One of our tried and true vegetable crops on the farm is kale – specifically this great variety of Italian ‘Dino’ or Lacinato kale. It is available from a few different seed companies and we can never seem to grow too much of it. It has a great blue-green color and really cool texture, like the skin of a dinosaur.

Typically students in the class do not have much cooking experience, but this is a really versatile vegetable for them to play around with. It is really easy to steam, saute or mix into a casserole and bake. Drop a little maple syrup in for a slightly sweet side dish. You can also saute some garlic and butter for something more savory. We have been known to add just a spoonful of bacon grease, let it melt, then saute a big pile of greens – so goooooooood.

This variety is really high in iron and packed with anti-oxidants – a good thing for college kids to get in the habit of eating! We tend to let our plants get upwards of 5 feet over the growing season. They often make it through the winter and provide a continual harvest, as we just pick leaves off the bottom and slowly make our way up the stalk. Yum!