Beets

We've always grown beets at One Love Farm with great success. Traditional red beets and golden beets (variety: Touchstone Gold) do very well here. Last week I picked over 50 pounds of beets and will probably pick that much this week as well! Many of the folks who come the Richmond Farmers' Market tell me that they love to roast, steam or boil the beets to eat in salads. One lady got over 10 pounds from me to pickle and give to her family for Christmas. What a great gift!

In addition to the beet root (a lady from England told me that they call beets "beet root" in the UK) the greens are also wonderful to eat. When the plant is very small (an inch of two high), we thin the seedlings and use the greens in salads. Then, when the plant is fully mature, we pick the beets and use the greens as well. They can be steamed or sauteed in olive oil with garlic. After taking the pan off the heat, you can add sea salt, red pepper flakes or Parmesan cheese to finish off the dish.

This year we experimented with a new variety for us, called Forono. Forono is an Italian beet with a cylindrical shape rather than a sphere. They have a wonderful taste and tend to be more tender than some beets that can become fiberous as they mature. While some traditionalists were skeptical of this new beet, once folks try them they are hooked. We will definitely be planting lots of Forono beets next year.