Chris and Paige didn’t start out with an intention to grow radicchio. They only gradually became passionate about this bitter crop — it’s one of many crops they grow. As they explored crops to grow into the fall, radicchio proved reliable and attractive. However, customers weren’t particularly interested. CSA subscribers indicated that it was the vegetable they most frequently composted. In 2017 Chris visited Bologna, Italy and came home with a lot of seeds, a lot more knowledge about how radicchio can be prepared, and a new interest in trialling radicchio varieties. It turns out, Close to Home Organics wasn’t the only farm experimenting with chicories and other farms also saw the need to generate more consumer interest in these crops. Holding a Radicchio Festival seemed like the most logical way to go. We are excited to launch this campaign and to put the spotlight on this remarkable array of bitter veggies.

http://closetohomeorganics.com

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