Snowball Cauliflower: This large plant grows upright, vigorous leaves that curl over and “self-wrap” the pure white heads. This curling only occurs in cool weather, so Snowball is perfect for fall harvest. The 17-20cm (6½-8″) wide heads are smooth, crunchy, and delicious either raw or cooked. Tried and true, Early Snowball has been around for years and has won the hearts of home gardeners and market growers alike.

Long Island Brussel Sprouts: Historians believe that the ancient Romans first cultivated Brussel sprouts, but Belgium has the greatest claim on this tiny vegetable. Long Island is a semi-dwarf variety, growing to about 24" tall, so it may require staking. As the leaves on the stem turn yellow, take them off so that the sprouts can freely develop. About four months after transplanting, the first sprouts should be ready. Twist them off the stem from the bottom up; sprouts about 1" in diameter are the most tender. Long Island sprouts freeze quite well.

DiCicco Brocolli: Productive, Italian heirloom broccoli especially good for freezing. DiCicco is an excellent choice for extended harvests. Vigorous plants yield 3-4", blue-green heads. After cutting the main head, more side shoots develop, producing many more small to medium-sized heads through the summer. Good for steaming, stir-fries and for freezing. 

Kale: Lacinato (aka Tuscan)

Dark blue-green. Very tasty as baby leaves, or in the autumn after frost. Also great for veggie smoothies!

RED RUSSIAN KALE:

This delicious grey-green kale is pretty enough to plant among the flowers. Much larger than regular kale (2 to 3' tall), the stems are purplish and the leaves are shaped like big oak leaves and colored a velvety gray green. The purple colors become richer after frost, when the flavor becomes sweeter. Surprisingly, the big leaves are very tender and delicious.