Seeding Root Veggies & Transplanting Chinese Cabbage

Village Farm Team,

We seeded the first round of root veggies in our planter boxes this week! Since it’s a bit harder to grow and harvest root veggies in our clay soil, we opted to seed our first succession in some of our planter boxes instead. And, since root veggies do not do well when transplanted, we always direct-seed these crops rather than starting them in the greenhouse. We planted Chioggia, Red Ace, and Touchstone beets along with Bolero carrots. Chioggia beets, also called candy cane or candy striped beets, have distinctive red and white stripes. Red Ace beets are a standard red beet with that quintessential look and flavor. Touchstone beets have orange skin and a beautifully golden flesh. We’re looking forward to a diverse and delicious beet harvest in the fall!

We transplanted three rows of Chinese cabbage next to our sunn hemp this week. Though we would have preferred to wait a bit longer before transplanting, their robust growth in the greenhouse led to the decision to get them planted ahead of schedule. If they were left in their trays they would have become root-bound so we’re hoping they do well in the field. Chinese cabbages, which include the Napa varieties, have crinkled leaves and a mild, sweet flavor. Since these cabbages originated in Asia, they are better suited to tolerate warmer weather than most other types of cabbage.

Last week we harvested and cured the first round of butternut squash and this week, we harvested the first of our late summer succession of summer squashes! We have a mix of yellow straightneck, yellow crookneck, standard zucchini, and eight ball zucchini. Summer squashes get their name because they are often harvested during the summer months. They have tender skin and flesh and must be eaten within 5-7 days of being harvested. Winter squash on the other hand are named not for the season in which they are harvested but for the fact that they can be stored and eaten over the winter. They have hard skin and firm flesh which makes them ideal for curing and storing. Curious about these squashes? Pick some up at the farmers market on Saturday from 8-noon!