Last Stand

This bundle of broccoli 'Calabrese' has been growing in my vegetable garden since autumn 2008! It over-wintered, then over-summered, and this fall finally grew large and put out florets. The other night, knowing the hard freeze was upon us, I seized the moment to snap these off the branches before it was too late. Once inside, I washed them, and ate. Sweet, crunchy, and strongly flavored leaves mixed with mildly flavored florets. I wish I had more.

Last year my parsley didn't succumb to the cold until February. This year, it bit the dust the other night. I think it was the combo of long-standing freezing temps along with the sun at its lowest point which didn't allow that corner of the garden to get the extra heat to stay above freezing. Of course, it being the busiest time of the year, I never did get any freeze sparing devices around that parsley planter.