Beets instead of birds today.
I had every intention of going on a long birding trip this morning but last night at 11:03 fireworks shook the neighborhood and rattled my teeth – awakening me from a deep sleep. It seemed like an eternity before I dropped off again, so rather than risk life and limb driving for seven hours with insufficient sleep, I’m resorting to plan B. Which involves gardening and one of my favorite vegetables.
Are you a beet fan? I am, but not the red ones. It’s been something like 28 years since I’ve planted red beets because their flavor is a little too bold and earthy for me and I don’t like the ‘bloody’ mess they make when I’m peeling and preparing them. My kitchen ends up looking like a massacre site and my red-stained fingers and hands look incriminating.
I much prefer golden beets and since many of my readers have vegetable gardens I decided to promote golden beets in today’s post.
This is the more shaded part of my garden where I plant the ‘early stuff’ that doesn’t require as much sunlight. That’s two rows of golden beets in the center. I’ve been eagerly anticipating my first beet harvest, which finally happened last evening.
Beets should be harvested when they’re between the size of golf balls and tennis balls. These are on the small side, only slightly larger than golf balls, but I could wait no longer. Roasted golden beets were part of my dinner last night. And yes, beet greens are perfectly edible. These greens are washed and in my refrigerator.
Before they’re peeled, golden beets look almost as red as red beets but peeling transforms them into…
golden orbs that are delicious when roasted and sliced and served with butter and salt and pepper.
Golden beets versus red beets:
- Red beets make a bloody-looking mess, golden beets don’t. Not one bit.
- Red beets contain a pigment called betanin that in 10-14% of humans causes beeturia. Beeturia is the discoloration of poop or urine caused by consuming red beets. Golden beets don’t contain significant amounts of betanin so they don’t cause beeturia. Red poop can be… disconcerting, to say the very least. If you’ve ever eaten too much black licorice you may have had a similar, though differently colored (black), experience.
- Red beets have a strong earthy flavor that doesn’t appeal to many – including me. Golden beets are sweeter than red beets and the earthy flavor is significantly tamed.
- In my experience, golden beets are more expensive to buy in grocery stores (when you can find them, which is rarely) but both types of beets are easy and cheap to grow in the garden.
- Both varieties of beets are packed with nutrition.
And no, it isn’t too late to plant beets (either variety) for harvest this year.
I just planted my second crop of golden beets three days ago – two rows of them. They’re under the ‘bird protectors’ near the bottom of the frame. My second crop of green onions, under the bird protector on the left, was planted the same day. When seedlings are tiny and tender I have to protect them from birds but by the time they’re 2-3″ tall I can safely remove the protectors.
Golden beets reach maturity at approximately 55 days so I’ll begin harvesting my second crop in early September. Some of my friends and I will be eating my first crop between now and then.
So what are you waiting for? If not this year, there’s always next year.
Ron
Note:
That yellow thing you see near the top of the frame in photo #1 is my “pocket gopher eliminator”. It’s a battery powered gizmo that emits a fairly soft buzzing sound every 15 seconds that pocket gophers simply cannot stand. Whenever I see a pocket gopher entrance hole, I bury one end of the eliminator in the ground near the hole and I never see pocket gopher activity in that area again. They simply abandon the area and go elsewhere. My neighbors may not appreciate it but I do. Works every time.
You’ve made me hungry for beets, Ron. I’ll be looking for them at the farmers market tomorrow morning! And can you tell me the difference between gophers and pocket gophers. If that little gizmo can rid my garden of gophers, I’ll dance for joy.
Pat
Pat, pocket gophers are just one type of gopher – there are others. That little gizmo should have the same effect on any burrowing mammal that can hear it. It sure works for me.
Yum. I HAVE to plant some this year. Or coerce my partner (who doesn’t like any beets) if my body refuses to play nicely.
I hope you feel well enough to do it, EC. If not, good luck with the coercion.
Your garden is beautiful, Ron! The beets look delicious as well. I’m a fan of any beet/beet greens, including the red ones. I don’t mind the beet massacre, 😈 although I usually use gloves these days.
Looking forward to more garden posts! Hopefully, the fireworks flingers in both our neighborhoods will get a clock soon. Last few nights they were still going off around 1 am. The 4th was insane with the number of “sky” fireworks going off — not just the “safe and sane” ones. All fireworks are illegal in our city, but it doesn’t seem to be enforced.
“Your garden is beautiful, Ron”
Glad you like it, Marty. If I say so myself, the part of my garden you don’t see in these photos looks at least as good, maybe better. I’m sure enjoying it this year, after so many years of being laid low by my back. I hope it lasts but there are no guarantees.
We have Pioneer Day coming up on July 24. The fireworks loonies go even crazier on that day than they are on July 4th. Oh joy…
I’m so sorry. 🙀 Poor people and animals with all that noise.
Beets, Birds, who cares as long as we get to see Ron’s photography:)
I like beets whether red or golden, and also like beet greens prepared like spinach. We grew them in our WW2 neighborhood victory garden when I was a young kid. They provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and are good for your digestive system and brain.
“who cares as long as we get to see Ron’s photography”
Everett, this is only cell phone photography but it’ll do in a pinch. Interesting that you remember WWll victory gardens.
Many years ago, there was a wonderful restaurant in the old ABC Carpet and Home store in New York City. My sisters and I had lunch there one day, and had a golden beet salad – the beets were little, quarter-size, on a bed of tiny lacy sprouts of some kind. It was the most perfect dish I’ve ever eaten – visually, texturally, taste-wise. Your headline brought that all back! And your beets on that plate – a change of Sat AM plans – I’m heading to our farmers market!
Your comment made me chuckle, Carolyn. I hope they have them.
What a nice-looking garden layout ! It’s been years since I had
golden beets, and I just loved them. The gardener friend who
gave them to me encouraged me to cook up their greens ( I’d
never had either sort of greens before that ) and they immediately
became one of my favorite vegetables…..loved your post today–
I’m SALIVATING !
Kris, I’m delighted that you enjoyed the post so much but don’t drool on your keyboard. Or your phone… 🙂
Those look soooo good!!
I love both kinds of beets, and I discovered that cooking them in an InstaPot greatly reduces the “bloody mess” of preparation of red beets. It takes less time too. Once through the InstaPot and peeled, I then refrigerate them and can roast or sauté them quickly with whatever additions I feel like—-balsamic glaze, butter and salt and pepper, whatever….I love a beet salad with both kinds of beets and sliced orange and goat cheese…..
Sue, I think I remember giving you some golden beets years ago. I’ll have enough to share this year too. Just saying,..
:)*
Those beets are making me hungry! Nice garden, Ron.
Thanks, Brett. I love golden beets, but not for breakfast… 🙂
Look and sound yummy! I do enjoy red beets and greens from time to time. Will have to try the golden. I like your seed/seedling protectors.
We have voles rather than pocket gophers – interesting that they don’t cross the gravel lane so stay away from my garden areas and cats will kill tho not eat them.
Judy, I’ve been using bird protectors for years. They’re foolproof.
Some folks in northern Utah have problems with voles but I never have.