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This Friday (Aug. 28th)
and next Friday (Sept 4th), from 10.00 a.m. thru 2.00 p.m., the
Community Transitions Nursery will be selling organic veggie starts at the Springfield Farmers Market
– on Main Street between 5th and 6th. Our offerings focus on fall,
mid-winter and over-wintering vegetable crops. See below for a full list of
varietal descriptions.
Anticipating that most
gardeners are unused to fall and winter cropping schedules and will have
missed the early August transplant window crucial for sizing up most of the
mainstay vegetable crops that will feed us through the forthcoming winter,
the nursery ‘potted up’ many of these seedlings into 4” pots to grow them on,
in past weeks. Transplanted into your gardens within the next couple of weeks
(there is still time to prepare ground), an array of these thriving plants
will feed you October thru May
– the eight month period making up the longest ‘harvest season’ of the year.
For those of you as yet unsure about the wherefores of fall, mid- and
over-winter cropping, I will be giving a public talk on the subject of
feeding ourselves year-round at this Friday’s market at 12.00 p.m. and will,
of course, be happy to answer questions there.
We are quietly confident
that no nursery in the PNW currently comes close to offering the diversity of
winter food plants we are now making available. Our current selections
reflect the results of extensive winter trialing, selection and breeding
programs by public domain plant breeders in the S. Willamette Valley working
with collaborators throughout the PNW and Western and Eastern Europe in
recent years. All these plants can be grown outside, without cover.
All our transplants are
raised at our nursery in N. Springfield (a program of the Community
Transitions Program of the Springfield Schools District) by young-adults and
adults with special needs, who come to us from Springfield schools and Lane
Community College. All proceeds from nursery sales support our greenhouse.
All material offered by
the nursery is open-pollinated. Varieties locally stewarded by the Seed
Ambassadors Project (SAP) are
noted. For cultural information see our fall and winter cropping table.
Varieties on offer at
Springfield Farmer’s Market:
Fall Broccolis:
Many experienced local
hands simply won’t grow broccoli as a spring or summer crop. They wait until
fall, when broccoli simply excels as a most-favored Brassica, sweetening into
the cooling temperatures and producing prolifically all the way thru December
when plants finally succumb to the rigors of winter weather.
- Nutribud (SAP) - Vigorous, compact plants produce 4”-6" dark
blue-green heads over a long period with moderate side shoot production.
Resistant to downy mildew. Originally developed by Dr. Alan Kapuler of Corvallis.
- Green Sprouting Calabrese - An Italian heirloom brought to
America in the 1880s; 5"-8" dark green central heads and many
side shoots.
Overwintering or
‘sprouting’ broccolis:
Sprouting broccolis dominate
the UK’s ‘premium broccoli’ market. These four varieties, sourced by SAP
directly out of Tozers, the UK’s foremost vegetable breeder, chronologically
arranged in order of maturity, will feed you January thru April. Timed well,
Rudolph, an extra-early sprouting broccoli will pick up where fall broccolis
finish, beginning to mature florets in December and January.
- Rudolph extra-early - Jan - Feb
- Red Spear - Feb to Mar
- Red Arrow - Feb to Apr
- Purple Sprouting - more variable in maturity than named varieties.
Fills gaps.
- Sprouting Broccoli Blend
Kales and Collards:
Thanks to the localizing
efforts of a small group of dedicated plant stewards, the S. Willamette
Valley has emerged in very recent years as the heartland of B. oleraceae and B. napus kale diversity globally – a fine thing, given that kales’ size,
edibility, winter-hardiness, ‘repeated-harvestability’, nutritional profile and forgiving cultural requirements make them the
backbone of winter gardens in our bioregion. A sustainable local culture will
be, fundamentally, a kale culture. Cook kale as main course greens or make
soups, stir fries, omelets, lasagne, pesto; bake; use in salads. If you have
tried kale in the summer and not liked it, you have eaten it at the wrong
time of year (and even in winter, hybrid kales – none of which have been
developed in the US - are noted for especially lackluster palatability). A
wealth of OP varieties exist to suit different tastes. The great majority of
kales we are offering here are unavailable elsewhere.
Russo-Siberian Kales
(B. napus):
- Red Russian (SAP) – Documented since 1885 and
reintroduced by Canadian herbalist Betty Jacobs in 1977, its all-round qualities have established it as
the mainstay, favorite winter kale in the PNW.
- White Russian (SAP) - Leaves are dissected like Red
Russian, but with whitish stems and veining. Very vigorous growth.
