Celebrating Tomatoes, Kohlrabi, and Our Living Planet

By Martin Keller, Director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

I wasn’t sure about this year’s veggie crop when I planted it.

We were going on a two-week trip, and Colorado weather can be unpredictable. Last year, a June microburst hailstorm ripped up not only our garden but also our roof, gutters, and chicken coop. Our hens weren’t hurt, but it was scary. Our plants, however, never fully recovered.

As director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), I suspect climate change could be the culprit. I don’t have the data, but our neighbors tell us hailstorms have gotten worse over the past decade.

Things appear to be more challenging for us urban and suburban farmers.

Still, planting is an act of hope, and farmers have always faced challenges ranging from drought to pests. As a boy in Germany, I grew flowers and vegetables with my family, keeping a watchful eye on the weather and foraging insects. Some years were bumper crops. Others a bust.

Nevertheless, each spring as an adult, I look forward to the annual ritual of picking seeds and starter plants. We put them in our elk-proof vegetable bed, nursing them as they grow. Every year is an experiment with variables.

I know many who relish this time and activity, too. Whether it’s a section of a backyard, a rented community garden plot, or flower boxes on a deck, we make space for nature.

Maybe it’s because growing things seems magical or miraculous. Those of you with little kids know the wonder in a youngster’s eyes when seeds sprout. Our two grandchildren remind us of that sensation. This joy is hardwired in our DNA. Our ancestors may have been hunters, but at some point, they figured out an alternative to all that roaming and gathering. Summer is growing season time, and summertime has a special vibe.

This season, I relied upon one of my favorites: kohlrabi. While it may not be everyone’s choice, I can hardly wait until these super greens are ready for our dinner table. Kohlrabi slaw is a family tradition. Elsewhere on Keller farm, sweet peas climb their trellises. Red beets and sweet potato stalks poke up from the earth. Kale and lettuce spread delicate leaves—and hopefully stay out of the mouths of the local rabbit clan.

Finally, there are my old companions, tomatoes. This year I discovered a hack: The local hardware store was selling starter plants from a grower nearby. We live at 7,200 feet above sea level, and these tomatoes are bred for higher altitudes and a shorter growing season. Sure enough, these hardy plants not only survived our spring absence—they flourished.

Because Colorado is blessed with lots of sun, as there’s enough water and no major storms or infestations, we’re in business. The promise of fresh produce is here again, and this greening will sustain us through the winter months.

Even if you aren’t into gardening or don’t stop at a farmers’ market, summer can also be a time to enjoy a change of pace and to commune with nature. With kids out of school, this can be a time for trips to see family and friends, or possibly hikes where nature showcases what it has planted—from blue columbines to red paintbrush.

At NREL, this is also the time for our annual Summer Staff Celebration at our South Table Mountain campus in Golden, Colorado. This year it’s on Aug. 1. We pause to celebrate the season and one another.

Games, activities, and food mark this picnic-like celebration for our staff and their families. Who knows? I might have some fresh tomatoes and a tub of kohlrabi slaw to share.

As summer gives way to fall and harvest season begins in earnest, we realize how important it is to ensure our planet stays healthy so that our annual cycle of planting can remain a part of our lives and our living planet.

To learn more about NREL and its people, please download a free PDF copy of our book Clean Energy Innovators.