A Cabbage Worth Keeping ~ Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage

I grew my prettiest cabbages yet this year. It wasn’t a good year for many of my usual crops, but it’s been great for cabbage and kale.

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Overcoming Challenges

One of my biggest challenges with cabbage and kale in the past has been battling the cabbage moth. Last year I discovered Captain Jack’s Deadbug and it has really made a difference! I spray my plants periodically, especially after rain, and to conserve the product, I focus on the forming head of cabbage, or the newer leaves of the kale. I don’t care too much (within reason) if bugs take a few bites out of old or outer leaves.

Also, somewhere I had read that tighter-packed cabbages fair better against my foes, so when I ordered my seed I remembered that and chose a variety accordingly. This variety is Early Jersey Wakefield and I ordered it from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

I think cabbage is beautiful. I love the subtle hues of blue, green, and purple such as in the above photo. Not to mention, the way the water beads up on its leaves.

Nutritional Value

Cabbage has some endearing qualities. It’s low in fat and calories, yet highly nutritious. It contains phytochemicals which are thought to help prevent cancer, and is also high in vitamins C, B-1, B-5, and B-6. The vitamin-K it provides is important to bone health, and also aids in the treatment of Alzheimer’s. Cabbage also contains significant amounts of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium.

Enjoying

Cabbage is good many different ways. One of my favorite ways is to cook it with onions and bratwurst. We have some bratwurst that was made from a deer my husband harvested. It also includes cheese and jalapeño and is great cooked that way. In the past I’ve also used kielbasa. I also love a good cole slaw, and even some occasional sauerkraut.

Speaking of sauerkraut, I’ve been dabbling in fermenting in recent years, and I’m thinking about making naturally fermented sauerkraut for the first time. I occasionally enjoy making Reubens at home with homemade rye bread, so that would be fun to try.

They Made My List

I love experimenting and trying new things, however, the past few years I’ve been building a list of varieties that have performed well for me. Here in my zone 6b garden, the weather fluctuates so much from year-to-year. Some years are hot and dry, while some, like this one, are cooler and wetter. I like trying new things, but at the end of the season, I want something to show for my gardening effort.

I’m so pleased with these cabbages, that this variety, Early Jersey Wakefield, is going on my “Favorites” list. You can read about some of the others that have made the cut by choosing the Gardening category of my blog.

Back to Basics

There’s a great opportunity to learn new homesteading skills coming up in a few short days. Back to Basics Living Summit will have 32 presenters teaching basic skills such as canning, making bread and saving seeds, as well as more advanced ones such as living off-grid and harnessing solar power. Whether you’re in the dreaming stage, or an experienced homesteader, there’s bound to be something you’d like to learn. The best part is that it’s FREE and all online. By registering early, not only will they send you a reminder, but you’ll have an opportunity to purchase lifetime access at the Early Bird price. Visit Back to Basics Living Summit to see the full list of events and to register.

Related Reading

Tronchuda Kale ~ A Super Green Worth Growing