CRUDITES, ANYONE? One day we think we’ll throw a fancy dress-up party in the garden and instead of passing trays of crudites we’ll pass the guests around the broccoli and cauliflower florets with tiny individual bottles of ranch dressing. Classy, right?

Since one of us is a doctor, we’re fully aware that these members of the Brassicaceae family are the health powerhouses our our garden. Packed with sulforaphane, they’re our best hope to avoid cancer as we age.

Luckily, they don’t taste too shabby either. We’ve chosen some heirloom varieties to grow in our garden this year. There’s more variety in this species than most people are aware of. Check them all  out at Landreth’s website.

Let us know which kinds you’re thinking of planting. Share with us in the comment section below the photos.

Here’s what we’re planting:

BROCCOLI RAAB, SPRING SORRENTO – Tasty greens with sharp flavor.

CALABRESE GREEN SPROUTING BROCCOLI – An Italian heirloom brought to the US by immigrants in the 1880’s. Plants grow 18 30 in. high and produce 3 6 in. blue green central heads, followed by prolific smaller side shoots.

SNOWBALL EARLY CAULIFLOWER–  Introduced by Peter Henderson in 1888, it has been the standard of early cauliflowers for many years. Plants are dwarf, with short stems, solid, round, pure white, 6 in. heads. Good for warm climates. Can also be grown as a fall crop in cooler climates.