Stories/ From the Farm: A Look at What We’re Growing

From the Farm: A Look at What We’re Growing

A Note From Michael Collins, Grounds Director at Beach Plum Farm

The vegetable beds at Beach Plum Farm are thriving with a diverse collection of crops grown with our culinary program in mind.

Among the highlights are our leafy Asian greens: Moonshadow, Choi Sum, Red Baron, and Mizuna. Alongside them, we’re growing romaine, arugula, Russian kale, Tuscan kale, and radicchio, as well as Hakurei turnips and radishes.

As Grounds Director, I have the pleasure of overseeing these culinary crops from planting through harvest. Growing vegetables for our chefs creates a direct connection between the farm and the kitchen, allowing ingredients tended in our fields to make a remarkably short journey to the plate.

A Closer Look at Our Asian Greens

One of the most interesting areas of the garden right now is our selection of Asian greens. Each variety brings its own color, texture, and character to the field, as well as different possibilities for our culinary team.

Moonshadow

With its rich burgundy and green coloring, Moonshadow is one of the most visually striking greens in our current planting. The contrasting veins and foliage bring beautiful color and texture to the garden.

From the kitchen: Tender young leaves can bring color and texture to salads and composed dishes, while larger leaves can be enjoyed lightly cooked or wilted.

Choi Sum

Choi Sum provides tender green leaves and stems, giving the kitchen the opportunity to use much of the plant. Harvested young, it offers a particularly delicate and versatile vegetable.

From the kitchen: Choi Sum lends itself beautifully to simple preparations. The tender stems and leaves can be quickly sautéed, steamed, or stir-fried, allowing the character of the freshly harvested vegetable to remain front and center.

Red Baron

Red Baron brings dramatic color and texture to the culinary garden. Its distinctive foliage creates a beautiful contrast among the surrounding green crops and provides another visually interesting ingredient for the kitchen.

From the kitchen: The leaves can add color and character to fresh preparations or be incorporated into lightly cooked dishes.

Mizuna

With its vibrant green color and deeply cut leaves, Mizuna brings a distinctive texture to the garden. Its tender foliage has a mild, slightly peppery character that makes it especially versatile in the kitchen.

From the kitchen: Mizuna is excellent served fresh in salads or used as a finishing green. Larger leaves can also be lightly sautéed or wilted while maintaining some of their delicate texture.

Beyond the Asian Greens

Elsewhere in the garden, romaine and arugula are growing alongside Russian kale, Tuscan kale, and radicchio, providing the kitchen with a wide range of leafy vegetables. Beneath the foliage, Hakurei turnips and radishes are developing as well, adding crisp root vegetables to complement the greens above ground.

For me, one of the most rewarding parts of growing culinary vegetables at Beach Plum Farm is watching that connection unfold from beginning to end. A crop starts with a seed and carefully tended soil. Over the following weeks, it develops into something we can harvest and place directly into the hands of our culinary team.

Grown here. Harvested here. Shared through the food we serve.