A holiday all about food?! What a great idea! Especially about foods that Native Americans and pilgrims grew all by themselves in their farms and gardens. And here at the Elon Community Garden, we have lots of wonderful vegetables that you may see at your own table this year.
- Tomatoes
The garden has many different kinds of tomatoes. One of America’s most popular vegetables, there are over twenty tomatoes varieties. Our garden has several distinctive species of various sizes. One of the key tips to growing tomatoes is staking. Not all tomatoes need to be staked (using either cages or stakes), but staking should be considered if the tomato is large and therefore may need more support.
You say tomato, I say tomato.
- Lettuce
There are five types of lettuce: leaf, cos (also called asparagus lettuce), romaine, butterheard, stem and crisphead (iceberg). Lettuce is also extremely common, mostly because it is simple to grow. It is hardy and can survive colder weather. But some kinds of lettuce can survive the heat as well. Some varieties of lettuce such as cos and romaine grow an elongated stalk, which is important to note when determining how far apart the lettuce should be first planted.
Who knew lettuce was so diverse?
- Kohlrabi
If you want to change up the traditional Thanksgiving meal, try out some kohlrabi. Kohlrabi has been grown at Loy Farms in the past. From the cabbage family, it tastes like a sweet and mild turnip with lots of fiber and vitamin C. Because it’s fast growing and grows underground, it can be planted only about 6 weeks before the first frost, or 4 weeks after the last frost. It does require consistent watering to ensure it has enough moisture to produce healthy bulbs. Kohlrabi can keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, and then slice its tubers to eat raw or cook the leaves until they are tender. Impress your friends and relatives with this delicious vegetable that is more commonly seen in Northern Europe!
Yummy kohlrabi!
With all of this wonderful food, it may sometimes be easy to forget why else Thanksgiving is important. This year, remember to be thankful for all of the special things in life. An extra thank you goes to everyone who has supported the Elon Community Garden this year, whether it was in a big way or small. Happy Thanksgiving!
Elon's Agriculture 