How It's Grown

Pause

A Humble Beginning

The life of an endive begins as a seed of specially selected chicory varieties. Blue flowers of chicory are a familiar sight in pastures and along roadsides throughout much of the US.

Chicory seed and flower

Phase 1: In the Field

In the late spring/early summer those chicory seeds are sown.

The chicory plant produces a dense, leafy, knee-high foliage over a 5-month period.

Chicory plants in the field

Time to Dig

In the fall that foliage is mowed close to the ground and discarded in preparation for digging the roots.

Endive foliage mowed off

Out of the Field

The foundation of endive production: A chicory root harvested from the field and crowned by its intact growing bud.

Harvested chicory roots

Phase 2: Into the Dark

In a dark, moist, cellar-like environment that bud on the chicory root grows again, rendering a single mature endive in about 4 weeks.

Growing in the dark

Roots Ready for Harvest

Mature ready to harvest red and white endive.

Ready to harvest

A Delicious Result

Our objective as farmers: a unique, versatile, healthy vegetable available year-round.

Endive salad