It’s time for Harvest Monday, where we celebrate all things harvest related. I’ve been fighting a cold bug all week and not wanting to go outside any more than necessary. Having said that, with a hard freeze and record cold temperatures in the forecast I did what harvesting I thought necessary, and to give us a few fresh veggies to eat. Early in the week I cut a few collards and the last main heads of broccoli. The broccoli was Aspabroc, and while tasty we decided it was the least favorite of the ones I grew this fall which also including Artwork, Apollo and Happy Rich. I will adjust my spring plantings accordingly.
Aspabroc broccoli and collard greens
One variety we are loving is the Burgundy purple sprouting broccoli. I grew this in spring and it did well then too. This came from an August planting in the main garden, but I also have a few plants of it in the greenhouse, along with Rudolph and Santee which hopefully will give us sprouts early next year when not much else is happening.
Burgundy purple sprouting broccoli
spear of Burgundy broccoli
I cut over 8 pounds of collard greens last week, some for fresh eating and the rest for a batch of collard kraut. It took a bit more than 4 pounds of whole leaves to fill the crock, and then I poured in a 3% salt brine to cover. I will let it ferment for 2 to 3 weeks before we taste it. I imagine we will cook this kraut, since I doubt the leaves will be very tender raw. We usually eat our kraut raw, since cooking kills the probiotic bacteria. Cooking won’t hurt the flavor any though.
assortment of collard greens
Ole Timey Blue collards
Flash collards
I saved out some of the Jernigan’s Yellow Cabbage and the Purple collards for fresh eating. The leaves of Purple were the biggest of any I grew this year. The listing on the Seed Savers Exchange where I got the seeds says they can get tough, so we will see how how they are when cooked. Jernigan’s Yellow Cabbage has tender and sweet tasting leaves, and I grew it last year also.
Purple collard greens
It hasn’t been so good for the root crops this fall. I got a few radishes to size up, but no kohlrabi so far. It’s my first time growing Big Time, and this Korean daikon type made several that were worth pulling up. The largest of these weighed right at a pound, and I will use most of them to make radish kimchi (aka kkakdugi). They aren’t the prettiest things to look at, but I am happy to have them!
Big Time daikon radish
In non gardening news, I baked up a batch of Dark Rye Potato Buns last week. I sometimes bake these up into rolls, but last week we needed buns so that’s what I made. The dark color comes from cocoa powder and molasses that’s added to the dough, along with about 35% fresh ground whole grain rye flour. I also baked up a loaf of rye sandwich bread, since meatless reubens were on the menu for lunch yesterday.
Dark Rye Potato Buns
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!
Your leaf quality is wonderful, do you grow sprout leaves? they are my favourite : All the best – Steve
I’m guessing that you are not troubled by slugs and snails
Sorry to hear you were under the weather; hope you’ve bounced back! Your collard greens are so impressive, and seem to be pretty free of bug holes, which is amazing in itself. Your buns look really good (haha). I’m sure they were delicious.
Your greens are so perfect, I cannot see a single nibble by a pest unlike my chard by the slugs. And i am so envious of your burgundy broccoli. I hope you feel better soon Dave, i have not been wanting to go to the garden, not because i am poorly – the weather is just so miserable that it is just not enticing me.
The PSB is gorgeous. The dark rye potato buns look perfect. Bet they were delish.
Hope you are feeling a bit better now Dave. I think the turn of the year is a time we can often succumb for a whie, so let’s hope it doesn’t last long> Impressive range of brassicas there!
Dave, could you detail how you plant your purple sprouting broccoli? When do you plant? You keep it in your greenhouse, right? We just completed a cattle panel greenhouse and I’m wondering if I could keep some PSB in there overwinter? The ground stays pretty nice without freezing and of course, I could cover a bed inside the greenhouse… We are in central Missouri. We just had a night that dipped down to 7 degrees! That was way early for us. Snow, ice, the whole bit….
Anyway, would love your summary of planting the PSB. Thanks for your generous sharing of your experiences.
Hi Lorraine, I started the PSB seeds back in early July and set the plants out in the main garden on August 7th. I set out more plants in the greenhouse about mid October. I might have set those second ones out a bit earlier but that was as soon as I could get the new greenhouse beds ready. Last year I grew Santee in the greenhouse, and it made sprouts in early March. This time I planted Santee, Burgundy and Rudolph in the greenhouse beds. I set them a bit closer than I might outside, about a foot apart. That’s really about all there was to it. Time will tell how these three do this year in the greenhouse!
We are having similar weather here, with the temp around 9F this morning. I doubt the PSB planted outside will survive this, especially since we got ice and snow to go with the cold. I will post updates once the garden thaws!
Thanks so much. I think one of my problems is that I probably start my seeds too late. I’m not thinking “fall garden” in early July. 😉 I love broccoli and I’m always hopeful but without a whole lot of luck with those started in the fall. I haven’t peeked under any of my covers to see if my plants froze or not out in the garden after the frigid temps & snow & ice. Thanks again for sharing your garden. I feel like we can chat over the fence and gain lots of wisdom from you. I have my “Dave’s Favorites” list on my desk. 🙂
Hi Dave: I love your blogs and have been following you for some time. A quick question about growing Asian daikon radish. Have you ever encountered radish root maggots? Do you know of any tricks to stop/avoid these radish root maggots? Thank you.
Thankfully I have never seen the radish root maggots here. I do believe I have heard of using a floating row cover like Agribon.