Planting Mizuna & Seeding Perennial Herbs

Village Farm Team,

In addition to our growing plethora of leafy greens in the field, we planted some mizuna in one of our planter boxes. Mizuna is a variety of mustard green native to Japan that is often used as a salad green. The leaves are crisp and mildly peppery with notes that can also be bitter-sweet. In Japan, Mizuna is part of a small group of native vegetables that is designated as a protected heirloom. We can’t wait to harvest this leafy green and experiment with it in the kitchen!

We’re planning ahead for spring this week by planting seeds for our perennial herbs in the greenhouse. Perennials tend to take a bit longer to germinate than annuals thus we seed them at different times in order to be able to transplant them in the spring. So far we’ve seeded oregano, thyme, sage, and calendula. In February, we’ll focus on annuals like dill, mint, and parsley. To make sure our existing herbs stay healthy, we’ve been continuing with trimming those in dormancy and culling any remaining annuals.

Just like humans, our animals tend to be more susceptible to colds this time of year. In addition to their rosemary and garlic treats, we’ve also been giving our goats fresh yarrow leaves. Besides providing beneficial antioxidants, yarrow also has antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties. Since the yarrow we are growing in our boxes self-seeded itself back in the summer and fall, we’ve had a steady supply of it all year round.