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Taking time to live well
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Veg | In Praise of Kale

Iona Bower January 31, 2023

Lauded as a superfood, and loved by those who love their greens, we all know now that kale is very good for you indeed. But here are ten more facts about Kale that just make us love it that little bit more…

  1. It’s practically the only vegetable you can pick in abundance right now. While lesser veg are snoozing beneath the surface of the soil, gathering strength, or are still a twinkle in Thompson and Morgan’s eye in February, hardy and stoic kale is still out there, ripe for the picking. 

  2. The Ancient Greeks used it as a cure for drunkeness. They boiled up (something like) kale (though it was definitely a green-leafed brassica), and drank the water to sober themselves up. Then coffee came along and spoiled everything. 

  3. Shetland has its own weather proverb about kale: “Dry sunny weather was best for maetin the corn and drying the peats; wet, misty or rainy weather grew best kale.”

  4. A serving of kale has more vitamin C than an orange and more calcium than a pint of milk. 

  5. Kale is part of the same family as Brussels sprouts and has been cross-bred with sprouts to create kalettes*, a sort of kale sprout. There are more than 50 varieties of kale, too. And yes, there is already a book called ‘Fifty Shades of Kale’. 

  6. Kale was so ubiquitous in Scotland at one stage that the word ‘kale’ was used interchangeably with the word ‘food’. There was even a school of ‘rural life’ writing known as ‘Kailyard’. 

  7. We’ve been growing kale since the 4th Century BCE but this is far from its first moment in the sun. Your parents and grandparents might remember a surge in its popularity following the Dig for Victory campaign of World War Two. 

  8. The Germans have a kale festival, known as Grünkohlfahrt (Curly Kale Hike). They go on a long hike, then feast on kale and beer. Tremendous fun but perhaps avoid any participants the morning after… 

  9. Unlike many veg which are ruined by a spell of cold weather, kale actually tastes sweeter when picked after a good frost. 

  10. Kale enjoys a bit of pampering me-time, just like we do. If your kale is a bit chewy, give it a little massage before cooking it to relax the fibres and make it a little more tender and chilled out. 

For more inspiration on using this month’s veg well, turn to page 56 of the February issue of The Simple Things where Kathy Slack (@gluts_gluttony) shares ideas from her Veg Patch Pantry. *There’s even a recipe for green noodle broth with kalettes. 

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InGrowing Tagsissue 128, February, kale, vegetables, veg patch
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025

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See the sample of our latest issue here

Buy a copy of our latest anthology: A Year of Celebrations

Buy a copy of Flourish 2, our wellbeing bookazine

Listen to our podcast - Small Ways to Live Well

Feb 27, 2025
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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