Re: What vegetables to grow?

**g*@one.net**

I concur on the tomatoes.  And people could use more cucumbers, green
beans, and basil than we grow  too.

Another question to ask is which ethnic groups are currently major users
of your food bank.  And then check to see what foods might be especially
difficult to come by or what of those foods are expensive in your area.
Then consider what grows well in your area, what's nutritious, and what
you can get to the food bank in good shape.

In our gardens people from

Germany/Bosnia/N.Europe/Russia
especially like to grow
Asparagus, Fava beans, onions, carrots, tomatoes, sweet peppers, beets,
cabbage, interesting potatoes, beets, chives, lovage-root (I think--this
is still a mystery vegetable), leeks, feld salat, radishes, raspberries,
some herbs with dill being a favorite

Asian countries
Asian greens of all sorts, tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, green
onions, radishes, sesame leaf type of perilla, ssoook, peas, oblong korean
pumpkin, green beans, giu-tsai(an allium for greens), leeks, winter
squash(see Evergreen Seeds for a good variety of greens and other items)

India
Red amaranth, a long squash (obo?), banana leaves, a spinach like green
with a leaf like a triangle, tomatoes, peppers, a large squash, cilantro

African Americans
Tomatoes, sweet peppers, cabbage, collards, squash, broccoli, green beans,
corn, cucumbers, turnips/greens, mustard greens, sometimes corn,
strawberries

Hispanic
Tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, an Ecudorian green, sometimes corn

Middle Eastern
Tomatoes, Eggplant, Radishes, sweet peppers, some dry beans

Native American
Tomatoes, greens, sweet peppers, sunflowers, herbs

Mixed or not so mixed Western European
Tomatoes--lots of variety, sweet peppers, milder hot peppers, cucumbers,
lettuce(mostly leaf), potatoes, turnips, broccoli, peas, green beans,
turnips, mustard greens, pumpkins, asparagus, bulb onions, garlic,
strawberries, herbs-most of the italian ones, green beans, sometimes
cauliflower, summer squash, butternut squash, leeks, kale, blueberries,
raspberries, carrots, cabbage, sometimes eggplant, radishes

These are generalizations of patterns of what I can remember off the top
of my head.  Lots of people also grow items they've gotten from other
gardeners at the site, even if it's only 1-2 plants.

If you have space for trees and a long term land commitment, apples,
pears, cherries and other fruits or nuts that do well in your area.

The other thing that can help is to send along frugal recipes with
combinations of foods that are ripe at the time.

Sharon
gordonse@one.net

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