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Kale 

Kale (Brassica oleracea) was probably the first cultivated member of the cabbage family, and may have originated in the Mediterranean or Asia as far back as early Roman times.  Frizzy, Russian Red, Russian White, and Dinosaur kale are four OAEC favorites.  In addition to their sweet, hearty taste, they produce plants with beautifully sculpted leaves and a grand stature.  Frizzy kale, as its name suggests, has lacy, frilly leaves.  Russian Red (or Ragged Jack) kale has broad green leaves tinged with blue, and red stalks, and Russian White is similar but with white veins.  Dinosaur kale (also known as Lacinato or Cavolo Nero) has long, narrow, blue-grey leaves that are bumpy and almost reptilian in texture. 

Kale is a hearty crop and tolerates frost and poor soil — in fact, it seems to thrive best in the cold, bracing weather of fall and winter. It can also tolerate summer heat, however. At OAEC, we plant kale twice a year, in the spring (April) and in the fall (late August and early September) for harvests through the winter. Kale is a large plant, so space it 18-24 inches apart.
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