Kale

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

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Read about Kale in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala). Figs. 2028. This plant and the so-called Georgia collard a without doubt more closely akin to the wild cabbage. Europe than any of the other cultivated forms of Brasica. Kale is really a non-heading cabbage. It is hardy and enjoys the cool portion of autumn and early spring for its growth. It ranks low in quality, but because it is hardy and will stand the winters of the Atlantic seaboard states south of New York, it supplies a cheap and palatable pot-herb during the winter season. Commercially kale is extensively grown in only two districts, namely, in the vicinity of Noriolk, Virginia, and on Long Island, New York. This restricted commercial area is undoubtedly due to economic rather than soil or climatic conditions. The fact that it is a coarse, light, low-priced commodity in greatest demand from December to April restricts its profitable extensive culture to regions possessing peculiar climatic and transportation conditions,— that is, mild winters, a relatively short haul, and reasonable transportation rates. There are several forms of kale, but only two are extensively grown for market,—Scotch kale and blue kale. Scotch kale forms by far the greater bulk of the plantings in the Norfolk area, but because the blue kale is considered hardier it is often used for late plantings And by those who have been delayed in seeding their crop. While kale can be started under cover and transplanted with as great ease and certainty as cabbage, it is seldom handled in this way outside the kitchen- garden. Under field conditions the land is prepared the same as for cabbage, by liberal fertilizing and thorough plowing and harrowing. The seed is usually planted in drills 3 feet apart and later thinned, by chopping out, to a stand of individual plants about 6 inches apart in the row. In the Norfolk area, the seeding is done between August 15 and 20 and if the plants grow vigorously they are often harvested to meet early market demands in such a way as to accomplish the work of further thinning. The main crop is harvested by cutting the thick whorl of leaves that forms the crown of the plant. These are packed for market either in barrel-high Delaware baskets or in veneer barrels. The kale is pressed firmly as it is filled into the receptacle. The barrels are then covered by a clean burlap drawn over the mass piled on top of the barrel and held in place by driving down the loose top hoop. Kale requires somewhat less fertilizer than cabbage, is less expensive to produce, usually produces an abundant crop which can be harvested at small cost and with a fairly satisfactory net profit an acre. The yields vary from 200 to 400 barrels to the acre with an average of about 250 barrels. The price ranges all the way from 50 cents to $2 a barrel. As usually handled, kale is not at its best. It is not economically possible to produce high-grade kale. Good kale is young tender kale which yields only a small crop to the acre. For the amateur, however, high-quality kale is possible, for he can handle it so as to secure the quick growth of young tender plants, which insures quality. The commercial grower must fill barrels if he is to find profit.L.C. Corbett. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Kale Drought
[[Image:|240px|Curly kale]]
Species
Brassica oleracea
Hybrid parentage
Cultivar group
Acephala Group
Cultivar
Origin
unknown, before the Middle Ages
Cultivar Group members
Many, and some are known by other names.

Kale (also called Borecole) is a form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group), green in color, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms. The species Brassica oleracea contains a wide array of vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. The Cultivar Group Acephala also includes spring greens and collard greens, which are extremely similar genetically.

Cultivation

Freshly picked Siberian kale (Gulag Star).

The most important growing areas lie in central and northern Europe and North America. Kale grows more rarely in tropical areas as it prefers cooler climates. Kale is the most robust cabbage type - indeed the hardiness of kale is unmatched by any other vegetable. Kale will also tolerate nearly all soils provided that drainage is satisfactory. Another advantage is that kale rarely suffers from pests and diseases of other members of the cabbage family - pigeons, club root and cabbage root fly (Delia radicum).

Kale is the result of man's artificial selection for enlargement of leaves in the wild mustard plant.

Nutritional Value

Kale is considered to be one of the most highly nutritious vegetables, with powerful antioxidant properties. Dr. Joel Fuhrman uses kale as the highest value highest to calibrate his index of foods by nutrient density versus calories, assigning kale a value of 1000. Compared to kale, spinach and broccoli, widely considered extremely nutritious foods, are valued at 886 and 395, respectively by Fuhrman.

