As promised, we will be posting historical information on the
RAFT (Renewing America’s Food Traditions) Grow-out project food
varieties. The RAFT Grow-out project is a joint effort of Slow
Food USA and Chefs Collaborative whereby local farmers have
committed to growing the endangered foods and local chefs have
committed to serving the endangered foods on their menus at
harvest time. In addition to the farmers’ and chefs’
participation, we encourage you to select a vegetable that you
can grow in your garden or in a container. The more exposure
individuals have to these foods, the more likely we are to be
able to save them and preserve biodiversity in our food system.
The Early Blood Turnip-Rooted Beet is a variety that has been
cultivated since the early 1800s and is prized for its sweet and
tender flesh. The beet has very dark, violet-red flesh with
lighter zones. The leaves are dark with bright red petioles.
Even when it grows to a large size, the flesh remains flavorful,
tender, and juicy. It has a slight c