Here's what we'll be growing in 2010

This has been an extreme winter, but that can be a good thing. Hopefully it'll knock a few of those bad bugs back. We've enjoyed the first winter of our new high tunnel, which brought a lovely bounty for the New Year's Day feast at Grace restaurant. Of course we keep plenty for ourselves, and we agreed that 2009's Christmas feast of roasted root vegetables was one for the record books.

Right now we have bunches of greens and lettuces in the greenhouse, just waiting for the days to get a little longer before they really take off.

Lettuce - including the ever tasty Drunkard's Wife, Cracoviensis, Rouge D'Hiver, Outredgeous, Galisse, and good old Black Seeded Simpson.

Braising greens, including Baby Pac Choi, Osaka Purple Mustard, and mixed mesclun greens. 

Radishes, including Suzanne and French Breakfast

Kale, including Lacinato and Winterbor

Turnips, including Hakurei, a great Japanese variety
      
And we'll soon have the following:

Peas, including English Shelling Peas and Sugar Snaps, are done for the season. 

Kohlrabi - white and purple varieties.  These are done for the season as well.

Baby Beets, including Chioggia, Golden and Detroit

Endive

Broccoli, including Brocoletti,Purple Peacock and Calabrese type

Swiss Chard, including Bright Lights and Magenta Sunrise

Fava Beans -  We hope to have this very popular crop back later this spring! Alas, favas are a finicky bunch.

Later in the season, look for these tasty morsels:

Tomatoes -  Our specialty, with over 80 varieties! We grow an amazing selection of heirlooms, from the smallest Red Currant up to the largest Watermelon Beefsteak and everything in between. This year, there will be old timey favorites like Arkansas Traveler, Mortgage Lifter, Mule Team, and plenty of Oxhearts and Beefsteaks. We couldn't survive without our paste tomatoe varieties like San Marzano, Roma, and Principe Borghese. And of course the green varieties that are perfectly ripe when they are still green like Aunt Ruby's German Green and Green Zebra. Most spectacular are the bi-colors like Copia which are gold- fleshed with streaks of yellow and the Ananas Noir, a dark purple and green tomato with pink and green streaked interior that has hints of pineapple flavor. Dad's Sunset and Dr Wyche's cover the orange and yellow spectrum. Then there are the deep purples, almost black, that have the most intensely rich and winey flavor of all, such are the Purple Calabash, Cherokee Purple and Paul Robeson.

Beans, including Edamame, French Filet, Romano, and Flageolet

Potatoes, including fingerlings like Austrian Crescent, Russian Banana, French Fingerling, Kipfel, La Ratte, Ozette, Peanut, Purple Peruvian, Rose Finn Apple and Tom Thumb.

Onions, including Red Torpedo, Superstar, & Flat of Italy

Cucumbers, including  Miniature White and Lemon, along with the more familiar green ones. (We like to pick these on the small side). 

Sweet Corn - We'll have Ruby Red Queen (hybrid), with Silver Queen fast on its heels.  The bees polinate this stuff like crazy!

Summer Squash, including Baby Pattypans, Costato Romanesco, White Scallop, Eight Ball, and Long White of Sicily.

Eggplant, including Hansel and Fairy Tale 

Melons. including Charentais (ooh la la! - we love this variety), Minnesota Midget, Delice De La Table, & Tigger. And our "Lil' Loupe" canteloupe are thriving this summer!

Watermelons, including Sweet Dakota Rose, Orangeglo, & Petite Yellow

Herbs, including Italian Parsley, Basil, Wild Fennel, Mints, Marjoram, Chervil, Sage, Oregano, Lavender, and Perilla

Leeks

Peppers, including sweet peppers and hot peppers (25 different varieties)

Winter Squash, including baby Blue Hubbards, White Acorn and Musquee De Provence.  Look for these later in the season

Wild Blackberries - Coming once again, unless we have an Easter freeze like 2007! We snapped this picture in the hills behind our house:

Fighting pests the organic way. Judging from his cast,
the aphids gave Henry quite a tussle.

Updated January 30, 2010