Contributed by Angela Cleveland

It's that time of year again - rhubarb season! Rhubarb is a very versatile vegetable (no, it's not a fruit!) - it can be used in sauces, dressings, breads, and puddings. It can be tart or sweet depending on how you prepare it.

Rhubarb originated in Asia and was first cultivated for its medicinal qualities. Earliest records of rhubarb date back to 2700 BC in China, but it did not appear in North America until the late 18th C. Rhubarb is high in vitamin C and dietary fibre. It also aids in digestion processes
beginning in the mouth, through the digestive tract, and even into the liver.

What else can rhubarb do? If you have pots and pans that are burned, try rubbing rhubarb over the afflicted area. It will bring back the shine in no time! Having insect problems in the garden? To combat against cabbage
caterpillars, aphids, and slugs, boil rhubarb leaves for about 15 to 20 minutes. When the mixture has cooled, strain the liquid into a container and add soap flakes. Spray onto the infected areas. Be sure to keep the
mixture away from the kids as it is still quite harmful!

Poisons in rhubarb? Oxalic acid (which is also found in spinach, cabbage, and beet tops, potatoes, and peas) is found in all parts of rhubarb, but is most concentrated in the leaves. Oxalic acid has been known to cause
poisonings when large quantities of raw or cooked leaves are ingested. However, the amount of oxalic acid found in the rhubarb stalks does not cause problems.

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