As the weather is growing more gray. bitter and cold, I am reminded of the lush, green abundance of late summer.

Part of family fitness is maintaining my own edible garden during the growing season.  When kids get an interest in how our food grows, then they are more understanding and willing to eat healthier.

Nothing works as well to interests the kids’ in plant life as watching mom dig around and being able to help themselves with planting seeds, watching the produce and, of course, sneaking a few sprigs of chives into their mouths.

Here’s my youngest in the late spring feeling his way around a garden box.

So as winter takes its hold on our climate, I send you a reminder of the glories of summer and hope that this brightens your day a bit, especially if you’re in a cold area.

This is a picture of one of my garden boxes from this past September.  With various tomato plants in the back of the box, the large sprig in the front is a collard plant. 

Did you know collards have more calcium per cup than milk or yogurt at 357 mg?  Did you know that 1 cup of cooked collards contains 4 grams of fiber, almost half the calories of a cup of 2% milk and loads of vitamins A and C?

Did you also know that it’s just super fun to grow?

I do enjoy winter, however, because:
1. I further appreciate spring when it finally shows its face and
2. There is nothing that gets the heart pumping and the muscles moving like a total body snow shoveling workout.  Bring it on, Winter!

Want your family exercise tip to get into my upcoming e-book on family fitness?  Post some of your favorite family winter activities.  Tell me how you like to prepare collards, too.

-Liz Donnelly, Your Family Fitness Guru