Tonight is a perfect night for harvesting Collard Greens by the full moon. The plants have grown well this year, due to the cool, wet spring we've had.

Collard is a non-heading member of the cabbage family (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) and a very popular garden vegetable in certain parts of the world, especially the Southern states of the US, but also in parts of Europe and South America. The leaves are tender and delicious, especially when prepared southern style.

Here's a recipe, tested just last night.

Collard Greens

Harvest a bunch of collard leaves (up to 2 pounds), wash them and inspect them for insects. If the insects are beneficial, thank them for protecting your plants and return them to the garden; if they're pests, squish them or feed them to your hungry praying mantis. In a bowl, combine 1 large chopped white onion, about 6 to 8 cloves of fresh garlic, minced or pressed, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of dark paprika, 1/2 cup of unfiltered apple cider vinegar, a pinch of dried hot red pepper flakes, two or three drops of liquid smoke, a single slice of bacon (vegetarians can leave out the bacon), and a small, chopped freshly picked sweet banana pepper. Remove the stems from the collard leaves, then cut the tender leaves into 1 inch slices. In a large pot, bring 3 cups of chicken broth (vegetarians can use vegetable stock) to boil. Add all the ingredients. Cover, allow the liquid to boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for about an hour. Make sure the greens are nice and tender. Serve hot in a small bowl with some of the liquid and hot freshly baked corn bread.