If you ever needed a good reason to plant cool weather veggies, look no further than the spring weather we have in Northwest Arkansas. Just when we think the cold has passed...BOOM. Another week of freezing temperatures. A hard reminder that it's still too early to plant those tomatoes and peppers.Enter cool weather veggies, who welcome the cold temperatures, and actually thrive in them. Think broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, arugula, spinach, lettuce and more. You can view a complete list of all of our locally-grown cole crops here.Here are a few of our favorites, with planting instructions and easy recipes to try once you get your cole crops in the kitchen!

Lettuce

Take pride in your salads by growing your own lettuce! It's such a great feeling to go out into your garden, clip what you need and savor the taste that is so much better than store-bought lettuce. See all of our lettuce varieties here.

Planting:

If you're planting your lettuce starts directly into the ground, dig a hole and plant your lettuce plant up to its base. Plant 4-8 inches apart (your lettuce will expand pretty quickly). You should add compost or other organic matter to your soil to help your lettuce stay healthy.

We also have pre-planted lettuce bowls which are very convenient! You don't even have to have a garden to grow these guys.

Our lettuce starts have already been fertilized, so all you have to do is maintain a regular water schedule for your plants. Depending on rain and soil, water every other day or so that the soil is moist but not too wet. Lettuce is very dramatic: it will tell you when it needs water as it will wilt and look pitiful when it is dry.

In the Kitchen

Now the fun part! After you've cut your lettuce leaves around the outside, rinse them and dry, then put them into a plastic bag or container for storage in the fridge. The options for salads are endless, but here's a great, basic dressing recipe to start with:

Simple Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or balsamic, apple cider, rice, sherry, or other wine vinegar)
• Pinch of kosher salt
• A turn of freshly ground black pepper

Kale

Planting:

Plant about 12 inches apart. Kale grows best in full sun, but will tolerate partial shade as well. Try to add some compost while planting; these guys like rich soil.

In the Kitchen:

Kale is having a major comeback in the culinary (and health) world. It seems no smoothie is complete without it, so why not save your bucks and grow your own? For a more savory application, try this recipe:

Simple Kale Saute

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Cook and stir sliced garlic until sizzling, about 1 minute.
• Add kale to the skillet and place a cover over the top.
• Cook, stirring occasionally with tongs, until kale is bright green and slightly tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Spinach

Planting:

Plant in rows 12 inches apart. Like kale, spinach prefers to be planted in full sun but can tolerate a little shade. As the temperatures warm outside, continued watering of spinach in the heat of the afternoon can make them last longer.

In the Kitchen:

We'd be remiss if we didn't include spinach as an addition to smoothies, but here's another recipe that's fun, courtesy of Martha Stewart:

Hot Spinach Dip

• 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for baking dish
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds spinach, cleaned, trimmed, and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 6 ounces reduced-fat bar cream cheese
• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 3 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Baguette slices, breadsticks, or crackers, for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add spinach in two additions, letting the first batch wilt before adding the next; cook until completely wilted, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander; drain, pressing to release all excess liquid.
3. In the same pot, warm milk over high heat. Whisk in cream cheese until melted, about 3 minutes. Add spinach, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and 1/4 cup mozzarella; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a lightly oiled 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
4. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot with accompaniments, as desired.

Strawberries

Planting:

Set plants out 20 inches apart, and leave 4 feet between rows (strawberries are plants that spread). Need adequate sun to produce berries. Be sure to keep the crown (central growing bud) of the plant above the soil; do not bury it.

In the Kitchen:

Really, when you grow your own strawberries, you'll be so surprised by the difference in flavor from the supermarket berries, we recommend just a quick wash and enjoying them by themselves (although a smoothie wouldn't hurt!).