One of the most striking vegetables I see throughout the whole growing season—either at the farm stand or in the produce section or in the garden—is Swiss chard. The magnificent colors of its stalks are a sight to behold. There are several varieties but my favorites are Ruby Red and Rainbow Chard. With the abundance of vegetables in the summer many people do not take the opportunity to sample or prepare Swiss chard since it is not as well known as other dark green veggies. But this is one that should not be missed, and it can be harvested from early spring until the first hard frost. It is a biennial plant, which means that it has a two-year life cycle. It remains dormant for the winter after its first growing year, then comes back in the spring to complete its growing season.
