rabbit food

Leafy greens are not a big part of the diet here. A vinegary cabbage salad is fairly typical, often mixed with some carrot and onion. You can find iceberg lettuce in the markets, but rarely have i seen it served. While my tolerance for cabbage has developed into an almost fondness, I continually miss the deep green crunchiness of kale, collard greens, chard, and spinach. Most leafy greens prefer cooler temperatures, cooler than we ever get in my area. There are however, many non-traditional edible leaves that i'm learning to grow and love.

Nasturtium took to the dry tropical climate here immediately!

While a bit spicy, both the leaves and flowers of nasturtium are edible and add a crispy delicious zing to a salad.

This one is a little more unusual, a hibiscus relative known as roselle whose flowers are brewed in a popular refresco here, "Te Jamaica"
Turns out the leaves have a tart cranberry-like flavor as well.

And despite the odds, i made multiple attempts to cultivate salad greens:
under the shady eaves of the house I have successfully grown spinach!

Note the elongated horse-proof cage--Lucinda sniffs around my precious spinach every day or so but is unable to reach these well-guarded greens. I harvest the spinach regularly, which may explain why the plants stay so small? that's my guess, unless it is a result of the heat...
For comparison I've started another spinach inside on my kitchen windowsill. time will tell.

Probably the most successful salad supplement are my beet greens!

My beet beauties thrive in a box just outside the house where each day they receive a few hours of strong sun and many hours of cool shade. The greens have produced for several months now, kindly allowing me to snip snip about every other day for a salad, an omelet, taco filling, etc.

Eat your heart out, rabbits!