Harvesting Roselle

Our roselle crop provided us with beautiful leafy greens over the summer and now it is beginning to yield the calyces. Once the roselle blooms begin to fade, they form ruby red pods. The outer red part of the pod is the calyx. Roselle calyces surround the green seed pods. They have a tart flavor similar to cranberries and are what typically give herbal hibiscus teas their zing. To use the calyces, peel the red parts away from the interior green seed pod. You can cook the fresh calyces to make syrups, jams, or chutneys. Or, you can try using them in place of cranberries for more of a local option for your holiday meals.

After checking diligently for the past few weeks, we’re happy to report that we’ve spotted the first heads on our cauliflower and broccoli crops! In the photo below, you can see the small head of cauliflower hiding amidst the inner leaves. We expect to make the first harvest in the next few weeks, weather permitting.

We planted a new-to-us cabbage variety last week that we are really excited about. “Filderkraut” is a German heirloom with written records tracing it all the way back to the 1700s. Traditionally, it is a sauerkraut cabbage and yields conical shaped heads that can be up to two feet tall and weigh ten or more pounds. Since this variety reaches such a large size at maturity, it takes 100-120 days as compared to our Caraflex cabbage which only takes 65-70 days. We can’t wait to see how these cabbages grow on the farm!

Currently in Season: Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatoes, Radishes, Hakurei Turnips, Snap Peas, Arugula, Salad Mix, Kale, Mustard Greens, Swiss Chard, Baby Bok Choy, Chicory, and Fiolaro (broccoli leaf)