Golden Beets & Detroit Dark Reds
I have plucked more roots from my garden this week. A few Golden Beets and some more of my dependable Detroit Dark Red Beets. This is the first time I have grown the golden beets. I haven't cooked and eaten any yet either. I will. Soon.
Usually I try to collect enough beet roots to make up a batch of home canned pickled beets to use on our salads over the next few months. I have not harvested enough yet this season to do that. We'll see.
Same Beets ~ Now you can see their attached greens
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I like to grow beets because it's like getting two crops for the price and effort of planting only one. I like how the golden beets have light yellow stems on their green tops. It will make a nice contrast to the red stems of the DDRs when I saute both types of greens together in a stir fry or other tasty dish.
The greens look a little wilted in the photo, but I took them inside and separated them from their roots and crisped them by soaking them in a bowl of cool water for about an hour before bagging and refrigerating them for storage. They perked right up after being allowed to drink water for an hour.
A 6 Carrot Harvest ~ first of the season
More roots: Carrots.
Growing carrots gives you the roots and also the greens as well. I am sure that the carrot greens are quite nutritious, being DGLVs (dark green leafy vegetables) and all, but I don't care for their taste. The first year I grew my own carrots I did try eating the greens, but just did not enjoy them. However, my chickens LOVE them. So these beautiful leafy greens got chopped up and given to my two hens who devoured them in a matter of minutes.
The carrots in the photo are Scarlet Nantes Carrots. A short, sort of fat variety. They are good and taste sort of "wild" compared to the little organic baby carrots that I buy in bags at the grocery store. Possibly because these homegrown carrots get eaten without peeling them and the baby bagged carrots are already peeled. I like to munch the homegrown carrots as a snack with the greens still attached. Reminds me of the Bugs Bunny cartoons of my childhood. "Eh, What's Up Doc?" Ha! Cracked myself up! I also slice these carrots into salads, stews and stir fries. I just ran and grabbed one to snack on as I am typing this. Yum!
So now you know a little more about my roots.
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3 comments:
Thanks, I know alot more about your roots. And thanks for the soaking the wilted greens for a drink before refrigerating them. That's a good tip I wouldn't have thought of.
Hi CA Grammy,
I am glad I gave you a good crisping idea for greens. I think it really helps them stay fresher longer untiL I can get around to eating them. So good to hear from you. I've been checking into your blog from time to time too. Those berries looked so delicious!
I love beets, my favorite vegetable. They are an excellent source of iron, and scrumptious when cooked just right, thinly sliced length ways, and then added into a large dinner salad after chilling.
I love to hear the beets almost snap audibly when they are bitten into, and it's difficult to call them a lowly root when they are so delicious.
My favorite salad includes chunks of white albacore, diced boiled eggs and tomatoes, a mound of thin slivers of chilled beets, some of your fabulous greens, a few raisins,a dash of sunflower seeds, my own home made dark olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing drizzled generously on top, and finally topped with a sprinkling of shredded Parmesan cheese.
Oops, and then I usually add even more yummy beets on top of the salad.
I can't wait to get home and make my dinner salad, but I don't have any beets.
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