Welcome to Harvest Monday, where we celebrate all things harvest related. The lettuce plants I planted in the cold frame beds seem to all be sizing up at once, and a few have started bolting. I cut three heads of the Three Heart lettuce last week to use in salads. This is a small heirloom butterhead that reminds me a bit of Tom Thumb, and it had a soft texture and mild flavor. I’ll be growing this one again. I also cut the three heads of the French heirloom crisphead Reine des Glaces.
Three Heart lettuce
Also coming in from the cold frame beds is more kohlrabi. Konan and Kolibri continue to outperform Winner, which has been slow to size up this year. I used three of the kohlrabies to make a batch of kohlrabi kraut, and we ate the other one raw.
Konan and Kolibri kohlrabi
I left the skin on the Kolibri and Konan for the kraut, grating it using a medium grater then mixing with salt before packing into a jar. I only had about a pound of kohlrabi, so I used a pint jar which the kohlrabi filled nicely. The kraut has been on the kitchen counter fermenting now for six days, and is developing a tart flavor. The purple color from the skin of the Kolibri has ‘bled’ into the brine, and is giving the kraut a faint pinkish color. I usually peel the kohlrabi before making kraut, and I’m anxious to see how this batch did with the skin on. I’m using an inverted lid for a regular size jar which fits in the wide-mouth jar quite nicely and helps keep the kraut submerged in the brine. I’ll probably put it in the refrigerator later today, which will slow down the fermentation.
kohlrabi kraut day 1
I harvested the last of the garlic scapes last week from the Rocambole types German Red, Russian Red and Spanish Roja. My wife and I really enjoy this seasonal treat, and many of them have wound up in mixed stir-fries. We wound up getting right at two pounds of scapes this year, which is in line with what we usually get.
harvest of garlic scapes
Another veggie that’s been showing up in stir-fries is snow peas. Oregon Sugar Pod 2 and Avalanche are both doing well, though I think the Oregon Sugar Pod 2 has a bit better flavor.
snow peas
I think the Oregon Sugar Pod 2 is also a bit bigger than Avalanche. I plan on growing it again this fall, along with Sugar Ann and the heirloom Corne De Belier.
Oregon Sugar Pod 2
A newcomer in the harvest basket is the first broccoli of 2016. Or should I say the first brockali, as I harvested from the Apollo and Artwork plants. I’ve been growing Apollo for several years, but it’s my first time growing the 2015 AAS winner Artwork. I steamed a few of each and dressed simply with a little olive oil and salt for a taste-test. My first impression is that Apollo had both a better taste and texture.
Apollo and Artwork broccoli
The first head of Artwork was a bit bigger than Apollo, but they both were ready at about the same time. Artwork is supposed to do better in summer heat, so we will see how it compares to Apollo in that regard. I’m going to enlist my wife for further tasting too.
Artwork broccoli
Over in the berry patch, my wife has been harvesting the first blueberries of the season. Patriot has been the first to ripen this year, and it is a tasty and sweet early season berry. We have been enjoying these first berries for breakfast in the morning, topping our muesli.
first blueberries of 2016
The last harvest I want to share was destined to top a pizza I made for dinner one night while my wife was out. I cut some leaves of Adagio arugula, plus some Profuma di Genova basil and one young Red Torpedo Tropea onion. I am growing Adagio arugula for the first time, and it is a slow to bolt variety (thus the name) developed at Purdue University. It’s not quite as mild tasting as Speedy or Apollo, but it wasn’t strong or bitter either and made a tasty pizza topping.
UPDATE: Information on the Adagio arugula is available here: ‘Adagio’: A Slow-Bolting Arugula
arugula, basil and onion for pizza
The veggies joined some of last year’s slow-roasted tomatoes and pizza sauce from the freezer, and a bit of pancetta I cooked up. I made a whole wheat crust using fresh ground White Sonoran wheat, and yes I ate the whole thing myself! It was only 8″ in diameter, and I think I have been working enough in the garden to burn off the calories. At least I hope so!
pizza with homegrown veggies
Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to share, add your name and blog link to Mr Linky below. And be sure and check out what everyone is harvesting!
These snow peas look huge!
