Recommended: Samish F1 Hybrid Spinach
Usually I prefer my vegetables open-pollinated because, for one thing, I like to save seeds from selected plants that outperformed their brothers. You can’t save seeds from hybrids because they don’t breed true.
But I made an exception and tried an F1 hybrid spinach called Samish, and Popeye would love it. I probably should’ve planted it in October, but didn’t get around to it until mid-December and then “only” planted two 20-foot rows. By the end of January we started harvesting, and the plants just kept generating new leaves and getting bigger.
It’s been hitting 80 degrees every other day or so, and the spinach finally is starting to bolt, so I’m trying to harvest it heavily, but there’s still lots of it out there. Really great taste, you just have to rinse it really, really well, as with all spinach.
Ours wouldn’t be so good for market, probably, because it’s organic and some bug has been chewing a few holes in it at night. I suspect some sort of beetle, as there aren’t any snails in the bed. But I’ve never caught the villain, and a hole here and there doesn’t bother me at all.
This variety was designed for over-winter growing in places a lot colder than ours. I’m going to try it again next fall, and recommend it to anyone in the South who loves some tasty and healthy winter/spring greens.
Spinach, Bacon & Egg Salad
Here’s something your taste buds will thank you for.
Ingredients:
→ Two hard-boiled eggs, chilled
→ About 8 cups of garden spinach, rinsed well, larger leaves torn in half, placed in a large salad bowl
→ 2-3 slices of bacon, crisp and crumbled
→ 1/4-cup chopped red onion
→ 1/4 teaspoon sugar
→ 2-3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
→ 2-3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
→ salt and black pepper to taste
Method:
→ Hard-boil the two eggs, then refrigerate.
→ Fry up the bacon in a frying pan, until it is crisp. Remove to paper towels on a plate.
→ Add the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, chopped onion, salt, pepper and sugar to the pan, under medium heat. Stir until the onion starts to soften. Turn off the heat.
→ Slice the hard-boiled eggs and place in the salad bowl with the spinach.
→ Pour the warm dressing over the eggs and spinach, crumble the bacon over everything and toss well.
→ Serve it up and eat it, Bub.
