Easy to grow, especially in cooler climates. It needs plenty of water, otherwise it won't be as tender. This variety doesn't have a name, it is issued from a cross that happened in our field. Gives beautiful medium-sized chubby bulbs. Leave the roots in the soil over winter, numerous smaller bulbs will grow back the following spring. Package: 75 seeds

Delicious elongated beet, sweet and tender. It is a productive and hardy variety, and will store well in a cold room over the winter. The plentiful leaves can also be eaten, a bit like spinach. This variety is originally from Germany, and was very popular among Amish and Mennonite communities in the United States. Package: 100 seeds Photo: Semences du Batteux  

Cyperus esculentus Tigernut, or earth almond, is a crop cultivated for its edible tubers. The small roots have an almond or coconut taste. Also called yellow nutsedge, the plant is considered a pest in some regions. In Southern Ontario, farmers are desperately trying to get rid of the invasor, in vain. In Quebec, the winters are too cold, the plant dies and cannot reproduce. Tigernut is used in the preparation of a sweet, milk-like beverage, known in Spain as horchata de chufa. In Africa, it is common at local markets. People eat it as a snack, just like peanut or coconut. It is also used to produce oil, juice, and flour. It is one of the oldest plants grown in Ancient Egypt. Tigernut was probably an important food source at the time. For instance, during dynastic periods, it was used to make cakes.

Evening primerose is a native plant in Quebec. It blooms from June until September and gives off an enjoyable scent. The yellow flowers, which are edible, open in just a few minutes at the end of the day and close down in the morning the next day, hence the 'evening star' nickname (and Belle de nuit in French). During the whole summer, new flower buds open every evening. This plant attracts different moth species as well as bees. The root is edible and turns pink when cooked, granting it the nickname 'gardener's ham' in French (jambon des jardiniers). It is recommended to harvest the roots when they are still young (before flowering) if they are meant to be eaten. This prevents them from turning bitter. Their sweet taste is reminiscent of salsify and parsnip. The young leaves can also be eaten. An oil rich in fatty acids and good for the health is also extracted from evening primerose seeds.   Package: Around 500 seeds

Summer radishes of all colors, going from white to purple, and including more classic red ones. Some are pinker, other spicier. Ideal for indecisive people. The diversity will look great in a plate and will inevitably impress your guests. Package: 125 seeds

Developped in 1912 at MacDonald College, it remains the most common variety grown in Quebec fields today. Originally used to feed livestock, humans quickly discovered its pleasant taste. Enjoys cold climate and can resist low temperatures. Fall crops taste sweeter after frost.

 

Heirloom variety.

Package: 250 seeds