Developed by Philomath-based Frank Morton, a pillar of the public-domain plant-breeding community
Stateside. Hardier than Red Russian and later
to bolt in the spring.
- Wild Garden Kales (SAP) – when Frank Morton released the results of his
1984 Red Russian-Siberian cross to the public, he not only democratized
universal access to a dizzying array of B. napus genetics in one fell swoop, he also
completely revolutionized our evolving understanding of what a plant
variety stands for. This astoundingly diverse, still-segregating, always
surprising mix remains the B. napus kale ‘grex’ by which all others are judged. Naturalizing
nutrition was never as beautiful.
- Russian Frills (SAP) Extremely frilly Red Russian kale
type. Appears to have frills upon frills on frills. Bred by Tim Peters
in Oregon, Commercially lost in the US, but SAP found it in Belgium with
seedsman Peter Bauwens and brought it back home.
- Extremist Agreement (SAP) – We took a wildly differing array
of our favorite napus kales and introduced them to see what kind of tasty
agreements they came up with. A crossed up, diverse rearrangement of the
Red Ursa, White Russian, Dwarf Siberian and Delaway genepool.
- Russian Hunger Gap (SAP) - a very rare variety SAP picked up
from a visit to the Heritage Seed Library's seed vault in Ryton,
England. A broader-leafed Russian type that fills the late spring
‘hunger gap’, bolting late with prolific ‘raab’ production.
European Kales and Collards
(B. oleraceae):
- Kale Coalition (SAP) – when SAP spent a winter traveling among
Europe’s most influential independent plant stewards, they returned
Stateside with the most diverse array of B. oleraceae kale genetics ever seen on N. American shores.
We introduced 17 of these wildly diverse varieties to one another in
Springfield, OR, selected seed from the most impressive mother plants,
threw them in one seed packet, and are making the grounded communion of
this unique transatlantic marriage available, here. Incredible depth and
diversity in a cluster of never-seen-before types. If you thought you
knew kales, wipe the slate clean. Cherry-pick whatever catches your eye
and begin adapting entirely novel varieties to suit your own
eco-cultural footprint.
- Cascade Glaze Collards - an Oregon heirloom recently reinvigorated to
its former glory by the Corvallis-based plant-breeding triumvirate of
Carol Deppe, Dr. Alan Kapuler and Harry McCormack. A strikingly
attractive dark green, shiny-leafed plant, this collard is regarded by
some as one of the finest-tasting leaf-brassicas of all types. Weathers
the harshest winter weather better than many kales.
- Sutherland (SAP) - Unique flat-leaved green kale from
Sutherland, in northern Scotland. A true heirloom "Scotch
Kale" that is nearly extinct. Many growth tips with medium sized
tender sweet leaves on 3 ft tall plants. Very hardy and resists the
worst maritime winter weather from freezing sleet and cold to 70 mph
winds. Sourced from Real Seeds, Wales who picked it from 93 year old
Elizabeth Woolcombe who received it 50 years ago from Angus Simmonds, a
man doing kale research at Edinburgh University.
- Lacinato (Palm Tree/Nero di Toscana/Dinosaur/Tuscan) - A dark
green, strap-leafed, savoy kale, much prized by local growers for its
sweetness and impressive hardiness. A very typical presence in the
gardens of experienced winter growers.
- Carol’s Kale Breeder (SAP) – a ½ Tuscan, ¼ Glaze, ¼ ‘other’ breeding
collaboration in progress between Carol Deppe and SAP, an effort to
breed a broad- leafed Lacinato with a sweet stem. It’s working.
- ISSA 1000-headed (SAP) - an heirloom from the Irish Seed Savers
Association picked up by SAP on their European tour. A huge, beautiful,
astoundingly vigorous plant and the most prolific
spring-floret-producing Brassica of any type we have yet encountered.
- Oregreen – a compact, dark green curly-leaved savoy kale
developed by Dr. Alan Kapuler in Corvallis. Rare.
- Pentland Brig (SAP) – One of the most vigorous oleraceae kales, developed in the UK from
a cross between a curly Scotch kale and Thousand-headed kale. Green
lightly curled leaves are tender and delicious on large plants. Excellent
kale raab in the spring. A tendency to perennialize. Rarely offered in
the US.
- Champion collards – Large, dark green leaves on hardy
plants. derived from the original Vates strain for being darker
blue-green, longer standing, and higher yielding.
