Yes, I couldn’t resist using this picture again! One of the benefits of participating in the City Harvest program is not just that I get free transplants in exchange for our donations, but more specifically that this pushes me to try new varieties of crops that I may not have grown otherwise. After years of farming, I have a personal list of my favorite varieties to grow. I know which types of lettuce do best in summer heat, the sweetest carrots, and the heaviest-producing tomatoes. This is great on the one hand, but in another sense can limit me from trying other, potentially even more amazing varieties.
When I got the City Harvest fall lettuce transplants earlier in August, I was immediately struck by the interesting leaf shape of the green variety. I planted all of the heads I got despite being unfamiliar with the variety, known as Panisse. It ended up being a true winner. These beautiful heads were not only visually stunning, but also grew great in summer heat without getting bitter or tough. A tender, butter leaf style, I definitely plan to include Panisse in our crop mix as a summer-to-fall lettuce going forward!
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