Two new veggies are making their way to the farm stand this week: Hon Tsai Tai (pictured above) and Bok Choy (pictured below). Hon Tsai Tai, also called Kailaan, has striking purple stems and tender green leaves. It has a flavor similar to broccoli raab but is a bit sweeter and more delicate. Bok Choy has spoon-shaped green leaves with thick white stems. It has a flavor similar to spinach but more nutty and a bit peppery. Farmer Anna loves to braise either of these leafy greens in a miso broth with soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger. Yum!

Are you curious where our extra produce goes? When we have surplus produce that we’re not able to sell at the farm stand or to local restaurants like Nancy’s Hustle, we donate it to Katy Christian Ministries. This is a great way to help those in need in our community while reducing waste on the farm! If you’d like to learn more or donate your time to this non-profit organization, head over to their website.

We have a special pop-up farm stand coming up on Sunday, December 11th! We’ll be at The Heights Mercantile Farmers Market from 9am-1pm with our beautiful farm-fresh produce. This market is hosted by The Informal Grub and is located at 714 Yale Street in Houston. In addition to our produce you’ll be able to shop from a curated selection of local vendors while enjoying live music. We hope to see you there!

In Season at the Farm Stand: Beets, Radishes, Hakurei Turnips, Scallions, Collard Greens, Cabbage, Napa Cabbage, Bok Choy, Hon Tsai Tai, Salad Mix, Kale, Mustard Greens, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cilantro, Dill, Sweet Peppers, and Eggplant.

We’re harvesting a new squash variety for you on the farm: tromboncino! This Italian heirloom can be harvested young as a summer squash or mature as a winter squash. We’re harvesting it young which means you can use it just like a zucchini. As you can see in the photo above, tromboncino squashes have a long neck that is often curved with a bulbous blossom end similar to a butternut. Farmer Alex’s grandmother loves to use tromboncino to make zucchini parmesan. Here’s a recipe if you’d like to try it out! Simply substitute our tromboncino for the zucchini that is called for.

You enjoyed our roselle greens during the summer and now it’s almost time to enjoy their tart and tangy calyces! Our roselle plants have just started to bloom (pictured above) and once those flowers drop, they begin to form the ruby red pods you see in the photo below. The outer red part of the pod is called the calyx. Roselle calyces have a tart flavor similar to cranberries that can be used in jams, syrups, or teas. To use the calyces, you’ll peel the red parts away from the interior green seed pod. Here’s a recipe for a roselle ginger syrup if you’d like to try it.

We’re slowly clearing out the remaining summer crops in the high tunnel to make way for delicious cool season veggies. Last week we planted both bok choy and hon tsai tai (also called Kailaan). Both of these leafy Asian greens are in the brassica family along with crops like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. We currently have them under a protective netting to keep the local rabbits from having a feast! Keep an eye out because these leafy greens will be making their way to the farm stand within the month.

In Season at the Farm Stand: Radishes, Beets, Tromboncino Squash, Scallions, Cabbage, Napa Cabbage, Arugula, Kale, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Okra, Eggplant, Sweet Peppers, Cilantro, and Dill.