We’ve Got Collard Greens

Collard Green plants

For a major part of the year last, I was reading about the leafy greens that were going to give us a nutritional boost. My mission was to find as many leafy greens as possible. I wanted collard greens but they did not sell them at the local stores and read about the benefits of eating kale but did not have any luck getting them at the supermarket either.

Talking to a few of our friends we found greens at the local organic market that we visit every first and third Sunday. When we first started purchasing seeds, we bought them from a farmer called Raul Rosado who owns Desde mi Huerto. He has all types of seeds that he grows and sells. You can also buy the seedlings from him via his website or from the organic market.

Collards we encircled with bricks

I decided I wanted to start with collard greens and planted them with Daniela. Well our dog JuanGa decided that the planter was a toy and spread the seeds around the yard. I told Raul not to be surprised if something sprouted somewhere. Well several weeks passed by and we finally had some much needed rain. After the rains came, I noticed a bunch of thick leaves in the corner of the yard.

I told Raul that they looked like the collards we planted in a pot and the ones we had been purchasing. Well we confirmed what we thought. We had collard greens growing in the ground thanks to JuanGa. They were actually bigger than the ones we had re-planted in another pot.

Our first time picking collard greens

Raul and I decided that we were going to start growing the rest in the ground as we saw how quickly they sprouted. So far we have eaten from them three times. Just recently one of the plants started sprouting flowers. I see more collard seeds to be planted in the near future.

What have you planted recently and what have you made with what you have grown?