Collards in North Carolina

The collard plant has flourished as an important garden food crop in the U.S. South since the early nineteenth century because it is able to endure hot summers and still thrive in winter, when it is harvested and consumed as greens. The uneven geographic pattern of collard production in North Carolina calls into question claims that the collard is a ubiquitous Southern food crop. It is still the dominant winter garden crop on the North Carolina Coastal Plain, but fewer patches are being planted and consumption of collards is waning, especially among young people. Commercial collard production is increasing to satisfy the demand of older folk.