This distant cousin of the ever-popular Italian basil hails from India where it is used in curries, teas, and as medicine. The stems are punctuated with tender green leaves topped with highly aromatic flowers. Distinct basil flavor with heavy aromas of warm spices like nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.

We were excited to give Kyoto red carrots because they are supposed to have great red color and we wanted to try seeds from the legends at Kitazawa Seed Co. We didn't get a ton of them, but the ones that came up are delicious and live up to their namesake color. They are nice and sweet with a complex carrot flavor that tends towards fruity and floral.

Napoli carrots have been every bit as good as they were foretold to be. These are classic orange carrots with a blunt end that makes them easy to deal with in the kitchen and excellent carrot flavor with a mild sweetness, punctuated by a resounding crunch. We try and pick them when they are about an inch big around, not too big and not too small. A lot of people think that smaller carrots are better, but that's really only true if they are grown very slowly, otherwise, they don't develop much flavor or sweetness.

This is going to be a new one for us. We are suckers for Asian-style brassicas and this is a new treat offered by Baker Creek. It's a hybrid between Tatsoi (lovely in Singapore-style noodles) and Komatsuna which has been one of our absolute favorites this year. We haven't had a chance to try it yet, but we are really excited. Hopefully, the flea beetles stay away long enough for a good harvest.

Our cilantro grew really stocky this year. It was a bit disappointing because it felt like customers weren't getting their money's worth from a bunch, but I couldn't have been more wrong -- this stuff is an absolute flavor bomb. No joke, I really didn't understand what cilantro could taste like until we took a crack at growing it. There is a distinct sweetness and triple the cilantro flavor. We recently had some chefs we partner with on the farm and this was the first thing that elicited a "Wow!" It was a delightful surprise because we hadn't even tried it yet.

A lot of people don't know that cilantro flowers are edible and they're a really fun surprise. Excellent for garnishing. The cilantro leaf attached to the bottom is also a nice perk.

These are hands down by farm snack of choice. Double-barreled cucumber flavor in a crunchy little package that people can probably hear me eating in Leavenworth. I'm not 100% sure we are growing them next year because these tiny nuggets of goodness don't quite garner a high enough price, but get them while they're here. You won't be disappointed. Oh yeah, and don't bother turning these into pickles. Just shove them in your face. Maybe add a little salt. Bonus points if you get one that's still warm from the sun.

Straight 8 is a classic American slicer. They are a bit like our pickling cucumbers but bigger and not quite as packed with flavor. Personally, I go in for the Asian-style cucumbers, but if the American slicer is your thing, we got you fam.

These are my goto cucumber. Yes, I prefer the flavor of pickling cumbers, but that shit is fiddly. I like cucumbers a lot and if I want to eat two pounds of them I need something that packs great flavor in a bigger (but not too big) package. We eat these in cucumber salads a couple of times a week and really enjoy the flavor along with the bright green flesh. We pick these things fastidiously to ensure that they come off the vine at a point that maximizes size and flavor while maintaining the tender skin and seeds. Yes there are a few blemishes and occasionally one turns 180° but that's the cost of production that's grown for eating quality without a lick of pesticide.

Alex is the biggest flower nerd I know and these are one of her favorites, need I say more? Blooms that are huge bright sprays of dramatic colors -- they're like the fireworks of the plant world. Bring a little joy to someone one you love with a vase full of these bad boys.

I forget sometimes that there are people that don't know what dill flower tastes like. If you've had dill pickled this is that flavor. Not to be confused with dill fronds that are so common in French cream sauces. There's a sharp, earthy, herbal quality to their flavor. If picked too large they can be a bit woody but the flavor is still great for pickles. If you are looking for young and tender for garnish, let us know and we can accommodate that but know the window to pick them tender is relatively small.

This is a fresh dill herb as opposed to the flowering dill so common in pickling. The blue-green fronds of these plants have a really distinct flavor package that is almost medicinal, probably why it is so commonly cut into rich cream sauces and the bold flavors of fish. If you've never tried fresh dill before, you should. If you already know you like dill, check out what we have. We grow a variety of seeds that vary in flavor and texture packages that can elevate whatever you are looking to make.

