Kale Harvest

I love the greens that survive the winter. They've been growing slowly-but-surely since autumn and, depending on the severity of the winter, are ready to eat in February or March. They mature before the bugs return ... and THAT is a big deal!

The downside, though, is greens that over-winter tend to bolt as soon as they are exposed to heat. A few days of warm temperatures and they're done. Flower stalks shoot right up, and while the yellow kale flowers are pretty to look at, they signal the end of desirable edibles. The leaves become bitter and tough.

Here's a tip: If you catch the flower buds before they open up they are actually quite tasty in a stir-fry or tossed raw onto salad. They look like tiny broccoli heads. Try it!

The curly kale was the first to bolt, followed by the smooth leaf, and finally, the red Russian variety. That was nice planning (yeah, right) as we were able to pace ourselves in the kale feast. Just take a look at all that green goodness!

Curly in the foreground
Smooth Leaf in the center
Red Russian along the right side of the raised bed

Sue and the Red Russian Kale