The Spinach – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Spinach is a cold tolerant annual that was native to central and southwest Asia and was first cultivated in Iran. Wild varieties can be found throughout Asia, North Africa and Europe. There are basically two kinds of spinach: smooth-seeded (including most modern varieties) and prickly-seeded (from several older varieties). Both of…
The Rutabaga and the Turnip
The Rutabaga and the Turnip – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Rutabagas and turnips belong to the brassica family which includes cabbage, cauliflowers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and mustard among other vegetables. Turnips have been cultivated for thousands of years and are probably native to both Europe and central and western Asia. Rutabagas, which are often called Swede turnips, combine…
The Radish
The Radish – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Radishes originated in China, and in China, today, truly wild forms of the radish can still be found. The name, radish, comes from the Latin word, radix, which means “root” and specifically radish root. The genus name, Raphanus, is a Latinized form of a Greek expression raphanos which means “easily reared”.…
The Peanut
The Peanut – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Peanuts are native to the Amazon Basin area of South America and have been a staple of the diet of the South Americans for thousands of years. As long as people have been making pottery in South America, pots shaped like peanuts have been created and decorated with peanut images. Graves…
The Pea
The Pea – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Peas, along with beans and grains, are among the earliest of all cultivated vegetables. Evidence of peas have been found in lake mud beneath the site of houses created by Bronze Age Swiss lake dwellers that is over 5000 years old. Peas have also been found at a prehistoric cave site…
The Parsnip
The Parsnip – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Parsnips have been cultivated for their sweet roots since ancient times. The Romans frequently grew the vegetables. In fact, Emperor Tiberius adored parsnips and, every year, had them brought from France where the colder climate allowed the roots to develop a sweeter flavor. The British are particularly fond of parsnips. It…
The Parsley
The Parsley – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Parsley is the world’s most popular herb. The name, parsley, means rock celery. Parsley is, in fact, related to celery. Parsley is native to the Mediterranean region of southern Europe and has been cultivated for more than 2000 years. It has been used for medicinal purposes since prehistoric times. The Romans…
The Onion
The Onion – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions The origin of onions like the origin of garlic is buried in antiquity. It is known that onions were grown in Ancient Egypt and that eventually they arrived in Rome. It was in Rome that they were given the name unio, which means large pearl. Unio became unyon in Middle English…
The Mustard
The Mustard – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Mustard is yet another member of the brassica family, a huge family of vegetables, all of which developed from the wild cabbage and include cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, turnips and Brussels sprouts. Mustard probably originated somewhere in eastern Asia and has been cultivated for nearly 3000 years in central Asia,…
The Leek
The Leek – A Little History and Some Growing Instructions The leek is a member of the onion family with a flavor that is much more refined, subtle and sweet than the standard onion. Wild leeks called ramps more closely resemble scallions and have a much harsher flavor than their cultivated cousins. Leeks are thought to be native to the Mediterranean…