Monday, May 25, 2009

Hoop House Update

Just had to show you a few new pics of the hoop house! (Click on the link to see the difference in only one month ago!) The spinach and lettuce are almost finished but they have supplied lots of salads. The broccoli, onions, and kale are growing like crazy! I've been very pleased with this hoop house/raised bed/cold frame! I'm asking Ed for another one next Valentine's Day!

Now I have a question for you. How do you eat kale? I've never grown it before!

6 comments :

  1. Hi Gina
    Glad to see the Mikroclima is performing well (always knew it would!).
    We grow Kale and I like it steamed as we normally cook our green veggies that way. We just pull of as many leaves as we need for a meal and then it carries on producing more.
    Cheers
    John

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  2. Hi Gina! Kale can be added to soups (there's a great recipe in TOH if you get that magazine), and the youngest leaves don't need any cooking or steaming - just eat them plain or in a fresh salad. I cut out the hard middle stem of each leaf before preparing it. Enjoy!

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  3. Thanks for the ideas! I need to give it a try! Gina

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  4. Oh, Kale is so good for you that it's incredible! Besides fresh or steamed, you can also freeze it. I just wash it, trim the real thick stem parts off and then pack it in a freezer bag. Then you crack off a chunk and crumble it into the blender with your smoothie ingredients or crumble it into soup. It makes a bright green smoothie, but you can't really taste it. My kids call Kale shakes "Pond Water!" But they love them!

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  5. I love to sautee some onions and minced garlic in olive oil, toss in chopped kale and cook until crisp- toss in some Tamari or Soy Sauce, salt and pep to taste.

    I've been throwing fall kale into smoothies and juice from the juicer! (sneaky!) ;-)

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  6. I think I've read all of your hoop house posts now and realize that I need one of those. I have such a short growing season.

    Kale: I grew up with a Dutch meal, kale mashed into potatoes (boerenkole). The idea is supposed to be a one pot meal. Fry some onions in the bottom of a large pot with some sausages. Remove the sausages, and add potatoes and water. Boil until the potatoes are done. Add chopped kale and mash with butter and milk. Serve with the sausages. Roasting them is good (google "kale chips"), or use them instead of spinach in any recipe. I don't usually harvest it until after the first or second hard frost. It sweetens up the kale a bit.

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