Craving fresh food in winter (Best ways to satisfy?)

[Cassandra]

We have been buying a lot of inexpensive food for economical food storage and nutrition. The problem is, none of it is very fresh and green.

I was at a grocery store several days ago to get something and saw these two bags of salad (one was a BLT Caesar sald and the other a bag of spinach leaves) that were reduced for quick sale. $2 per bag (regular is around $3.89 per bag, I think.) The looked so tastey, I snatched them up and took them home.

I made the BLT salad right then (it was AMAZING! it had romain lettuce, sun dried tomatoes, croutons, bacon bits, parm cheese & caesar dressing.) My family, who is not really ever a big fan of green stuff practically inhaled this salad. So I think I can safely say we are ALL missing the good fresh food of summer.

I really want to learn new ways next year to extend my garden into the cold months. The problem is, we really don't like most of the stuff that I am familiar with that grows in the winter around here: turnip & mustard greens... that's really all I can think of and I don't like any of that. Yuck.

The bad thing about growing lettuce is that it doesn't store well at all in my experience. You can't feeze it or can it. (And what would be the point, if you want it fresh anyway?)

I'm not too good to buy Romain lettuce from the grocery store. But I sure would like some more self sufficient ways to satisfy our craving for good, fresh, green food in the winter time.

Cassandra

 

[enjoy the ride]

There are a number of vegies that can take cold in many places like kale, cabbage, leeks. I used to grow lettuce in a cold frame which I admit was not much of a challenge where I live. I know about hot frames- which get their heat source from decaying manure and can make a cold frame much more useful.
Then carrots stay in the ground ok as long as the ground hasn't frozen.
Also I did grow leaf lettuce over the winter in a sunny, glassed in front prorch. Now it was a little enemic and the seeds did have to be started in the warmer house but with succession planting, I did have a crop all winter.
Our temps usually dropped no lower that high 20's but even if this only extends your season to that point, it might be worth doing. Where I live now it's much colder.
I also used Wall0waters to start things in the ground early. Black plastic mulch extends the season at both ends as to remay tunnels.

Then there are sprouts- you can sprout lots of different seeds for the fresh taste.

 

[Cassandra]

Ohhhhhh Yeah. I totally want to try sprouting. I've been looking for a cheap sprouter.

Our weather doesn't get very cold much, either. During the winter we will have maybe several days (spread out over a few months) where the temps get freezing or below. Occassionally into the high twenties. I don't remember that it has ever been colder than that (but sometimes the wind chill will be in the teens.) Anyway, our lows are mostly in the 40's during the winter.

I need to get to work on building a cold frame. I have an old storm door that has a couple of pieces of glass I should use for that.

I thought I ought to be able to grow SOMEthing!

Cassandra

 

[patandchickens]

If you lived anywhere else in the country I'd say Hey, welcome to the way our forefathers lived, it'll make you appreciate spring and summer food all the more

But gee, in Mississippi you should be able to grow things all through the winter, at least with a little care. Lettuce stores pretty well *on the plant* -- make succession plantings, and harvest by cutting outer leaves rather than lopping off the entire thing so that it will keep on producing. Just make sure to cover it on frosty nights.

Spinach is a good winter crop as well, and late-summer planted parsley will just be coming into good production. And of course lots of the mustard-family crops that do well in some degree of cold (kale, turnip and beet greens, chard, various oriental greens).

Cabbage stores well.

There are also a bunch of edible 'weeds' that grow well this time of year (er, down south, not so much here right now ) and while you might not want to sit down to a heapin' big bowl of, like, chickweed, it can be a good addition and 'stretcher' for a salad of other things, or added to a sandwich.

Oh, and sprouts, you could sprout alfalfa and so forth.

Have fun,

Pat, who just doesn't eat salad from Nov til sometime late May

 

[enjoy the ride]

For a sprouter, you can use a mason jar with a piece of plastic screening under the ring instead of the lid. You just have to run fresh water in it daily to keep the sprouts from getting funky.


PS You should be able to grow lots of stuff all winter- From what you say, the right site and a little remay should make many thing grow all year.

 

[patandchickens]

I need to get to work on building a cold frame. I have an old storm door that has a couple of pieces of glass I should use for that.

As etr says, a Reemay tunnel should be fine for most of your needs, and a lot simpler to work with, especially over a larger area You might build a rudimentary extra cover for the occasional frostier nights, like out of cardboard or bubblewrap or that sort of thing.

Heck, we've been down to 0 F already this year, and I ate my last lettuce of the year last week for THanksgiving dinner - you can do MUCH MUCH better than that, where you are located


Have fun,

Pat

 

[FarmerChick]

Pat, who just doesn't eat salad from Nov til sometime late May

****WOW there is absolutely no way I could do that. I must have my fresh salads. If I can't grow them then I buy them. Not something I could ever not eat all the time..LOL



Cold frame is easy

an old glass door, old window, etc.
straw or hay bales

put on south facing area to get all the good sun


arrange the bales rectanglar, add dirt, plant, then top off with window

I get year round greens easily doing this. if in warmer climate be sure to "open" that top a bit to allow air to cool the soil. in NC we can cook lettuce in winter..LOL

 

[FarmerChick]

one thing I do is buy fresh in the produce dept of my store thru the winter times

granted, more expensive. follow sales etc. but do not let this good food opportunity be seasonal.

buy less junk and just put the money to the good stuff. I would grab the sales you got on salad bag mixes.

go to your Dept. of Agric site. I type in Department of Agriculture North Carolina.

In it you will find exactly what you are capable of growing thru winter and how....at least my site gives me that opportunity.

 

[me&thegals]

I was so excited to have a place to tell my great news, but farmerchick beat me to it!!

This year, we surrounded a fall lettuce row with straw bales, then topped with windows. I actually had to water the row Mon, but the greens were beautiful. We've had about 6" of snow and weather in the low teens here in WI, and they're doing great!

 

[Cassandra]

I was so excited to have a place to tell my great news, but farmerchick beat me to it!!

This year, we surrounded a fall lettuce row with straw bales, then topped with windows. I actually had to water the row Mon, but the greens were beautiful. We've had about 6" of snow and weather in the low teens here in WI, and they're doing great!

Yeah, that FC is quick!

How many straw bales did you use? You must have a lot to make long rows, right?

Cassandra