I fell in love with radishes today. I was tasked with harvesting two-thirds of the radish crop we planted back in March. I had no idea when I set out with a large tote in hand how much I would enjoy the harvest. Radishes are among the fasted growing agricultural crop in production being ready in as little as 4 weeks. A large portion of the patch had begun to bolt, so we decide to pull them out of the ground. Their bulbous roots and bright colors were also peaking through the soil hinting at the spicy juicy bites to come. With just a gentle tug of a stalk the whole plant uproots in your hand.
One of the first things my eye catches is the bright color of the flesh of the radish root that was under the moist soil and how the color fades just above the soil line. Then as I pick a handful, a rainbow of purple, red, pink, and white is revealed. One of the seed packet types of radishes planted is a mix known as Easter Egg, which produces the variety of color seen.
After I pulled the crop, I took them to our washing station. The large black tubs that come up to waist height with an optional mesh covering are useful in washing large amounts of produce at a time. With things such as our spinach and salad mix the tubs are filled and the plants submerged to wash then spun to dry. For the radishes, and turnips I did later in the week, sorting them on top of the mesh and spraying them off works well to get the dirt out of the roots without damaging the leafs. The small and bug eaten leafs are removed first then the radishes are sorted into groups that have bolted and are destined for staff and the food bank, and those that are able to be sold at our market stand.
When the radishes are washed they brighten in color drastically and the whole plant seems to perk up and shine. I felt such a joyful connection to these plants throughout the process of getting them ready to eat, taking gentle care of their leafs and admiring each of their unique shapes, sizes and colors. They are bundled by the handful and stored in our walk in cooler until they are ready to be weighed and sent away. I took a few handfuls myself and have enjoyed the spicy snack and fresh greens throughout the week!