Growing up on a Maine farm, food grown on the patch of dirt, the back forty was plentiful, varied, natural.

Wholesome diets of the good stuff that you knew where it came from, what chemicals were or were not used to get from spring planting to harvest. Maybe canned and preserved for the winter root cellar to trot down the cellar stairs. To fish out some potatoes from the barrel, grab and collect a jar of bread and butter pickles, whatever else Mom said to bring back for the Maine farm supper table.

Both Dad and Mom worked hard to expose the four boys to a wide range of foods. Scallions in vinegar, a variety of apple trees, rhubarb mixed with home grown strawberries, many types of corns, peas, tomatoes, beans of all types. So after raising kids and introducing them to new foods, to try this, make sure to finish up that, the tables turn.

Recently, at college graduation in Colorado Springs for the youngest son, he and his girlfriend invited me over to their apartment for supper.

And suddenly I get introduced to something very tasty, loaded with vitamins, vital nutrients too. That I had never had. Have you added kale to the good stuff you put in your body when the dinner bell rings? Popeye would trade in the spinach cans for kale bundles of the fresh green, leafy produce if he had known the off the charts food value too.

So the young cub and girlfriend have introduced Dad to something new to consider adding to the diet. That is tasty and I had no idea how good for you it was. It is a super vegetable loaded with wholesome natural ingredients. That I wonder with the exposure to everything under the sun growing up on a Maine farm where we grew what we eat for the most part that I missed the vegetable kale. Kale, one of the world’s healthiest foods.

Now Elliot makes sure I am adding kale to the shopping cart as I squeak squeak guide the wired cart through the local grocery. Or to look for it at the outdoor local farmers markets in Maine. It seems odd for your kids to remind their parent to make sure to do this. Or to gently scold, chide if you don’t out of love and concern. A distinct change from when that was your job exclusively. As the parent raising, nurturing, guiding the shorter members of the household to make sure they grew taller, healthy, big and strong.

And while we’re talking food you grew up with, did it take you a time to trust tuna fish, egg salad sandwiches that your mom did not make?

Or that you yourself had prepared from scratch so you knew the age, how it was stored and what actually went into the filling? I’m not talking “does your wife, partner make as good as mom” in these departments either. Just those two selections when staring hungrily into a grocery store morgue like fluorescent lighted cooler. Or as you scan and consider what to order off the glossy, dog eared, torn corner menu at a greasy spoon diner. Is there a tad of fear or trepidation? With a guess I’m not going to risk it the final conclusion usual default verdict on what not to order. Again.

Maine is a state where so much locally grown produce is available for vegetables, fruits.

From blueberries, raspberries, strawberries to apple orchards. To broccoli and a slew of potato varieties. Sample a local Maine farmers market for an idea of what is offered, depending on the time of year and harvest cycles. Yes the lobsters, steamed clams and locally grown beef, dairy products are pretty darn tasty. No dispute on that for sure. But balancing the diet with rich naturally, locally grown produce and fruits is so so important to pay attention to for healthier living. Your best personal health and outlook results delivered in / from Maine.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com