Greens - Various Types
[ Assorted Greens | Greens Mixes | Amaranth - Leaf Types ]
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION UPDATE: We were able to get organic certification on part of our farm this year (more information on that in the 2007 A Year In Review section). This means over the next 2 years we will be listing everything that we grow here at our farm as Certified Organic. We have many varieties in this year's catalog which are being offered as CERTIFIED ORGANIC. If the item is being offered as CERTIFIED ORGANIC, it will have an OG after the price of the seeds.
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Assorted Greens
Greens culture: This is a broad category that includes various types of seed with different culture requirements. Check each variety name for information about cultural requirements. This group of vegetables is often overlooked by many. However, most of the members in this classification have very high levels of nutrients and anti-oxidants and can do wonders for improving one's diet. When doing work for a graduate class, I discovered an interesting nutritional fact about Malabar Spinach. One-fourth cup of Malabar Spinach leaves has more Vitamin A than 12 pounds of the genetically modified "Golden Rice" that is being promoted as a savior of eyesight for people in "Third World Countries".
Argula: 40 days. Fast growing, cool season salad green. Distinct, spicy flavor, best used when young and when grown in cool weather. Heat and longevity tend to make it taste bitter. Can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked up until mid-August. Pkt. $1.50 OG
Broadleaf Mache: 55 days. Commonly called cornsalad. Grows well in cool weather. Long, glossy green leaves, forms bunches, distinct, nutty flavor. Used as a mixed salad green. Plant early or again in mid-August. Does not like the heat. Pkt. $1.25
French Sorrel: 50 to 70 days. Tangy, lemon-flavored leaves that are a good food for the chickens and rabbits (as well as for humans). Add sparingly as a garnish to salads or to soups due to its strong flavor. Plant early in the spring and pick the leaves as needed. Pkt. $1.50 OG
Green Malabar: 70 days. Beautiful, deep green with a shiny gloss to the leaves. High in vitamins. Vining, tropical like plant that tolerates no frost. May be used as a spinach substitute in salads. Cooked leaves and stems are somewhat slimy (like spinach), but very nutritious. Plant after the last frost. Does not tolerate cold conditions at all. Pkt. $2.00 OG
Hon Tsai Tai: 40 days. A quick maturing Chinese green that has purplish stems. It flowers quickly, but the flowers are very tasty. Direct seed as early as possible. Pkt. $2.00
Melo Khiya (Corcorus olitorius): 80 days. A popular Arabic Summer vegetable green. Quick grower in hot weather. Plants grow up to 3 feet tall. Young leaves are tender and cooked like spinach. Flavor is best when cooked and not eaten raw. Once plants get more mature the fiber can be turned into jute and used as a fiber plant. (Unavailable for 2008)
Minutina (Plantago corynopsus): 50 days. Cold hardy salad plant, that does best in cooler weather. Plants are small with slender, crinkled green leaves. Direct seed early in the garden. Pkt. $1.50 OG
Mixed Radicchio: 80 days. A mix of 3 types that will provide a nice colorful mix of salad greens. Best quality is obtained from forcing the roots. I dig the roots in the Fall, place in tubs of dirt, put in my basement and let them form loose heads of tasty greens in the mid-winter. May also be picked directly from the garden in late Fall, but this will result in a stronger flavor. Direct seed in the garden either early or mid-Summer. Pkt. $1.50 OG
Mizuna: 55 days. Very fine, cut-leaf foliage; tender, juicy Japanese green. Plants are very vigorous, ornamental and tasty. Can be eaten both raw or lightly steamed. May be direct seeded in early Spring, but I plant it August 1 for a nice Fall crop. Pkt. $1.00 OG
Rapini: 60 days. Broccoli Raab type Asian cabbage. Best if you live in a mild climate where it can be overwintered and harvested early in the spring. If not possible, plant early in the spring and harvest the small, dime-sized side shoots. The first buds are the best followed by the secondary shoots. They can be steamed in water or sautéed in a combination of water and olive oil and then dressed in olive oil, lemon and salt. Pkt. $1.50 OG
Red Malabar: 70 days. Wonderfully colorful plant used as a warm weather spinach substitute when spinach tends to bolt. Climbing plants are wine red with thick green leaves. Pkt. $2.50 OG (Sold Out for the rest of 2008)
Red Orach: 30 days. Beautiful plant, deep purple-red, naturalizes. Needs to be direct seeded in the garden very early or seed will lay dormant until the next season. Best eaten steamed and eaten like spinach. Old vegetable dating back to Roman times. Pkt. $1.50 (Sold Out for the rest of 2008)
Shungiku Largeleaf: 80 days. (a.k.a. Edible Chrysanthemum) Flowering plant that makes a nice decoration. Also, the leaves have a particular tanginess when sautéed and used in soup and salad. Direct seed in the garden about the time of your last frost. Pkt. $1.25 OG
Vegetable Mallow: 50 days. A tender mallow used as a cooked green leaf vegetable (like spinach). A favorite of Thomas Jefferson. Very nutritious. Early and easy. Looks like an upright weed. Direct seed in the garden from early Spring through mid-Summer. Pkt. $1.50
Wrinkled Crinkled Cress: 30 days. Early, vigorous plants producing a spicy flavored addition to salads. Pkt. $1.00 OG
Greens Mixes
We have increased the amount of seed per packet on these mixes. These are an especially tasty addition to salads. Another great way to extend the fresh season is to take a cheap discount store plastic dishpan filled with soil. Then sprinkle seed on top of the soil thickly and grow in a sunny window for fresh salad fixins in the off-season. The greens are especially tender and mild this way.
Fall Greens Mix: A special mix of greens including lettuce, chards, greens, Chinese cabbage, spinach, and endive that is designed to be planted in the late Summer (early to late August here in Iowa) to be harvested from mid-September until the ground freezes. Packet will plant a 25 foot row. Pkt. $2.00
Spring Greens Mix: A special mix of greens including lettuces, spinach, and chard that is designed to be planted early in the Spring. It will provide a colorful and tasty salad mix. Harvest when the plants are young and tiny for fresh green salads. Direct seed in the garden early in the Spring. Packet will plant a 25 foot row. Pkt. $2.00
Amaranth - Leaf Types
Amaranth culture: See also Grain Amaranth in Grains. Plant early in the season. Thin to 1 plant every 6 to 8 inches for best results. Packet plants 50 to 100 foot of row.
Sahel: 45 days. (a.k.a. African Spinach) Frequent picking is necessary to keep the highest quality leaves. Heavy producer. Pkt. $1.50
Tiger Eye: 50 days. Short, coleus-like leaves. Plants stay 2 to 3 feet tall when picked. Excellent for hot weather climate. Pkt. $1.50