Category Archives: roots & tubers

Passover parsnips

Yesterday I harvested parsnips to roast and serve for my Passover seder. These parsnips I seeded exactly one year ago and overwintered in a bed of leaf mulch. The winter intensifies and carmelizes the sweetness and flavor of the parsnips.   … Continue reading

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Tarragon terrific

This year, the French tarragon — thriving, delicately flavorful and beautiful, is having a terrific year. For reasons I don’t fully comprehend, the thyme did not survive last winter’s bitter cold but the tarragon did. (Thyme and tarragon are perennial herbs which I … Continue reading

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Salad-makings

There are many flavorful tender greens for salads right now such as herb leaves, beet greens or baby chard. You can carefully pinch off the larger leaves and let the rest of the plant mature for harvest later. Add them to … Continue reading

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Radishes

Radishes are ready for the harvesting and munching. Great sliced thin in that spinach salad. Lovely scarlet color. Of course, the traditional way to eat radishes is sliced thin with butter and salt on dark rye bread. How do you enjoy … Continue reading

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Spring vegetables

I chanced upon a great spring vegetable soup recipe. It’s easy to make, absolutely delicious and even better reheated. The soup is composed of a puree of parsnips and leeks with ginger. (Recipe shared below.) The parsnips and leeks came … Continue reading

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Passel of parsnips

All winter long, the parsnips were caramelizing under ground and under snow. I planted these parsnips late Spring 2013 for harvest now.  Lovely to spy their feathery, deep green tops in the early spring garden. Parsnips are related to carrots, … Continue reading

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Potatoes

Seems a very good year for potatoes but only harvest will confirm. The plants are especially large and hardy, suggesting a good crop beneath. Now the flowers are done and the plants are beginning to die back, you might dig … Continue reading

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Judging when to plant

Spring planting is always a gamble. Of course, we want to plant as early as possible so as to enjoy young lettuces, cabbage, spinach and peas as soon as possible. But the risk involves planting too early so that frost … Continue reading

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Potatoes

Potatoes are another discovery of the New World: 16th century Spaniards brought potatoes from South America to wider fame. Potatoes are the staple of the world because they provide more energy and protein per acre than any other crop. They … Continue reading

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Scarlet runner beans

I’ve grown scarlet runner beans as ornament for years. They attract humming birds — and certainly did again this year, and are very beautiful and colorful when in full bloom in late summer and fall. I just learned, however, that … Continue reading

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