Harvest Tuesday?

It's been years since we posted a Harvest Monday. Well it didn't happen yesterday so I guess we will keep trying. Unlike many parts of the country, we are having a coolish and wet spring. Actually its been a great spring with three months now of very nice weather. The hot weather plants in the garden are still just hanging out. However, the cool weather plants are putting in overtime.

Since we didn't have a garden last year and a fairly mediocre showing the year before, I've had lots of time to plan and plot. This year we planted some outstanding lettuce and greens. Everything is from Baker Creek and the selection is delicious. We mix spinach, baby kale, various Asian greens, swiss chard, and spinach in with the lettuce so the texture is quite varied. Here are a few of the standouts.

 

Parris Island Cos (A green romaine that can be cut as loose leaf or as a head. We do both. PIC tastes great, is sturdy, and a great grower. If I only planted one lettuce, this would be the one.)

Rouge d'hiver (A red romaine that turns deep red during colder weather. Again a really nice flavor.)

Mascara (A red oak leaf type. Grows very fast and is good mixed with chicory.)

Speckled (A romaine-ish lettuce which is very pretty green with spots of red. Flavor is much like a regular romaine but you really grow it for the color. This is our favorite of the new varieties. We may give these seed packets for Christmas since it is such a distinct variety. )

Tatsoi (This is a rather odd Asian green that we have never grown before. I meant to use it in stir fry but it has been ending up in the salad mix. The texture and flavor is similar to spinach. I have a difficult time growing enough spinach for us to eat and anything that helps fill the breach is appreciated. The bugs don't seem to like it as much as spinach either. Although given the option, the dog will eat both the tatsoi and kale down to nothing. He's such an odd dog.)