And after a day in the garden, I could eat that pizza as well, no worries 😉
Wow things are moving on a pace in your garden. We have sown Oregon sugar snap peas but they are only a few inches high at the moment and are blueberries have just set!
What a fantastic mix of veggies you have been able to harvest this week. Ooh, those blueberries look good! And broccoli already, wow!
That is quite a harvest of snow peas and garlic scape. Hoping to have my first peas and garlic scape harvest this week. Wonder who named the broccoli “Artwork”. Did your wife agree with you after tasting?
She hasn’t tasted the broccoli yet. We hope to do a tasting tonight.
You’re getting lots of different things in your harvest basket now. That is a ton of scapes and it’s amazing that you’re harvesting basil already.
Looks like things are in full swing, Dave. Congrats. It’s good to read your opinions on the snow peas, as I am considering replacing Avalanche and Oregon sounds like just the ticket.
I’m getting quite a few pods from Avalanche, but more from Oregon.
Always a great moment when the first of the blueberries are pickable. We’re hoping for a decent harvest again this year form our two bushes.
I empathise with your one-handed photo of the garlic scapes – it’s funny how we all need to do that sometimes! You have done well to get such a varied harvest already. I must try harder to spread out my harvests, because currently they are all weighted too much towards Late Summer / Autumn.
It’s nice to see Three Heart Butterhead again, even if it isn’t coming from my garden. It has been one of my favorites this year, it’s so pretty and I love the texture. Apollo brokali has become one of my favorites also. I’ve also tried Atlantis brokali, which is good, but I prefer the Apollo for both flavor and productivity. Those are some perfect beautiful snow peas! And the pizza too! Sonora wheat really is good. I use it for pastry dough also, it works great. Mmm, pizza…
The kohlrabi looks perfect! I’m still waiting on Kolibri – it’s growing so slowly is seems, much like last year. And those peas & scapes…yum! I always seem to question my taste tests, especially when I don’t notice much of a difference – I’m never sure if it’s just that my palate is not refined enough or if there actually is little difference. Good idea to enlist your wife for a 2nd opinion.
It looks like you are at least 3 weeks or so ahead of us here. All in good time, I guess, and I’m enjoying what IS coming out of the garden (no bolting lettuce for me yet!).
You must be very busy in the garden! The Adagio arugula sounds like it is worth a try. Your source? I grow arugula year round here but slowing the bolting process would be nice. We had the last of our broccoli recently and you’re just starting! Enjoy!
I got the Adagio arugula from West Coast Seeds, but it looks like Osbourne Seeds also has it.
Nice to see peas and broccoli coming g from the garden and not just greens. I’m still a few weeks away from that. I have to try the kohlrabi slaw when I get a few. Good tip, three to a pint jar.
Based on all your harvests it sounds like you are having some delicious stir fries this week! That pizza looks quite good too. I’m sure you’ve worked hard enough in your garden to more than counterbalance the calories.
Yum, your pizzas always look so good, wish I’d had that all to myself. The broccoli looks really nice too. Blueberries..wow!
I’ve managed to get a bit of variety this week, things seem to finally be happening….
Hi Dave, sorry to bother you again. I just harvested my first timer homegrown lettuce and it is so delicious! I hate to say goodbye to homegrown lettuces
till early fall. Is it still possible to start slow bolt heat tolerant types of lettuces from seeds in mid June in Zone 5b? I grow them in planter boxes on my deck .
Sincerely, Kaman
I have had good luck growing the Slobolt variety lettuce in summer. Red Sails also does well for me. I’m growing Sierra and Anuenue crispheads here this summer, and I plan on planting them later this week. If you can find a spot where the planter gets afternoon shade it can also help. I don’t think the summer lettuce is as tender as that grown in spring or fall, but it is still good.
Thank you very much for your advice Dave!
Oh wow, homemade ketchup is very ambitious, it looks amazing. And your winter squash and peppers are gorgeous. I see your pepper plants in the background of the Escamillo pepper picture, they look so lush and green.
It’s great that you enjoyed the fried tofu recipe, although I always get a vicious burn from frying up the tofu. I also make a curry stir fry with zucchini, summer squash, julienned carrots, and silky udon noodles and firm tofu added at the end.