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Collards

Brassica oleracea var. viridis

Collards are a part of the mustard family. Funnily enough, these vegetables are like cabbage, but they don’t form a “head” like cabbage or butterhead lettuce do.

Harvesting

Collards are yummy when they’re harvested young, dark green and less than 10 inches. The older the leaves are the tougher they’ll be.

• Like kale, you should harvest the individual leaves, one by one, and leave the central stalk.

• While you harvest, remove any yellowing or discolored leaves so that new, healthier leaves will be encouraged to grow.

Uses

You can eat collards raw or cooked! Like kale, massage the collards with something acidic or salt to make the greens tender. Collards make yummy braises, soups, and stir-fry!