Collard Greens… garden to table

I planted about 7-8 collard seeds about 5 years ago. They all took and they all grew beautiful collards plants. What I did not count on was that if I harvested individual leaves, they would continuously grow for me. I’ve been harvesting from these poor plants non-stop for 5 years. All times of the year.

This is a few of them before I thinned them out and put them in my raised beds.

This is one bed that I transplanted a couple collard plants in with some of my sage. I always companion plant. If you look closely, you can see the June bugs and caterpillars had also been enjoying my collards. I don’t use any pesticides. You can also see where the collards are growing straight up and are developing a thick stalk from just clipping individual leaves when I want to harvest.

This is one of my many collard harvests over the years, along with some green onions and cabbage leaves.

I don’t eat greens, but I love to grow them and love to cook them.

Collard Greens

15-20 large collard leaves, washed well and

stems removed

1/2 ham hock

2 T bacon grease

• Put all ingredients in large pot or crockpot. Add water until covering greens br 2-3”.

• Cover and cook on low ~4 hours, adding water as needed. The more water you have, the more “pot likker” you’ll have to sop up with your biscuit or roll.

You don’t have to cut them up finely, they’ll cook down.