Winter Harvest

Somehow it turned to winter without me noticing! I was out of Kale and Mesclun and thought I saw a break in the all day rain. Harvesting in these clothes is a big shock after our beautiful, warm summer.

Last summer our Kale was green and tasty well into December. Kale is my hero because it stays true to itself no matter what changes around it. It’s dark, complex and profound. When I eat Kale, I sometimes catch a buzz, a vitality high! (If you’re starting to suspect this blog will be all about Kale, you’re not wrong).

The Mesclun is also delicious. Jarrod calls our Mesclun this year ‘buggy’ which means that it has holes in it, not that it’s covered in bugs. Bugs are upsetting, because they steal produce from my plate and because they are a sign of less healthy plants. Plants have an immune system just like we do. When our immune system gets weak because we are under stress, we catch bugs. Plants do the same. Bugs go after people and plants that have weak defensive forces. They don’t mess with organisms with strong immune armies!

Bugs have a place in the garden. They eat weaker plants so that there are more resources available for healthy plants. In a well-balanced garden, plants, bugs, and predator bugs that eat those bugs can all live in harmony. And those healthy plants that have strong immune systems also have greater nutrient density. That zing I feel when I eat healthy Kale comes from the densely-packed nutrients in the leaves.

The balance wasn’t quite there with Mesclun, which gives us holes. Here is the bed on a warmer day.

The taste is still nice. When I harvest this Mesclun mix, I smell a nutty odor which I can taste sometimes too. I haven’t figured out which is the nutty lettuce, but it’s a nice flavor. Aesthetics do matter, so I use my secret weapon, El Chopper when making salads with this buggy Mesclun. You don’t notice any holes after El Chopper has been through.

We will be enjoying Mesclun into November and Kale into December thanks to mesh row covers. They let in sun and rain and provide some warmth and keep off frost in the cold. They will do double duty next summer when they keep the bugs out too! That will help the soil and plants build up their own strong immune systems!

I am grateful for the bountiful garden that continues to thrive and grow delicious, life-giving food while nature goes to sleep for winter. But when it comes to winter gardening, I think Josey has a better idea.