2010 Plant List

Here are the most interesting of the plants we are trying this year. This list doesn't contain the carrots, beets, lettuce, or 17 varieties of tomato. I plan to add information to the blog about how each plant is growing, the flavors of each plant, and of course recipes that will showcase our produce.

Oh, and stay tuned...the chickens and coop arrive next weekend!!

2010 Planting List

Waltham Butternut--The most popular butternut squash. Waltham is more uniform in shape and size, with fewer crooknecks. This butternut has an excellent interior texture and color. Typically grows 8"x4" and can weigh up to 6 lbs. Waltham has a creamy, rich, dry yellow-orange flesh that has a nutty flavor. Vine are extremely vigorous so leave plenty of room for this butternut.

Sweet dumpling--This small, mildly sweet-tasting squash resembles a miniature pumpkin with its top pushed in. It has cream-colored skin with green specks. Weighing only about 7 ounces, it has sweet and tender orange flesh and is a great size for stuffing and baking as individual servings.

Acorn table queen--One of the best table squashes. Hard dark green shell with ribs and yellow to orange flesh. Prolific bush version can tolerate poor soil. Good keeper.

Costata di Romanesco--an heirloom Italian squash. (zucchini). It is said to be the best tasting squash in the world. It is also a prolific producer of male blossoms (for frying/eating etc.). A large sprawling plant. Fruits are striped and dark green.

Tatume Squash-- slightly oblong, light green-grey skin, meaty, nutty flesh. Can be allowed to mature on the vine for a winter squash.

Asparagus Bean-- sweet and mild resembling the combined flavor of asparagus, mushrooms, and beans. SERVING SUGGESTION: Braid or tie into knots before cooking.

Garden of Eden Pole Bean--delicious both raw and cooked, from when they first appear to shell bean. Dried beans are beautiful enough to paint. Plant the bean 2 cm (1”) deep and 6 cm (3”) apart. Eat your fill all summer but let some dry for use as dry beans. 50-75 days. Heirloom, Endangered

Broccoli Spigarello--delivers a very intense broccoli flavor. Tasting similar to kale, the slight bitterness of this broccoli variety is pleasantly tangy. Less acidic than regular broccoli, the woody stems are not edible.

Cauliflower Violetta Italia--large purple heads that blanch to green when cooked and have a mild broccoli-like flavor. These attractive plants are even easier to grow than white cauliflower.

Early Purple Broccoli--plant produces a very flavorful heads of purple broccoli. Once the main head is removed this variety will continuously produce many offshoots during the season. Also can be used as a sprouting broccoli. Broccoli turns green when cooked.

Melon, Charentais -- a type of true cantaloupe from Europe (what Americans call cantaloupes are actually muskmelons.) Thin, smooth skin with light green stripes, maturing to creamy yellow. Orange flesh is fine-textured, delightfully scented and very sweet.

Armenian Cucumber--have great flavour and a bitterless rind that requires no peeling. While they can grow several feet in length, they taste best when picked small.

Long China cucumber—widely adapted, and tolerant of hot weather this is a sweet-flavored, 'burpless' cucumber from China.
Use for pickling or slicing.

Golden Marconi pepper--Italian heirloom. Mid-season producer of smooth, tapering seven inch (or longer) peppers that are mild and super sweet, with citrus overtones.

Anaheim pepper--narrow, light to medium green pepper that turns a bright red when mature. It is used in many dishes where a mild chile flavor is called for and can also be stuffed like poblanos.

Red Ruffle Pimento--Of the pimento types, this is said to be one of the best. Plants produce early and abundantly, 8-10 fruits each. Thick walled, uniquely shaped fruits that turn dark red when ripe.