between the henhouse and the run, while the outside human entry door remains securely locked. And the Garden Loft has lots of perch space and plenty of nesting boxes.

 
The placement of the egg door makes it easy to collect eggs without having to enter the coop, and, perhaps the most delightful feature of the Garden Loft is that the open design that makes it easy to watch and enjoy the show from many angles.

The Garden Loft measures 11.5’ wide,  9’ deep, and 8.5’ tall, making a building permit unneccessary in many cities.  

And remember that just because the Garden Loft is large enough for sixteen hens, doesn’t mean that you have to actually keep that many in your coop. 

In fact the Garden Loft is the perfect sized coop for a smaller backyard flock of, say, five to eight chickens. A smaller flock will appreciate the extra space, and owners that travel or may not be available to let the hens out to forage every day, can feel better about leaving them inside this spacious coop for longer stretches of time. 

We love building the Garden Loft design for our customers because the step by step plans make it easy for us to deliver the same high-quality finished product every time ; you get a Garden Loft coop that looks just like the one in the photos. We build the Garden Loft’s frame with untreated red cedar that’ll last for many, many years, and gives the Garden Loft a special elegance and enhances the simple beauty of the design. Our team can complete much of the initial assembly in our workshop, reducing the time spent on site to about two days. And we’ll be happy to stain the siding on the back side of the coop to your specification.  

Of course, handy chicken keepers can roll up their sleeves, download the Garden Loft plans, and build one themselves. The plans are indeed beginner friendly, just like the website says, and there’s no complicated wood joinery. Take your time with it, recruit at least one capable helper, and you’ll be just as delighted with with the finished product as we are. 

Donnie Cates' 8'x8' Cedar Greenhouse

When a back injury sidelined Donnie Cates’ golf game, he bought a few plants and set them up beside a sunny window. That cheerful diversion for a golfer with too much time on his hands tuned into something bigger. As it turns out, Donnie really likes working with plants, and the sunny window was soon overcrowded. A greenhouse was the only way to get his new plant hobby out of first gear, and after researching greenhouses online, Donnie called us up with a few questions.

GREENHOUSE KIT. VS. HANDMADE GREENHOUSE

The biggest question was whether to buy a greenhouse kit, or choose a handmade greenhouse design. Since we assemble greenhouse kits, and also build cedar-framed greenhouses, we aren’t necessarily partial to either option. But when it comes to greenhouse kits, perhaps the main consideration is that they vary widely - in quality and price - and the lower priced greenhouse kits are infamous for collapsing during severe weather events - often resulting in a total loss of the owner’s investment, however much of a ‘bargain’ that may have been.

The well-worn adage “ you get what you pay for” seems to be especially true when it comes to greenhouse kits, and the higher priced kits do seem much stronger than their budget counterparts. 

But assembling greenhouse kits is time-consuming work, and often our fee to build a greenhouse base and assemble a kit isn’t much less than the cost of the kit itself. So, after considering this true cost comparison between the two options, and after weighing factors like the strength of the frame and quality of the glazing, very often a customer chooses a handmade, cedar-framed greenhouse design over a kit. And this proved to be the case with Donnie.

 

SITE SELECTION

The site we selected for Donnie’s  greenhouse is in a small nook on the right side of the house. We chose this location because it gets lots of sunlight during the cooler months of the year, but is shaded by an enormous oak tree during the summer. This combination of sun and shade is ideal for most hobby greenhouses, which seldom have cooling equipment, and during the summer, typically serve as more of a work space or storage shed for garden tools and equipment. Shading a greenhouse during the summer also helps extend the lifespan of the polycarbonate glazing. Donnie’s greenhouse location is really convenient, too - just a few steps from the back door, and right beside a most delightful backyard water feature.

 

CEDAR BASE

Like any well made structure, a greenhouse requires a strong, level foundation. We made Donnie’s greenhouse base with two courses of red cedar 4”x4” timbers, joined together with structural steel screws and waterproof wood adhesive. With a little digging, we soon leveled the base, and then filled in the floor with several inches depth of small glacier pebbles. 

Now, we prefer decorative gravel for greenhouse floors instead of concrete for two main reasons.

One is that a gravel floor can never become clogged and back up the way a drain in a concrete floor sometimes does.  Water drains evenly through the entire gravel floor, anywhere inside the greenhouse.

Another advantage is that a gravel greenhouse floor offers more traction and stability. With exposure to the perpetually wet environment of a greenhouse, concrete slab floors can get slimy and slippery over time.

Plus, decorative gravel varieties like pea gravel and glacier pebbles have a natural beauty that a concrete slab just doesn’t have.

CEDAR FRAME

A good greenhouse frame maximizes strength and minimizes any shade cast by the frame itself. To achieve this, the components must be substantial enough to be strong, but not so big that they cast excessive shade. And a greenhouse frame has to hold up in a constantly wet environment, too, which means the frame material is just as important as the design itself. 

Our first choice for our greenhouse frames is always rough sawn red cedar, which is strong and famously long-lasting in demanding outdoor applications, and in wet environments like a greenhouse. Hefty 2”x4” cedar rafters spaced 24” apart, and joined to a stout 2”x6” ridge pole, create an extremely strong roof that easily shrugs off heavy snow, wind, and ice loads, and still minimizes the shade cast by the frame. Two roof vent windows are neatly built into the rafters, and open and close automatically, based on the temperature inside the greenhouse.

 

POLYCARBONATE GLAZING

There’s so much to love about twin-wall polycarbonate greenhouse glazing, and it’s always our first choice for custom greenhouse designs. It’s lightweight, and easy to cut and work with. It can be screwed directly to a cedar greenhouse frame, making the structure more rigid and strong. It has much better insulation value than single-pane glass glazing, and it’s virtually shatterproof, and safer to work under than glass glazing. And 8mm twin-wall polycarbonate glazing comes in clear, and also a matte/opaque finish that diffuses sunlight, making it gentler for the plants inside. We chose matte polycarbonate glazing for Donnie’s greenhouse, but because the door faces that captivating water feature, Donnie requested that we use clear glazing on the front of the greenhouse. We were happy to accommodate that request, and now he can tend to his plants inside the greenhouse and still enjoy that amazing garden pond at the same time.