‘Mustard-Kale’:
- Gulag Stars (SAP) – the interspecific kale-mustard cross by Oregon
breeder Tim Peters born of his efforts to breed a saladier-kale or
hardier salad green, picked up and stewarded by SAP in recent years. A
broad array of colors, shapes and tastes in a vigorous, hardy, rich,
diverse, still-segregating mix. A garden browsing favorite and a
mainstay of mid-winter salads. Unlike many mustards, this mix bounces
back well from extreme winter weather including
heavy-snow-on-the-ground.
Fall Cabbages:
- Stein’s Late Flat Dutch - Flat-headed large green cabbage, 3 to 4 lbs and 6”-7” across. Good for coleslaw and
sauerkraut.
- Danish Ballhead - 8”-10” light green heads. Good fresh, cooked or for sauerkraut.
- Red Acre - Deep red heads 6”-7” in diameter. A fall
cabbage which will hold through January (looking very ragged, but
peeling the outer leaves will reveal a solid core).
Winter Cabbages:
- Kalibos – among the 70 or so winter cabbages we have
trialed in recent years, this purple, pointy-headed eastern European
heirloom ranks as one of our most remarkable finds. Sourced out of the
UK where it is advertised as a fall variety, we have discovered it will
size up and hold perfectly through mid-winter in the PNW. Demonstrating
unparalleled color and vitality, this cabbage simply glows in both
garden and kitchen. An utterly arresting culinary experience in fresh,
mind-winter ‘slaws. We don’t have many left: the early bird catches the
Kalibos. No more than 1 per person, please.
- January King – the mainstay, overwintering cabbage long
favored by local growers, originally French, our material out of the UK.
We have yet to see this cabbage blink in the face of our harshest winter
weather or disease. Tight heads keep slugs at bay.
- Vertus 2 – French variety of savoy cabbage, known for large compact heads with a flattened top and
wonderful flavor. Very cold resistant and very popular throughout
Continental Europe where it is the dominant winter cabbage.
- Di Piacenzaoli Invernale – aka Savoy Di Piacenza. Highly regarded, very cold
tolerant Italian cabbage with a large tight head, with heavily savoyed,
dark green leaves. Sourced out of Italy.
- Red Cabeza Negra 3 – reliable, red OP winter cabbages are difficult to come by. This deep red variety is popular in Europe. The inner head
has a rich red color and white veins, and the outer leaves are very deep
red, almost black. Firm texture and good flavor. Material out of Italy.
Fall Cauliflowers: (We
are already out of fall cauliflowers. Sorry.)
Overwintering
Cauliflowers:
Late-spring maturing
cauliflowers are one of the culinary highlights of the year, producing huge,
tasty heads when many other crops in the garden are done for the winter.
Losses of OP overwintering cauliflower varieties have been particularly great
in recent times. We have trialed extensively, however, and are confident in
the following three varieties. Expect one giant head to feed a family
cauliflower for a week:
- Leamington Winter Giant (SAP) - Vigorous, hardy plants produce
large to very large, tasty white heads in May after overwintering from a
July sowing. An old variety from Lemington Spa, England. Nearly extinct.
Our seed is grown on from 15-year-old seed given to the Seed Ambassadors
Project by the Heritage Seed Library. A superb find resulting from
global collaboration in support of heirloom/OP preservation.
- Maystar – maturing, as the name suggests, in May. A
British cauliflower that is one of our most reliable overwintering
cauliflowers in the PNW.
- Purple Cape – a purple cauliflower maturing in February. 8”
crown. Seed out of UK.
Brussels Sprouts:
Of the 15 or so varieties
we have trialed in the past two years, we are making two available just now:
- Balbriggen – an Irish heirloom sourced out of the UK by
SAP, this is the largest, most vigorous Brussels sprout we have yet trialed, a useful quality
this time of year, given our tendency to transplant the crop weeks if
not months later than experienced local hands prefer. Sprouts on the ‘looser’ rather than tight
side.
- Roodnerf – a proven local OP performer with excellent uniformity. Material out of the UK.
Turnips:
A much-underrated,
easy-to-grow crop which will thrive through the depth of winter, putting on
growth where most other crops stop or slow. Peeled and added to salads or
soups, turnips are a popular constituent in winter diets sustained by local
gardens.
- Nick’s Grex (SAP) - a still-evolving mix, originally from Dr. Alan
Kapuler in Corvallis, reflecting continuing selection work through PNW
winters.
- Purple Collar Norfolk - Large Heirloom turnip with
deeply cut leaf and a red collar. A market staple in England and parts
of the Northeastern U.S. for generations. Traces back at least to the
18th Century.
- Norfolk Green - Similar in history and use as the
'red' Norfolk, but with a green collar and more rare. Traces back 18th
Century.
