Jefferson Laruan, owner of Lily of the Valley Organic Farm is excited about kale. That’s because an increasing number of people are getting interested in the vegetable because of its avowed health benefits. Besides being adaptable to the weather conditions in La Trinidad, kale commands a price of P200 per kilo-ex-farm, much higher compared to other varieties.

Jeff grows five kale varieties which have their own special uses. The Blue Curl is good for making soup; Red Ursa with fine leaves is good for juicing. Toscana which is also called Lacinato can be cooked as vegetable, mixed with others in soupy dishes, or it can be made into chips. To make chips, the leaves are brushed with olive oil, placed in a tray and then cooked in the oven until crispy. The fourth variety is Red Russian which is good for juicing. On the other hand, Vates is good for making salad and smoothie.