HEIRLOOM GARDENING

  A Plethora of Greens from the Spring Garden: 

Every year I love growing new and different heirloom vegetables.  Greens are one of my favorite things to grow since we eat so many of them every day.  Although I love greens, I have not been a fan of salads until recently;   when I started growing the best tasting lettuce in my organic garden. In my potager garden I like to plant the lettuce in a way that is pretty and utilitarian.  I used rows of lettuce as borders and plant small squares or rectangles of mixed lettuce to use as baby lettuce.  I find a patch of mixed lettuce works well when surrounded by a border of radish.  They compliment the taste of the other and  make great planting companions.  This spring I grew Forellenschluss Lettuce, on old Austrian heirloom, that may date back to the 1600's.  It is a romaine lettuce that is beautifully speckled.  I also grew Lollo Rossa Lettuce, a red ruffled lettuce that is beautiful and flavorful.  This variety holds well in heat.  I have noticed that the Forellenschluss does too, since we have some unseasonably hot weather and both are just fine.   These lettuce varieties (as with most heirlooms) are terrific self sowers if left to go to seed will re-sow.   I surrounded my plot of baby lettuce by a row of purple plumb radish.    

Lollo Rosso Lettuce

Blue Curled Scotch Kale

Kale is definitely a favorite green of mine.  My family has grown it for years and I grew up eating it very frequently.  I try to incorporate one serving into our diet every day.  There are so many health benefits to Kale that it makes sense to add it to your daily diet.  It is a powerful anit-oxident, anti-inflammatory, helps support your cardiovascular system, high in Vit A, C, K, and calcium.  It also supports liver health and helps to detox the body.  When kale is young and tender it is great in salad.  I also like to use it in a breakfast smoothie.  When it gets older and larger I usually steam it as a wonderful side.     This year I grew ‘Blue Curled Scotch’ (1863).  Plants are very compact and leaves are a beautiful bluish green.   

I plant spinach in small rectangles in my garden.  This year I surrounded the plot with sweet violets, since I love combining flowers with vegetables.  (these violets are not purely ornamental since both flower and leaf may be eaten).  A few cosmos have self sewn in the spinach patch, which I will soon transplant.  I planted a border of beets around the spinach that will be ready soon.  The beet greens are good eating and are nutritious,  and the beets themselves are fabulous when roasted.

My husband and I are big fans of spinach.  Like kale it has so many health benefits such as strengthening bones, and nourishing eyesight.  It also helps your digestive system and is beneficial to people with ulcers and acid reflux.  It improves skin health and like kale, detoxifies the body.  I always grow a spinach variety every year.  It is wonderful steamed or  raw in salads or pesto.  This year I grew Mero Nero Spinach, an Italian variety with dark leaves.  

Last night I wanted to make lobster ravioli, but did not feel like my traditional cream sauce or a marinara.  So I decided to make a pesto of spinach.  It was so good!  I can see this recipe working with young kale leaves or even chard.  I always use all organic ingredients.

Simple Spinach Pesto:

• 2 handfuls of spinach (approx 4 cups)
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 small clove garlic (larger if you like more garlic taste)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• juice of 1/2 lemon

In a food processor, pulse the walnuts and garlic until finely chopped.  Add all other ingredients except lemon juice and pulse until desired consistency of pesto is reached.  Pour into a small bowl and stir in lemon juice.  This recipe will also work well with other pastas.  It makes two large or 4 small servings, depending on how much pesto you like on your pasta (I like a good amount).  

A view of my garden in early June.  vegetables are bordered by heirloom roses and violas.  I also allow daisies or clary sage to self sow here and there.  A border of nepeta divides the garden.

Due to some very hot weather, my baby bok choy has bolted, but I leave the flowers to self sew.  Behind the bok choy is a patch of Blue Curled Scotch Kale.  I surround the plot with heirloom roses, violas, and viola labradorica.  

Here is my perfect spring lunch salad. 

Picked fresh from the garden I combine 

Forellenschluss Lettuce, 

Lollo Rossa Lettuce, 

baby Blue Curled Scotch Kale, and 

baby Mero Nero Spinach.  

I added sliced grape tomatoes, avocado and black sesame seeds...

I dress my salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing.  I found the perfect recipe in Gwyneth Paltrow’s latest book, “It’s all Good”.  Here is a link to her recipe :  www.goop.com/recipes/salads/salad-gingercarrot