GO BEYOND FOUR SEASONS

EARLY

Kyoto Carrots
Grown by Ken in Delmar, Delaware.
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In Delmar, Ken's Kyoto (Kintoki) Carrots have been thriving in the cooler temperatures. This heirloom variety showcases a striking crimson color with rich, earthy sweetness — and as Ken says, "vegetables that endure the cold develop an especially rich and delicious flavor." Planted for a late-season harvest, these carrots will continue through the spring.

After years of refining his growing practices, Ken has achieved what he initially struggled with: straight, uniform roots. Through thorough soil preparation, raised beds, and careful thinning, this season's carrots are the longest and thickest he's grown yet — with some reaching nearly 1 lb each.

LATE

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb
Grown by Robert in Pudsey, West Yorkshire

Next week, we'll receive the last of Robert's Forced Rhubarb, finishing the season with his final variety: the Stockbridge Arrow. Its deep red, thick, and tender stalks will fill the last crates of the season.

With just a few weeks left in the harvest, this fourth-generation grower is seeing his season's efforts pay off — the volumes are there, and the quality is on point.

The current harvest's growing process began two years ago: it takes two summers of outdoor growth for the plants to build up sufficient nutrients, minerals, and strength to be forced. The rhubarb must also accumulate a minimum number of cold units to trigger regrowth — measured by the number of days soil temperature falls below 50°F. Stockbridge Arrow requires 270 cold units, more than twice Harbinger's, which is why few growers even attempt it.

Once the crowns have gathered enough cold units, they are dug up, trimmed, and moved to dark forcing sheds. Held at around 55°F, the warmth reawakens them, and the total absence of light prevents photosynthesis. Forced in this way, the stalks remain vibrantly pink and fiber-free, with high natural sweetness.