There are two crops of cabbage that can be grown in the Hudson Valley--a summer crop and a fall storage crop. Summer crops are produced by varieties such as Early Jersey Wakefield. Sown under protection in early March (and perhaps again in early April), these types form a pointy head very quickly and are available for harvest from late June through August. The fall storage crop is sown in May and grows slowly the whole summer, maturing big heads perfect for the root cellar or making sauerkraut in the fall. Seeds should be sown in soil blocks or trays at a depth of about an eighth to a quarter inch. The earliest crop can be transplanted to the field in mid-April, spaced twelve to eighteen inches apart in the row (give late-maturing varieties more space--up to 24 inches).

Interested in making your own sauerkraut? Check out our friend Sandor's website and book at wildfermentation.com.