A few years back, Kelsey Barnard Clark added raised garden beds to her backyard in Dothan, Alabama. The executive chef and owner of KBC restaurant, she grew up eating collards, but growing them herself solidified her love of the leafy greens. “It’s their hardiness and sturdiness that really impress me,” says the winner and author of the. “Collards are one of those rare plants that actually thrive, sweeten, and perk up at that first frost. I reserve an entire raised bed just to get to know my favorite leafy green every year.” One standout variety at the top of her annual planting and eating list is Ole Timey Blue Collards (a.k.a. Alabama Blues), which have been grown in Fayette County, Alabama, for more than a hundred years. The two-foot-tall plants, with striking bluish leaves and purple veins, reach peak sweetness after a couple of frosts, making late winter the ideal time for harvesting and cooking them. Sweet with the perfect hit of bitterness (similar to kale), Alabama Blues are delicious simmered with pork (see recipe), and try working any leftovers into a cheesy dip (see tip). For a quick at-home prep that even her young children will devour, Clark’s go-to is collard chips: Just tear the leaves into pieces and bake, or fry, with a touch of spice. If you find Ole Timey Blues at a farmers’ market or stand, make sure the leaves look hydrated and don’t have any dry spots. Wrap them in damp paper towels in the refrigerator and they’ll stay perky for up to a week. But for guaranteed freshness, you can’t beat growing your own (score seeds online at Seed Savers Exchange). Plant them and you won’t regret it, Clark says. “They’re your best friend in any garden.”
