Harvesting Napa Cabbages
After a teaser last week, we are excited to share that we harvested the first Napa cabbages of the season this week! This quicker growing cabbage variety is often called “Chinese cabbage”. It has an oblong shape, crinkly leaves, and a mild sweet flavor. It makes a great salad green when finely chopped and is perfect for using in a batch of kimchi. It can also be roasted, sauteed, and grilled for a delicious and easy side dish. If you aren’t sure where to start, we recommend trying this melting Napa cabbage recipe or this Napa wedge salad with apples and buttermilk dressing.
Did you know that we have two different mustard green varieties available in the Grab-and-Go coolers? Wasabina mustard greens (below left) have frilly leaves that are tender with a spicy and pungent flavor similar to wasabi. We love adding them to a stir-fry along with bok choy, peppers, and Hakurei turnips. They can also be combined with our lettuce and arugula for a spicy salad mix. Amara mustard greens (below right) have darker green leaves that are tender with a nutty and garlicky flavor that is more mild than Wasabina. We love adding Amara to stir-fries as well but it is also delicious in soups and stews.
As summer crops are phased out and the beds are flipped and prepared, we’ve been able to plant more cool season crops. This week, we planted a round of collard greens and cilantro. Both of these crops will thrive in the cooler temperatures and be ready for harvesting towards the end of this month or the beginning of December. While collard greens are members of the large Brassica family, cilantro is actually a member of the same family as carrots, fennel, and celery.
In Season at the Farm Stand: Red Russian Kale, Tuscan Kale, Bok Choy, Lettuce Heads, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Hakurei Turnips, Amara Mustard Greens, Wasabina Mustard Greens, Radishes, Spring Onions, Okra, Lunchbox Peppers, Bell Peppers, and Flower Bouquets