Origins

Lacinato Kale (left) with Collard greens (right)

Until the end of the Middle Ages, kale was the common green vegetable in all of Europe. Curly leaved varieties of cabbage already existed along with flat leafed varieties in Greece, in the fourth century BC. These forms, which were referred to by the Romans as Sabellian kale, are considered to be the the ancestors of modern kales. Today, one may differentiate between varieties according to the low, intermediate or high length of the stem, with varying leaf types. The leaf colours range from light green through green, dark green and violet-green to violet-brown. Russian kale was introduced into Canada (and then into the U.S.) by Russian traders in the 19th century.

Kai-lan, a separate cultivar of Brassica oleracea much used in Chinese cuisine, is somewhat similar to kale in appearance and is occasionally called "kale" in English.

Cultivars

Kale can be classified by leaf type:

• Curly leaved (Scots kales)
• Plain leaved
• Rape kale
• Leaf and spear (a cross between curly leaved and plain leaved kale)
• Cavolo nero (also known as black cabbage, Tuscan kale, Lacinato and dinosaur kale)

Because kale can grow well into winter, one variety of Rape kale is called 'Hungry Gap', named after the period in winter in traditional agriculture when little could be harvested.

Culinary uses

Steamed kale and slivered almonds

Kale freezes well and actually tastes sweeter and more flavorful after being exposed to a frost.

Tender kale greens can provide an intense addition to salads, particularly when combined with other such strongly-flavored ingredients as dry-roasted peanuts, tamari-roasted almonds, or red pepper flakes.

In the Netherlands it is very frequ ently used in the winter dish stamppot and seen as one of the countries traditional dishes, called Boerenkool.

A traditional Portuguese soup, caldo verde, combines pureed potatoes, diced kale, olive oil, broth, and, generally, sliced cooked spicy sausage. Under the name of couve, kale is also popular in the former Portuguese colony of Brazil, in caldo verde or as a vegetable dish, often cooked with carne seca (shredded dried beef).

A whole culture around kale has developed in north-western Germany around the towns of Bremen and Oldenburg as well as in the land of Schleswig-Holstein. There, most social clubs of any kind will have a "Grünkohlfahrt" ("kale tour") sometime in January, visiting a country inn to consume large quantities of kale, sausage and schnapps. Most communities in the area have a yearly kale festival which includes naming a "kale king". Curly kale is used in Halland, Sweden, to make långkål, an obligatory on the julbord in the region, and is commonly served together with the christmas ham. In Scotland, kale provided such a base for a traditional diet that the word in dialect Scots is synonymous with food. To be "off one's kail" is to feel too ill to eat.

Kale is a very good source of iron, calcium, vitamin C, Folic Acid, vitamin K and Carotenoids (which provide vitamin A). In Japan, kale juice (known as aojiru) is a popular dietary supplement.

Decorative uses

Ornamental kale

Many varieties of kale are referred to as "flowering kales" and are grown mainly for their ornamental leaves, which are brilliant white, red, pink, lavender, blue or violet in the interior or the rosette. Most plants sold as "ornamental cabbage" are in fact kales. Ornamental kale is every bit as edible as any other variety. [1]

Literature

The Kailyard school of Scottish writers, which included J. M. Barrie (author of Peter Pan), consisted of authors who wrote about traditional rural Scottish life (kailyard = kale field).

Kale was also mentioned in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Kidnapped.

References

• Dr D.G.Hessayon (2003)The Vegetable & Herb Expert. Expert Books. ISBN 0-903505-46-0

See also

• Bowen's Kale

External links

• Kale: Plants For a Future database
• Kale for the home gardener
• Pests commonly found on Collards, Kale, Mustard and Turnip
• Detailed nutritional composition of kale: Nutritiondata.com