Mid July in My Vegetable Garden
Here in the Northeast, temperatures today are expected to hit the 90s, with lots of humidity.
Despite some uncomfortable summer weather, the vegetables at my Bedford, New York farm are thriving, and the gardens are looking spectacular this season. My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, has already picked lots of broccoli, lettuce, radishes, Chinese cabbage, fava beans and others - I am so happy to have an abundance of fresh produce to share with my family and friends.
Enjoy these photos and the update on my vegetable garden.
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- Here is one side of my vegetable garden down by the chicken coops. All the plants are looking so great. I like to use salt hay in the footpaths to enhance the look of the garden and to enrich the soil.
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- Here is Ryan harvesting some of our first radishes. The radish is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe in pre-Roman times. Radishes are grown and consumed throughout the world, being mostly eaten raw as a crunchy salad vegetable. These have a bit of a spicy kick to them.
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- Daikon is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, napiform root. Daikon is a staple in Asian cuisine, often pickled, served in a stir-fry, or simply eaten raw for a crunchy bite.
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- Our Asian cabbage is also doing so wonderfully. This variety is ‘Red Dragon’ – it has full-sized 10-inch heads that are bright red, inside and out. Compared to green napa types, the flavor is slightly stronger and the heads are not quite as dense at maturity. These are great in salads, stir-fries, and kimchee.
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- Nappa cabbage, which is sometimes called Chinese cabbage, is milder and more tender than some of its cabbage counterparts.
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- The leaves of the Savoy cabbage are more ruffled and a bit more yellowish in color than the green cabbages. To get the best health benefits from cabbage, it’s good to include all three varieties into the diet – Savoy, red, and green. And, don’t forget, cabbage can be eaten cooked and raw.
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- Kale or leaf cabbage is a group of vegetable cultivars within the plant species Brassica oleracea. They have purple or green leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head. This is ‘Darkibor’ – the plants are tall, growing up to three-feet.
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- Our crop of broccoli is growing so fast – we’ve already harvested a few heads.
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- Broccoli is a hardy vegetable that is high in vitamins A and D. My grandchildren love broccoli.
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- These beautiful cauliflower heads are brimming with nutrients. They hold plenty of vitamins, such as C, B, and K.
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- Some of the beet varieties we’re growing include ‘Merlin’ and ‘Golden Detroit’ – a vibrant-colored beet with globe-shaped, pale orange roots and brilliant gold flesh – they’re exquisitely sweet in flavor.
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- This season, we are growing both ‘Barese’ and ‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard. ‘Barese’ can be grown for exceptionally tender baby greens, or it can be grown to maturity for an early crop of a unique type of Swiss chard. ‘Bright Lights’ is the gold standard for multicolored Swiss chard. It is lightly savoyed, green or bronze leaves with stems of gold, pink, orange, purple, red, and white with bright and pastel variations.
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- Swiss chard is a relative of the beet and a superb source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as magnesium, potassium, and iron. It makes a colorful and tasty side dish, or a nutritious addition to pasta, soup, quiches, and more.
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- The potatoes won’t be ready for some time, but our plants are growing extremely well – I am certain it will be a bountiful harvest come autumn. Potatoes are from the perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum. It is the world’s fourth-largest food crop following maize, wheat, and rice.
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- Here is our bed of carrots. In the front we have ‘Mokum’ carrots, which have attractive, slender roots. They have cone-shaped, seven-inch long roots with good eating quality in summer and fall.
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- Turnips are versatile vegetables since both the root and the greens are edible. This year, among the varieties we are growing are ‘Hakurai’, ‘Niseko’, and ‘Milan’.
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- The onions look wonderful too. We planted a lot of white, yellow and red onions. Onions are harvested later in the summer when the underground bulbs are mature and flavorful. I always look forward to the onion harvest!
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- Look at our tomatoes! These tomato plants are all very strong. We’re growing both hybrid and heirloom varieties. Soon, these shorter bamboo stakes will be replaced with taller, more supportive teepee style bamboo canes. I like to use bamboo canes for my tomatoes. They’re easy to buy in bulk, and can be found in a variety of sizes. They should be seven to eight foot tall stakes that are at least an inch in diameter.
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- Vicia faba, also known as the broad bean or fava bean is an ancient member of the pea family. They have a nutty taste and buttery texture. I always grow lots of fava beans.
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- And don’t forget all the lettuce. Lettuce is a fairly hardy, cool-weather vegetable that thrives when the average daily temperature is between 60 and 70-degrees Fahrenheit. Look how beautiful these lettuces are growing.
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- I love all the different colored lettuces. We always grow several varieties. My daughter and grandchildren will have many delicious salads this season. I also love sharing the bounty with friends, colleagues, and my hardworking crew here at the farm. What have you harvested from your gardens? Share your comments below.
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