These are the epitome of fennel for me. Huge bulbous heads of fennel are so common that a lot of people don't realize that fennel when picked young is tender like kohlrabi and packed with that distinct licorice-like flavor (it always makes me think of eating Salmiakki in Iceland). We target a "mini" bulb that is about a quarter of the volume of a blown-out bulb and some of the bulbs never size of. The result is a tiny, tender bulb that almost seems to condense the flavor of its larger counterparts.

The world seems pretty split around fennel, but if you like it, this is definitely the product for you. We pick it when it is small, tender, and brightly colored with plenty of distinct fennel flavor. Sautéed in a pan with butter, there is nothing like it. Or better yet, slice it paper thin and add it to a salad *chef's kiss*

Huazontle is a close relative of the pig weed that is common aroung hear. Eaten in Mexico and Latin America for the flowering stalks and leaves. Unfortunately, out stand didn't turn out this year but we'll give it another go next year. We have a handful of plants standing out so it you really wants to get your hands on some let us know and we might be able to make that happen.

These are my absolute favorite discovery of 2022. We are a household that is obsessed with brassicas and these tasty Asian greens really stand out in a crowded field. Clusters of broad green leaves standing on thin tender stalks. Big, bold, mustard green flavors in a big tender leaf. A great addition to salad greens or stir-fries. The pests on brassicas can be a real pain in the Sammamish Valley and we are committed to growing these despite the difficulty of not using insecticides because we just love them so damn much.

In case anyone doesn't know, Tyler is obsessed with tiny lettuces. Lettuce is just crunchy water, right? Wrong! Lettuce can have great flavor, and great texture, and when you grow it in a tiny, condensed head it opens up all kinds of culinary possibilities. Cut it in half and throw it on a grill. Stuff it. God forbid, shred it and put it in a salad. Deep fry it? Seriously, someone tells us if you've deep-fried it because it has the potential to be the Brussels sprout of the lettuce world.

Eruption is named for the volcanic coloring of leaves. The core is a pale green that fades into a bold red at the edges. They are bred to grow as a mini head, but getting a tight head early on these has thus far eluded us. Despite that, we find that the flavor is great, they are nice and tender, and they hold for absolute ages in the crisper drawer.

Fristina is great lettuce for adding "loft" to salads. A lot of chefs look to loft because it gives them a large volume per pound, but smart chefs know it can be so much more than that. Lofty lettuces can lift. Few things are more sad than seeing a beautiful piece of meat bottoming out on top of flat, wilted butter lettuce. Lofty lettuces also have lots of surface area for holding dressing and perfect nooks and crannies for accommodating smaller salad ingredients onto your fork. It's not our shining star for flavor, but it's the best tasty lofty lettuce we've tried so far, and in some applications that really matter.

When we started looking for lettuce seeds we discovered the genius growers over at Wild Garden Seeds. I'll let them do the talking for me, "Crisp as ice, glossy, juicy as an apple, perfectly proportioned for a plate or a sandwich, flashy red spackles on semi-savoyed leaves with crazy-crisped margins like a Jester's attire." It is all of that. The best lettuce we've ever had.

These lettuces might be tiny, but they put the mini head lettuce on the map all on their teeny-tiny little rounded, green backs. Famous for a reason, they consistently produce dense, green, heads at a young age that are absolutely delightful to work with. Cutting them in half reveals all kinds of tiny little openings that are ready to fill with delicious ingredients. They really are a marvel of plant breeding. In France, these tight mini heads are known as "sucrine" and are highly prized.

Winter density is going to be our first crack at proper winter lettuce. Growing lettuce in the winter in the Northwest can be a bit of a pain because of high moisture and inconsistent weather, but these slow-growing, frost-hardy heads should produce sweet, bright, crisp lettuce heads well into the cold of winter.

Large red and green leaves with a meaty texture that tastes like sweet, citrusy, spinach. There's a mild sliminess like okra or purslane that is accentuated when cooked. It is also quite nice to eat raw.

These are the budding stalks of our Malabar spinach plants. Each one is about 3 - 4 inches long and they add a really exotic pop of color to dishes and cocktails. The taste is minerally like spinach and they are slimy like okra when you bite into them.

