Picking in the Freezing Rain

      Tis Thanksgiving Eve, and a fresh salad is on the menu for tomorrow.  So although it is spitting frozen rain outside, I need to pick greens now rather than face freezing the greens by picking them in the colder morning temperatures.  My fingers are still cold and stiff because gloves are too cumbersome for picking greens.

Cold Frame, November 27th, 2013

      This is the salad cold frame over at the park.  The two wooden beams are to help hold down the glass against the wind.  I have been pleasantly surprised that the wind across the park seems to flow right over the frames without pulling off the unattached glass panels.  A deep snow breaking single pane glass is a far different story.  With disappointing results.

      Here is the cold frame with the glass covers off.  One morning so far was down to 18 degrees, and another to 19 degrees.  Froze a lot of veggies, but not the covered lettuce.  Even the collards those mornings looked really stressed and limp.  After this noreaster and at least three inches of rain, the cold hardy crops have perked up quite a bit.  Including this patch of ice encrusted kale that is going to be partially harvested for dinner tonight.

      The greens after washing and then spinning in their high tech pillow case spinner.  Neighbors wonder we we are doing twirling pillow cases on the deck.  Filled the gallon bag beautifully to transport to the Turkey Day feast.

Beautiful curly kale crop, November 27th, 2013

Saute with oil, garlic and onion, simply scrumptious

Plant Rescue 103 - Curly Kale

      Last year I rescued some collard plants that someone in the park had ripped out of their garden in the spring.  The poor plants had toughed out the winter, and were ready to give a quick spring picking, only to be yanked out before their time.

Collards look pretty sorry,  4/7/2011

Transplanted to my garden,  4/7/2011

Collards worth the effort, 4/19/2011

      So with the success of the collard rescue in mind from last year, I was quick to jump on an offer to harvest kale from a gardener two days ago who was spring cleaning by ripping out some kole crops.  I dug up some plants instead to bring them home to transplant to cell packs, to develop some good root structure.

Kale plants to pot up,  2/9/2012

Kale ready to go to the porch for root growth,  2/9/2012

      So up to the porch they go.  The collards regrew well in April and May last year, so there is time for a few week's vacation time on the porch before they go out in the garden.  And we have far more good recipes for curly kale than we do for collards.

Last Harvest of 2011

      This morning I had my last harvest of the year over at the park garden.  It was the last harvest only because the year gave out on the garden, the garden did not give up for the year.  Should I choose to, I can make tomorrow the first harvest of 2012.  That is pretty much a done deal with the temperature forecast to be in the 50's.  A pleasant start to the year, followed by a predicted low of 18 degrees on Tuesday.  That should pretty much wipe out all but the hardiest non protected veggies, that being collards, kale and leeks.

Last Harvest of 2011

      On the bottom left is blue curled scotch kale, with Beedy's Camden kale on the right.  At the top is a savoy cabbage I picked today simply to grab it before the deer or the voles got it.  It will store very well in the fridge for awhile.  Both kales are already chopped and added to the pot along with olive oil, onions and garlic.  The beginnings of delicious kale and white bean soup.  Simply scrumptious.

Saute first, soup next, 12/31/11