The Food Literacy podcast resumes after a hiatus. I am better now and returning to the microphone with the July 2024 Food Literacy Podcast. This is probably more accurately described as a shortcast but we will cover some gardening topics for July and a few Food as Medicine items in the show notes. I hope you enjoy the episode!

I have commissioned carpenter friends Mike Reynolds and Rudy Taylor to design and build garden tables to enhance the gardening experience for elders and those with mobility challenges, that can be included in the home garden kits distributed by the CGF coalition.

Check out the videos included in the show notes. Remember there is plenty left of this season with things you can start in July and a selection of crops appropriate for the upcoming cool season. According to the tool at Almanac.com, the first frost date is predicted to be November 1, 2024, and our growing season is 197 days which may be increased with season extension and appropriate crop selection strategies.

Check out the Gardening Channel with James Prigioni for ideas about what to plant in July and July garden tasks. Near us in Michigan check out the MI Gardener video with suggestions for July, it is a little long so fast forward a bit. Remember you still have about 100 days of growing season left if you choose wisely. Reach out to Chicago Grows Food for technical support regarding what to plant in July and for fall, cool weather crops.

Check out this episode from Hollis and Nancy and Nancy’s Homestead about container gardening that inspired our decision to create an elevated table system for home gardening solutions or elders and those with limited mobility.

On the Food as Medicine front check out the Guardian article on how healthy childhood diets may mitigate cognitive problems as we age underscoring the importance of providing nutritious food and diets to our children.

However, it is not too late as a study reviewed in Eureka Alert suggests that eating well in your 40s is a boost to healthy aging influencing your life at and into your 70s. Here is more information about the NUTRITION 2024 conference held in Chicago, which is the source for the Eureka Alert article.

Stay tuned for the August 2024 Food Literacy podcast, happy warm season growing!

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of Illinois at Chicago, the OCEAN-HP, or the CPHP. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only. While the podcast is designed to promote the development of healthy communities through food literacy, we offer no health advice and encourage our listeners to seek guidance from their healthcare providers.