It's amazing that these classic flowers hold so much cultural significance all around the world. Marigolds have a reputation for being bright, vibrant, long-lasting, and edible. On top of that, we picked African varieties instead of the more common French because we like the large blooms and crazy branching habit. They also naturally repel problematic insects and provide habitat for beneficial ones. Alex loves them for their floral values and Tyler is really excited to put them in cocktails. A match made in heaven.

After a trip to Spain, we became obsessed with good bunching onions. Spending a month in Granada exposed us to some amazing produce and it really was the humble onions that stood out. A good bunching onion should be savory, sweet, and tender. The whites bring depth to soups and stir-fries while the greens are used as a flavorful garnish all over the world. We are still working on perfecting our onion growing, but we have achieved a little bit of the allium brilliance we had in Spain. Baked in olive oil and salt, they might be the perfect food.

We decided to try growing Shanghai Green on a whim and it was a nice surprise. The magic of getting nice tight heads still eludes us, but the flavor and crunch more than make up for it. Grill them, put them in soup, stir fry them, they are really versatile.

There is a lot of debate about the difference between "pac choi" and "bok choy" and as near as we can tell it is largely regional. We try and stay true to the name the seed grower uses, but I couldn't tell you the difference between this and bok choy.

Shawo fruit radishes are another seed we picked up from the madhouse that is Baker Creek Seeds. These are supposed to be large, crunchy, sweet, radishes with white flesh and a pink core, and a green exterior. We are really excited to try them.

Commonly known as rat tail radishes these are delicious seed pods of radishes. They are about a quarter inch at the bulbous end terminating eight inches out in a fine taper. They have a punch radish flavor with a texture like a delicate green bean. A really unique addition to stir-fries and salads.

Also known as broccoli raab and sprouting broccoli. This is our flowering crucifer of choice. More flavorful than head broccoli, more versatile, ever tender, and they really last in the refrigerator. If you like broccoli and haven't tried rapini, do yourself a favor and pick some up.

Sunflowers were the first flowers we grew at Blue Glass Farm because they hold a special place in our hearts. This year we grew Double Goldie and a really fun Mix called Anarchy.

A few years back eating sunflower heads was all the rage on Pinterest but we think that the petals are the real culinary standout of the plant. They make amazing garnishes for everything from Pizza to Ice Cream. The flavor is reminiscent of sunflower seeds with more herbal quality and some varieties have a punchy spicy or sweet flavor where they attach to the sunflower head.

These little gems are the absolute diva of all tomatoes. They look like an entire galazy folded into a tiny grape tomato and carry a bright deep, sweet, flavor, that Tyler swears comes with a hint of fruity cereal. It's is almost sinful for a tomato to look and taste this good.

I'm not gonna lie, our "Dark Galaxy" tomatoes look a lot more like Solar Flare, replacing the distinct dark coloring with vivacious red and yellow striations. We aren't going to complain, because the taste is excellent. Not quite as flavorful and Berkely pink tie-dye, but close and the flesh is more firm and they aren't as wonky so they are easier to process. Definitely worth a visit.

This is a mix of every tomato we grow. We selected varieties for a wide range of flavor profiles, textures, and colors. A real tour of everything the humble tomato has to offer.

The varieties include:

• Berkeley Pink Tie-Dye
• Brad's Atomic Grape
• Dark Galaxy
• Mint Julep
• Pork Chop
• Pineapple Pig
• Salvaterra's Select

Note: The mix is currently heavy on the Mint Julep, Pork Chop, and Pineapple Pig so it's a bit yellow. There is also a good deal of splitting as is common with heirlooms.

Pineapple pigs has been a big hit for us this year. It taste like both pineapple and pig. Just kidding it's a tomato. It tastes like a tomato. A big yellow and green, savory tomato with great acidity. Very meaty, with the soft flesh and high moisture like most heirlooms.

Pork chops really stand out to us for their acidity. While still there, they are mild on the sweet and umami notes. The skin is bright yellow hiding a pale yellow flesh.

We picked these up because we wanted a paste/sauce tomato and it had won the tomato flavor trials over at Seed Saver's Exchange in that category for the better part of a decade. This type of tomato is known for their strong flavor, and firm, low-moisture flesh. The flavor is top notch, there's not much moisture to cook out when you are making sauce, and the flesh can hold up to blanching and canning.

P.S. Mash your sauce intead of blending. It makes a world of difference in the texture.