I sowed some Lacinato kale (aka Tuscan or Dinosaur kale) seeds, along with tomatoes, tomatillos, chile peppers and squash inside under two weeks ago and I already have sprouts! I ordered them from the Seeds of Change catalog which offers many heirloom varieties, like the Lacinato. I tried to limit my purchases to varieties entirely new to me or ones I love and can't find regularly, like San Marzano tomatoes.
The kale is leading the other sprouts by a long shot. How am I going to thin these little beauties? I guess I'll just have to eat them or maybe start another table and transplant them. If you've never seen or tasted this kale, it's a treat. I tried it last year after finding it at Whole Foods and really enjoyed it's tender leaves and mild sweet flavor, not to mention it's awesome beauty. I'm already imagining all the wonderful dishes I can make with it.
If you need a little encouragement to start your own vegetable garden, take a look at Out of the Yard and Onto the Fork, a NYT article about growing your own kitchen garden. It lists www.kitchengardeners.org as a good educational resource. Happy planting (and eating.)