- Vertus Manteau - Tender white cyndrical roots,
5"-6" long and 2" wide with a mild and sweet flavor. An
old French heirloom, one of the most popular varieties grown by French
market grower, since at least 1858
- Golden Ball - Yellow globed turnips with a
medium-sized top. Vilmorin described this variety in 1879 as "Skin
very smooth and quite yellow; flesh yellow, softish, and fine flavored,
... highly esteemed in Scotland and the north of England."
Kohlrabi:
It is late to be
transplanting kohlrabi. But if you would like to trial and eat plants that
will remain ‘undersized’, we will be making a few of them freely available at
the market.
- White Vienna - "Bulbs" with light
green, smooth skin and white, tender flesh. Flavor is mild, sweet,
turnip-like.
- Superschmeltz – Grown well, this variety produces
8”-10” “bulbs”, and remains very sweet and tender to the biggest sizes.
Chard:
Chard, uniquely, fills the
late-spring ‘hunger-gap’ when all our other dense, leafy greens have run to
seed. Use the large leaves for steaming,
stir-frying, or chopping and saut_(c)ing with olive oil and garlic or onion.
It can be used in any dish that calls for spinach. Does well in containers.
If grown outside, remove settled snow from its leaves. Otherwise,
it will handle the extreme cold well.
- Fordhook Giant (SAP) - Introduced in 1934, Fordhook
Giant has consistently proven hardier and more disease-resistant than
any other chard we have trialed. Green leaves with thick, white stems.
- Rhubarb Chard – A red-stemmed chard, and the hardiest of our
colored-stem chards.
- Bright Lights – This chard mix has stems in yellow,
gold, pink and crimson. A few plants will be white and pink striped,
orange, scarlet, purple, green and white. Will handle very cold
temperatures.
Spinach:
By winter’s end, spinach
grown outside will be looking yellowish and ragged. Side-dressing in early
February will perk the plants up quickly – prompting fresh, dark green
leaf-growth.
- Giant Winter - an Italian heirloom with really
large, wavy or semi-savoyed, glossy green, sword-shaped leaves.
- Bloomsdale Savoy - dark-green, savoyed leaves.
Chicories and Endives:
Colored
chicories are reliably the most festive part of winter salad harvest in the
Northwest, and are a little hardier than endives. The leaves, heavier than
lettuce, shake off the harshest weather conditions all the way through
spring, and slugs ignore it! Hardier than lettuce, you will nevertheless want
to harvest endives by early spring.
- Wild Garden Chicories – A diverse mix of head types, leaf shapes, and
color patterns from Frank Morton, created by crossing Italian heirlooms.
Our hardiest
- Eros (SAP) Eros – a broad leaved endive will
a robust habit.
- Monos - a curled type endive with compact, firm heads.
Lettuce:
Fall-grown, outside.
Over-wintered, best under cover. Here are our favorite, all-around SAP
varieties. Show-stopping beauty, performance and palatability. See table
for cultural information.
- Briweri (SAP)
- Sunset (SAP)
- Carnival (SAP)
- Stoke (SAP)
- D’Hiver de St. Marthe (SAP)
- Winter Density (SAP)
Mustards:
Mustards are best-tasting
in cool seasons, indeed an exceptional addition to winter salads or, cooked.
- Wild Garden Mustards - Frank Morton’s mild-flavored B. rapa mustard mix.
- Pizzo (SAP) – a curly, extra-flavorful mustard.
Beets:
- Rote Kugel 2 - A Swiss variety with smooth skin
and red flesh with color and flesh as good as Detroit. Holds well in the
ground.
Fennel:
It's important
to distinguish this fleshy vegetable (Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce) from the herb ‘fennel’
(Foeniculum vulgare var. vulgare) with its anise-flavored leaves and
seeds. This bulbing vegetable
makes a spectacularly flavorful addition to the fall table.
- Perfection - Improved, bulbing Zefa Fino-type. Larger and more
uniform than any OP finocchio we’ve seen. November harvest but see table
for cultural information.
Misc:
See cultural information
in our winter cropping table:
- Locally-adapted cilantro (SAP) – smaller plants will hold though the harshest
winter weather.
- Arugula – consistently one of the most popular winter
greens.
- Hamburg root parsley.
- Hollow pipe leaf celery (SAP) – a leaf, rather than stalk variety of celery,
great in soups.
- Bok choi – thrives in fall weather and will then hold
surprisingly well through tough winter weather.
- Nick’s Joy – an evolving dehybridization of Joi Choi,
locally-adapted.
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