Chard

Chard, or Swiss Chard, has large green crinkly leaves with celery-like stalks. Like spinach, chard is a member of the amaranth family along with beets. Like other green leafy vegetables, chard is highly nutritious, making it a popular component of healthy diets. Chard has been used in cooking for centuries and can also be eaten raw. The taste can be bitter but is much milder when eaten raw. Chard makes an excellent addition to all kinds of dishes from salads to soups to casseroles.

• Chard provides an:
• Excellent source of vitamin K
• Good source of vitamin A and vitamin C
• Magnesium, lutein and zeaxanthin

Chard is most often harvested mechanically, or mowed, when it is considered a “baby” and goes to a processor where it becomes part of a salad mix. It can also be hand harvested, bunched, and packed into cartons in the field and then sold in bulk at the grocery store. It typically takes 55 to 65 days from seed to harvest.