Plants

Cauliflower is a common vegetable. Many people will eat the heads and will throw away the stalk and the leaves that the head is attached to. It is a very nutritious vegetable that can be eaten raw, pickled, or cooked.

Its name is a variation of cole flower or kale flower (cole and kale being variations of the same word), an acknowledgment of its unusual place among a family of food plants which normally produces only leafy greens for eating. The Brassica oleracea species is the same species as cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli and collard greens, though they are of different cultivar groups.

Squash is a common vegetable that is enjoyed in a variety of dishes or even by itself. There are several different types of squash like summer squash, winter squash, autumn squash, and butternut squash.

Squash was one of the “Three Sisters” planted by Native Americans. The Three Sisters were the three main indigenous plants used for agriculture: maize (corn), beans, and squash. These were usually planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. The beans provided nitrogen fixing for all three crops.