NEW FOR 2010!! (Portulaca oleracea) Purslane, which is mainly regarded now as a troublesome weed, was a revered European vegetable for hundreds of years. Gerard, an Elizabethan herbalist, wrote "Raw Purslane is much used in sallads (sic) with oil, salt and vinegar." According to Mrs. Grieve's Herbal "the succulent leaves and young shoots are cooling in spring salads, the older shoots are used as a pot-herb and the thick stems of plants that have run to seed are pickled in salt and vinegar to form winter salads." In ancient times, it was considered to have powers against magic and was strewn around beds to protect against evil spirits. Even more helpful, it was considered "the" cure for "blastings by lightening or planets and burning of gunpowder" - so who would want to be without it? Newly popular again, largely due to Dr. Oz's endorsement of it as a miracle anti-aging food, it is the highest-known plant source of Omega-3 fatty acids and is an excellent source of Vitamin E. The wild forms are nicely edible (I nibble as I weed) but this variety is superior in size and taste. Light green to golden-yellow succulent leaves are tender, melt-in-your-mouth sweet and enliven salads or can be cooked in stir-fries. BACK-ORDERED.
NEW FOR 2010!! C. maxima. 95-110 days. 1893. This beautiful heirloom, originally from Guatemala, forms 16-20" long, cylindrical-shaped fruits whose skin is slate grey/blue. Growing to 5-8 lbs, with orange-yellow flesh that is tender, dry & firm, it's a very easy-to-grow squash that also keeps well.
NEW FOR 2010!! The parsnip is an ancient European vegetable held in high regard as a root vegetable. They were brought over here in 1609 and were considered a garden staple for generations. It's currently experiencing a resurgance of interest. Parsnip's sweet taste only develops after a hard frost and it overwinters fairly easily. 'Harris Model' is an old-time market favourite.
NEW FOR 2010!! Market growers in 19th C. North America would create colourful "bouquets" of their various-coloured round, summer radishes. We've recreated these heirloom mixes, putting together Pink Beauty, White Beauty and Plum Purple radishes. Because they're all the same shape and roughly the same size they make an extremely attractive market display.
NEW FOR 2010!! 75-85 days. A Canadian heirloom, this variety was brought to Canada by Hutterites when they emmigrated from Austria in the 1750's. The little pale,green-yellow beans cook down beautifully and make delicious soup. The plants are heavy-producing and early-maturing.
NEW FOR 2010!! 80 days. Indeterminate. A Russian heirloom, despite the name, that is highly-prized in Russia. Gorgeous, smooth, 6 oz, deep-mahogany fruits are distinctly Bartlett pear-shaped with green shoulders, meaty yet juicy with an incredible taste. Produces prolifically. Potato-leaved. Best harvested when shoulders are still green.
NEW FOR 2010!! 90-95 days. The extremely rare bush bean's pedigree seems to have been lost. Little is known of its origin, but it's a wonderful dry bean for short growing seasons. It grows well in most conditions and produces good yields of beautiful, kidney-shaped, white beans that are splashed with black. The rich taste makes a good for soups and stews.
NEW FOR 2010!! 65 days. Indeterminate. An old French heirloom cherry tomato that is very popular still in France today. I can see why - this tomato did very well for us in a season that was very tomato-unfriendly. It produces an abundance of small (1-2") perfect red tomatoes that are rich and juicy with a flavour that saturates your taste buds.
NEW FOR 2010!! Aka "Mountain Spinach" 45 days. This form of orach has deep purple leaves which are thicker and more savoyed than other orach varieties. Grows to 4-5'.
NEW FOR 2010!! 64 days. This highly productive, open-pollinated variety was developed at Oregon State University. Dwarf vines reach 30" and produce heavy yields of tender, sweet 4" pods.
NEW FOR 2010!! 80 days. Indeterminate. Introduced in 1925, this meaty tomato is a deep rose-red with few seeds and a sweet, mild flavour. The medium-sized fruits are borne in clusters of 2-5. This variety produced well for us in cool, wet conditions, but is also known to do well in hot, humid weather - making it pretty awesome. Good for fresh eating or making sauce.
NEW FOR 2010!! 50 days. A 19th C. French heirloom, this little carrot grows into an almost perfect ball, about 1.5" across. The smooth, orange roots are extremely early and sweet and tasty. A market favourite. Perfect for containers or heavy soils. BACK-ORDERED.
NEW FOR 2010!! This attractive radish has rose-pink, round roots. The crisp white flesh has a mild heat.
NEW FOR 2010!! 50 days. Aka 'Purple Podded Radish' 'Japan Radish'. Originating on the the island of Java, this radish was brought to North America from Japan in 1866-1867 by James J.H. Gregory of Marblehead, MA. Unlike other radishes, this variety is grown for its pods, not its roots. This was my favourite new introduction this year - it's just an all-around wonderful plant. Easy to grow, it quickly sends up 3-4' stalks smothered in delicately-fragrant purple or white flowers that are loved by butterflies. Hundreds of long seedpods soon develop afterwards that are delicious with a bit of that radish heat - the larger teh seedpod, the more heat it has. They're absolutely wonderful in stir-fries, salads or pickles.
NEW FOR 2010!! (Chrysanthemum coronarium) 30-50 days. Aka "Garden Chrysanthemum". Yes, it's a flower related to our garden chrysanthemum and, yes, it's edible - unlike its horticultural cousin. An Asian heirloom green, it is valued in both Japan and China for its mildly-piquant flavour and finely-cut leaves. The leaves and stems can be cut as micro-greens or allowed to grow and are used fresh in salads, added to stir-fries or used as a pot-herb. Growing to 3-4', this variety produces many side stalks for continual harvesting. This will make an unusual and flavourful addition to salad mixes. If allowed to bloom, it produces pretty white flowers with yellow centres that are edible (but remove the yellow centre as it's bitter). BACK-ORDERED.
NEW FOR 2010!! 80-90 days. This is a very old Russian variety that is perfectly suited for our short northern summers! Fruits are round, 10-12", with a dark green rind and sweet red flesh. Keeps for several weeks after picking.
NEW FOR 2010!! 60-85 days. Indeterminate. A wonder tomato! Blight-resistant, extremely early producer, good yield and excellent flavour. What more can one want? Won awards in community garden taste-offs. This variety is potato-leaved.
NEW FOR 2010!! 80-90 days. This compact bush form of Table Queen acorn squash was developed in 1948 and is wonderful for small spaces. One of the most popular varieties of winter squash, Table Queen is prized for its golden-yellow, dry, sweet flesh. The fruits are small, 1-2 lb, dark green and deeply-ribbed. It's an excellent baking squash and an excellent keeper.
NEW FOR 2010!! 70 days. Indeterminate. Not much is known of this variety's ancestry, but it is definitely worth growing. Able to tolerate both hot, humid or cool, wet growing conditions, it produces a generous supply of medium-sized, orange-red tomatoes that are juicy and well-flavoured. A good one for the less-than-favourable growing conditions we've had recently.
