We reached a point in this past year where the kids simultaneously became more interested in gardening and less interested in trying new foods. We haven’t eaten mushrooms in ages! Oh, I miss them so. Last fall, in an attempt to tempt them into something new, I started buying only the crazy-colored vegetables at the farmers market. Orange cauliflower. Purple broccoli. Golden beets. Then we all got an idea: what if we planned our next year’s garden around crazy vegetables?! I give you our 2014 garden plan:
(click to enlarge)
We still have some standards in there, like bush beans, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. But we’re really going to try and mix things up this year. Here are some of the new things we’re trying:
Romanesco Broccoli (click image for source)
Cheddar cauliflower (click image for source)
Purple Kohlrabi (click image for source)
Golden beets (click image for source)
Rainbow chard (click image for source)
Dragon carrots (click image for source)
Easter egg radishes (click image for source)
Red noodle bean, aka yard long bean.
I’ve grown some of these before, including the easter egg radishes, rainbow chard, and dragon carrots, but never a whole garden full. You’ll also notice on the plan that I’ve included a 10’x20′ plot at Sabathani with Long Island Cheese pumpkins, potatoes, and brussels sprouts. I’m applying for a permanent plot there this year—last year my friend CJ and I filled a spare 10’x20′ plot full of pumpkins and squash, and our relative success has me inspired to make this a permanent thing. I can’t get there every day, so I have to choose plants that can survive a few days without weeding/watering/harvesting. I’m very excited about this development!
Our three stock tank gardens in the back won’t change significantly this year, although Anneke really wants to try elephants’ ears in hers. I’m letting the kids pick out their plants for their tanks when we get the Friends School catalog in a few weeks. Of course I’d love it if they planted edibles, but I’m not going to force them. My large stock tank will be planted in greens hopefully in very early April. (Or late March? Dare I hope?)
So there you have it! Our edible garden plans for 2014. Of course I have “landscape” garden plans too, as always. My prairie garden in my boulevard still has about a 10’x6′ space to fill, and I may add another currant bush somewhere. When there’s this much snow on the ground it’s easy to get carried away. Happy garden planning season, everyone!
Stacking Functions Garden 
February 1, 2014 at 11:35 pm
Your garden plans always impress me hugely; I wish I could be so beautifully organized! Your plans for this year look great. You mentioned current bushes; do you already enjoy good harvests from the ones that you have?
February 2, 2014 at 1:25 pm
Hello again! I have one ‘Red Lake’ currant bush, and I couldn’t be happier with it. It thrives in part-shade (which I have in abundance), the rabbits don’t do significant damage to it in the winter, it never needs much watering beyond what it gets from mother nature, and it still gives me a nice harvest of currants every year. We eat them fresh, and also make this amazingly delicious currant pie with them, and I also freeze them and make currant scones in the winter. I can’t say enough good things about currants in this climate!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/red-currant-pie/
Hope you’re surviving the winter!
February 3, 2014 at 9:35 pm
Thanks so much for all that information! We planted a single currant bush last year and are looking forward to a first harvest this year (it did produce a small harvest last fall). That recipe looks super!
February 15, 2014 at 11:07 pm
What great plans! -though I wouldn’t overdo it with too many exotic varieties, just in case the kids’ tastes change (I have no idea about this of course).
Good luck! Would love to see how it turns out, but I suppose it won’t be too far along in mid June.
February 16, 2014 at 2:29 pm
What a great garden! I have learned that if kids grow them, they will want to eat them – or at least try vegetables they might not have otherwise experienced.