Since beginning my internship, I have learned vast amounts of hands on practical knowledge about how and when to harvest. We harvest almost everything inthe early morning before the sun starts to beat down. This is important because the sun causes many spring leafy crops to wilt. So it is always a race against the sun on harvest days. However many of the summer crops can be harvested in the afternoon when the sun is out and beaming, such as potatoes. The only issue with harvesting things in the solanceous and cucurbit families, such as tomatoes, summer squash and cucumbers, is that harvesting cannot be done when it is wet out, as this spreads diseases and fungus.

 

How to harvest; this varies from vegetable to vegetable. Roots, such as beets, radishes, turnips and carrots, are a one time only deal, and can be thinned to allow others to grow big and strong. Often times carrots need to be forked out of the ground, depending on how moist the soil is. The same forking goes for green onions and leeks. Brassicas such as kale, swiss chard and collards are continually harvested, pulling leaves from the bottom of the plant in a circle, allowing the plant to continue to grow upward. Squash and cucumbers are twisted off the stem, while zucchini need to be cut. Harvesting summer squash involves breaking out some gymnast techniques in order to pick or cut the fruit without touching the leaves.
Onions are harvested when their leafy parts fall over, this is their signal that they are ready to get out of the ground. Onions that have gone to flower, the onion flower you recieved early on in the season, are stored in the cooler, while onions that have not, are cured/dried outside. Garlic is harvested when it has three green leaves left. Kohlrabi, lettuce, and fennel are cut from the stem, just at ground level. Potatoes are dug, first digging around the plant, then pulling the plant out, and continuing digging, being careful not to scratch the skin off.

 

Herbs vary from type to to type. They must all be harvested in the early morning. Some are pulled like kale, around the base of the plant like flat and curly parsely. While mint and lemon balm are cut leaving stems to continue growing. Chives are clear cut, leaving an inch or two, for the babies to keep growing, and basil is cut leaving a node to continue growing.

 

Anyways, hopefully you will find some of these harvesting things interesting, and will make you appreciate the art of growing food that much more, I know that is how I feel. I have posted a recipe on the blog for tempura fried onion rings, which I have been enjoying all week. Carrots will hopefully be in the share for a long time to come, besides using them raw in salads and slaws, and in soups, here are two things you can try. Carrot soup: you can use Justin's broccoli soup recipe, instead using carrots and onions. I enjoy it with cream and brown sugar, or sometimes some ground ginger or curry. Another is to saute them in butter and then simmer them in chicken stock, with a little brown sugar.

 

Have a great week!

Ashley