Growing & Giving

Published 4:05 am Monday, November 19, 2018

YEARLONG TRIAL | ASIAN VEGETABLES

The future of local farmers markets and produce sections could include a lot more bok choy, red mustard greens and other Asian vegetables.

Last month it was announced that the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service have teamed up for a yearlong trial to examine the feasibility and possible benefits of growing Asian vegetables in Texas. The trial is being held at four AgriLife facilities across the state.

On Friday, an estimated 144 pounds of Asian vegetables were harvested in Overton from the trial gardens at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Bruce McMillian Jr. Foundation East Farm.

“They grew well,” said Joe Masabni, the AgriLife Extension small vegetable specialist who has overseen the trial in Overton. “We tell our growers ‘grow cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower’ and hopefully now we’re going to tell them ‘grow these Asian vegetables because they’re very tolerant of the cold.’ It’s got to drop to the teens before it kills them.”

Although the successful crop has brought about some excitement, it’s not all strictly related to the trial.

Masabni, with assistance from members of the Smith County Master Gardeners, who often volunteer at the garden, has harvested the vegetables and donated them to the East Texas Food Bank.

Last year, Masabni said the A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center at Overton donated about 3,500 pounds of tomatoes to the food bank, as well as about 2,000 pounds this year.

Dennis Cullinane, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank, said donations of this sort are always appreciated.

“Fresh produce is critical to our mission,” he said. “We’re constantly trying to improve the quality of the food that we distribute.”

Cullinane said the food bank has a goal of making fresh produce account for a third of its distributions. He added that the Asian vegetables will give the organization a chance to possibly expose the clients who receive them to new dishes.

“We get different types of food in all the time,” Cullinane said. “It just provides us with an opportunity to give recipes about new types of cuisine.”

Masabni said he viewed the donation as an added benefit of the trial.

“Nutrition in any leaf crop … is much more than from a cucumber or a tomato, which are fruit,” he said. “So I was very happy when the food bank said ‘yes, we will take them.'”

TWITTER: @TMT_augusta