Kale harvest starts in Lower Saxony: Prices rise due to frost!

Kale harvest starts in Lower Saxony: Prices rise due to frost!

What's new from Lower Saxony? Farmers in the region are experiencing a slow harvest with the first kale harvests. The Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture reports that the real harvest only begins from the day of repentance and prayer in mid-November. At the same time, demand for this popular winter vegetable increases as temperatures drop, as kale is very popular at this time.

Traditionally, kale is only harvested after the first frost. However, thanks to new varieties, even cool weather is enough to make the plants productive. The harvest season is expected to last until February, depending on weather conditions. This season, farmers are expecting higher prices for their vegetables, but also a smaller harvest than last year.

Colder temperatures and harvest conditions

The plants had teething problems this year: the dry summer and a cold July resulted in less growth. Added to this is the threat from the cabbage moth scale insect, which affects the plants by draining the plant sap. Farmers in the region expect good quality, but the yields are not comparable to those of previous years.

Kale is mainly grown in Langförden, in the Vechta district. Here the vegetables are processed and frozen by machine. Other growing areas can be found in Bardowick (Lüneburg district) as well as around Bremen, Hanover and Hamburg. Oldenburg has established itself as the culinary capital of kale and attracts visitors with a season-opening festival where kale ice cream and fish rolls with kale are on the menu.

Healthy diet with kale

If you value a diet rich in protein and minerals, you can't ignore kale. In recent years, the healthy winter vegetables have gained great popularity not only among old farmers, but also among new generations of gourmets. The anticipation of the coming weeks makes the wait for freshly harvested kale even more exciting!