A growing guide to saget (African spider plant, Cleome gynandra) — a drought-tolerant, nutrient-dense East African leafy green that does well in Cary, NC’s Zone 8a heat.
Tag Archives: organic farm
Traditional Kenyan Mrenda Recipe — Jute Mallow with Tomatoes, Onions & Cream
One of East Africa’s most cherished indigenous vegetables — silky, earthy, nourishing, and ready in about 20 minutes. Mrenda (Corchorus olitorius) is one of East Africa’s most treasured leafy greens — prized for its rich nutritional value and the distinctive silky texture it develops when cooked. This is the kind of dish that has beenContinue reading “Traditional Kenyan Mrenda Recipe — Jute Mallow with Tomatoes, Onions & Cream”
How to Grow Organic Mrenda (Jute Mallow): A Complete Guide for Home Gardeners and Small-Scale Farmers
Mrenda (Corchorus olitorius), also known as jute mallow, is one of Africa’s most nutritious indigenous vegetables. Valued for its tender leaves and naturally silky texture when cooked, mrenda has been a staple in many African households for generations. Today it is making a strong comeback as more people seek healthy, locally grown foods packed withContinue reading “How to Grow Organic Mrenda (Jute Mallow): A Complete Guide for Home Gardeners and Small-Scale Farmers”
Why Local Food Tastes Better Than Grocery Store Food
There is a common and entirely understandable assumption that food is food — that a tomato from a supermarket and a tomato picked from a vine that morning are essentially the same thing with minor variations in appearance. This is not true. The differences are measurable, significant, and directly related to how and where theContinue reading “Why Local Food Tastes Better Than Grocery Store Food”
Managu (African Nightshade): The Superfood Most Americans Have Never Heard Of
If you search for “superfoods” online you will find the same rotation of about twelve vegetables. Kale. Spinach. Blueberries. Acai. Turmeric. The list is curated less by nutritional science than by marketing budgets and the ability to source at commercial scale. Missing from almost every version of that list is a leafy green that EastContinue reading “Managu (African Nightshade): The Superfood Most Americans Have Never Heard Of”
Why Terere (Amaranth) Is More Nutritious Than Kale — And Why That Matters
Kale has spent the last decade as the undisputed champion of nutritious leafy greens in the American food conversation. It has been in smoothies, on menus, on grocery store tote bags. The marketing has been thorough. The nutrition is genuinely good. But there is a leafy green that outperforms kale on nearly every significant nutritionalContinue reading “Why Terere (Amaranth) Is More Nutritious Than Kale — And Why That Matters”
Growing African Vegetables in North Carolina — Terere, Managu, and Kunde at Farmsustaina
We may be one of the only farms in North Carolina writing about this. That is precisely why we are doing it. At Farmsustaina we grow three traditional African vegetables alongside our regular crops: Terere (Amaranthus dubius), Managu (African Nightshade, Solanum scabrum), and Kunde (cowpea leaves, Vigna unguiculata). These are not experimental crops or noveltyContinue reading “Growing African Vegetables in North Carolina — Terere, Managu, and Kunde at Farmsustaina”
Farmsustaina Organic Kunde — The “Where Did It All Go?” Kenyan Cowpea Leaf Recipe
Fresh organic Kunde from Farmsustaina — young cowpea leaves, harvested at the right moment, because timing in Kenyan cooking is not a suggestion. Kunde is one of those dishes that exists at the intersection of tradition and practicality. It is made from the young leaves of the cowpea plant — the same plant that producesContinue reading “Farmsustaina Organic Kunde — The “Where Did It All Go?” Kenyan Cowpea Leaf Recipe”
Farmsustaina Organic Terere (Mchicha) — The “Just One More Spoon” Kenyan Recipe
Fresh organic terere from Farmsustaina — tender leaves only, because life is already hard enough without fighting stems during dinner. Terere — known as Mchicha in Swahili — is one of Kenya’s most beloved leafy greens and one of the most nutritionally impressive vegetables you can put on a plate. Amaranthus dubius is fast-growing, highlyContinue reading “Farmsustaina Organic Terere (Mchicha) — The “Just One More Spoon” Kenyan Recipe”
Sukuma Wiki — Kenyan Sautéed Kale from the Farmsustaina Garden
Sukuma wiki is one of the most widely eaten dishes in Kenya. The name means push the week in Swahili — a reference to how far a bunch of kale can stretch a family meal when times are lean. It is humble food in the best sense: fast, nourishing, deeply flavourful, and made from ingredientsContinue reading “Sukuma Wiki — Kenyan Sautéed Kale from the Farmsustaina Garden”