Homegrown Revolution

Listen up “dirt devils!”  The growing season is fast approaching.  It’s time to order seeds!!!  And not just any kind of seeds: Heirloom Seeds (sexy open-pollinated cultivars that exude personality, flavor, and visual pizzazz).     
 
The sky’s the limit when it comes to heirloom varieties, but alas you’ve only got so much room for backyard crops.  Therefore, I’ve identified what I consider to be the top 5 most common garden crops and given you my favorite (incredibly untraditional) variety for each with a mind-boggling description!!  All seeds can be purchased from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds – a righteous local company in Mansfield, MO. (www.rareseeds.com)

1)    Tomatoes – Man!  It’s hard to choose just one heirloom tomato variety, but my all-time favorite has gotta be Green Zebra.  This medium-sized, round fruit has striking chartreuse skin with glowing green stripes.  The flesh is greener still with a rich and complex flavor that has lemon-y undertones and just the right amount of “bite.”  This absolutely striking tomato produces high yields and is a favorite amongst gourmet market gardeners and chefs.  *Must be started indoors and transplanted outside after danger of frost.     

2)    Pole Beans – My all time favorite bean reigns from the far off land of China.  It is nearly 2 feet long (!!) and has exquisite burgundy pods with an absolutely crisp & “nutty” disposition.  Aptly named, the Two Foot Long Chinese Red Noodle Bean produces incredible yields all summer long.  Provide trellising and let these legendary pods dangle down like red dread locks from the sky!  For those of you who like pan-Asian cuisine, these are a real winner.  Chop and stir-fry in a hot wok with garlic, chili, and spices.  *Inoculate seed and plant around the 10th of May. (Bean & Pea Inoculant can be purchased from some gardening centers, including Planters Seed & Feed in the River Market.)

3)    Peppers – I kid you not - the devastatingly decadent Sweet Chocolate Pepper will make you swoon!  Sink your teeth into its thick, rich flesh and let an explosion of sweet & chocolate-y goodness engulf your taste buds.  This medium-sized, semi-bell shaped fruit has meaty walls drenched in a cola-red color that gets browner (and more chocolate-y!!!) with ripeness.  They are fantastic to cook with and a sheer pleasure eaten raw like an apple.  *Must be started indoors and transplanted outside after danger of frost.

4)    Lettuce - Forget about the tired old romaine head and get sexy & sassy with Baker Creek’s original blend: European Mesclun Salad Mix.  This gourmet blend of succulent leafy greens features multi-colored lettuces, arugula, radicchio, endive, orach, mizuna, kale, mustard, and more!!  These fancy varietals impart tangy and spicy flavors with a spectrum of awesome colors.  Seed thickly and harvest young as a “cut and come again” salad mix that is sure to impress your most discerning dinner guests! 

5)    Pumpkins – The Long Island Cheese Pumpkin is touted as the best pie-making pumpkin on the planet! They have a beautifully ribbed tan rind and large, flattened body that suggests a wheel of cheese.  Their heavenly flesh is rich, creamy, and stringless (similar to a butternut squash).  Better still, the cavity is very small resulting in dense walls.  One medium sized cheese pumpkin can make nearly 10 cups of puree!!  This puree will go on to make loads of mind-blowing pies, soups, breads, curries, fillings, and more.  Cutting open a large Cheese Pumpkin is nothing short of a religious experience.  As the knife carefully splits the pumpkin body, a heavenly aroma fills the air and blinding orange matter obscures your vision.  Your senses overcome your entire being and you are hopelessly thrown into sheer pumpkin bliss!!  *Direct seed in compost mounds in late May.