August 15th marked the first harvest!

Thanks to Rich and the Engineering Department for their help with the trellises and watering!

 The plants were still small on August 15, just 26 days after planting the seeds, yet two vegetables were ready to harvest - the fast-growing radishes and mustard greens.  Jay Jones accompanied me on the roof to document the harvest. 

Cutting mustard greens.

A big bunch of mustard greens.

 To keep the vegetables fresh and to give them a quick rinse, I dunked them in a bag of cold water I brought up on the roof. 

Crisping the mustard greens with a cold water bath!

Three jewel-colored radishes.

Bagging up the radishes.

The first harvest is complete!

From the bounty of the planters, I picked four bags of mustard greens and two bags of radishes!  It is a small harvest, but it is just the beginning!

Cathy Moore, Coordinator of the Food Pantry at St. James.

 I took the radishes and greens to the food pantry at St. James Cathedral in Bronzeville at Wabash and 29th street.  Cathy Moore gratefully received the veggies, saying that fresh food was in high demand among the pantry guests.

Cathy put the HWC roof vegetables in the cooler at the food pantry.