A monthly look at what’s coming available from area farms and farmstands

WHAT’S IN SEASON

March: Most area farmers markets won’t open until late April. This is the end of winter, when hardy greens, winter storage vegetables and the very first peeks of spring greenery can be found, including: Swiss chard, collard greens, garlic scapes and green garlic, green onions, kale, leeks and some lettuces.

IDEAS FOR KITCHEN

Make “kale chips.” Trim kale leaves from the thick stems and chop into bite-size pieces. Toss with a little bit of olive oil and salt and spread on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the edges of the leaves are brown, but not burnt. These are a little like potato chips.

Quickly blanch a bunch of Swiss chard or other hardy green and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Whir up the greens in a food processor with typical pesto ingredients (pine nuts or walnuts, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper) for a cold-weather version of this summer spread.

Garlic scapes are the tall, curling stalks that garlic plants send up around this time of year. They are usually cut off by gardeners, but they are edible. Use them as you would scallions, either raw on salads or sautéed in other dishes.

Look for next month: Asparagus

—Emily Freehling