Ong choi is most commonly known in English as water spinach or water morning glory.
You may have seen warnings news like this in the media informing citizens that they may want to forgo lettuce for now:
“Social media is buzzing with debate and speculation around the dreaded summer ‘stomach bug’ that is spreading like wildfire and seeding mistrust in supermarkets and restaurants across the United States. The country is in the grip of a growing outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne parasitic illness that can sideline people for weeks at a time, and questions about where it’s coming from are spreading almost as fast as the illness itself.”
I have tried to grow lettuce in Arkansas where I live and I have never had success. So, the research began. The goal was to find some kind of green that would stand a hot and humid climate. The best of several choices was the one pictured above. It is called Ong choi and the picture above shows this year’s crop ready to harvest. It is nutritious and lasts until the bugs get to it late in the summer. Most of the crop shown here has already been eaten.
On a scale of 1-10, I would give it an 8.
If you are looking for a replacement for lettuce, Ong choi would be a good choice.
I hope those of you who had a garden this year were successful.
The garden is coming along. The biggest surprise in the past year has been my introduction of Jerusalem artichokes to the few things I attempt to grow. They are also called sunchokes. They are knobby, edible tubers from a type of sunflower. They are not related to artichokes nor are they from Jerusalem.
I left the picture enlarged so that you can see the nice foliage on the plant. Because they are a species of sunflower they eventually put out long stems with small yellow flowers at the ends.
I only grow things that are easy to grow. Jerusalem artichokes have fit that description perfectly. The tubers from the plant can be eaten raw, cooked, or pickled. I have no problem eating a raw one that’s been cleaned. My wife bakes them after cutting them into slices. She sprays them with olive oil cooking spray and then she is pretty generous with the salt and garlic powder. Her last batch was delicious. If you like a bit of a kick you can add pepper. The pepper is too much for me.
I am not a great gardener but these plants have been very productive for me. There is only one drawback. It’s the wind that they may produce. That’s right, flatulence or flatus may be a result of eating them. Between my wife and I, I am the one that has windy results. So, if you are raising boys, particularly those in their teens, proceed with caution.
If you are looking for something easy to grow that is quite productive. you may want to give Jerusalem artichokes a try.
Butterflies symbolize transformation, metamorphosis, and spiritual rebirth. If I didn’t know that, I still would have always liked butterflies. Butterflies are a wonder of God’s creation. -cr
Being painfully aware that this blog lacks actual color of late, I have decided to share an occasional picture from my garden this year. As God will be responsible for any picture I take, I must give Him attribution. I’m just holding a phone sorta steady and clicking on an icon. Some of you may have wondered where so many of the pictures that once graced the scribbling here went. I decided to ditch many of them because they hadn’t the proper attribution. In any case, I know all the places where one can get free pictures for a blog post if I want one but many of my recent posts are more about colorful words than pictures.
This grouping of flowers reminded me of these verses from my favorite sermon:
27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”
By the way, the only contribution I made to what is in the picture was the dividing of crocus roots last year.
I know these colors will clash with my header, but I hope it’s not too unbearable. (Maybe it’s time for the old header to go!)
There is not such a pleasant history for you to read in all the world as the history of your own lives, if you would sit down and record from the beginning hitherto what God has been to you, and done for you; what evidences and outbreakings of his mercy, faithfulness, and love there have been in all the conditions you have passed through.
“A pair of Cambridge lectures examining the deepest challenges in origin-of-life research—from the chemistry of early Earth to the information systems inside every cell—and exploring why current prebiotic models fall short. Featuring Dr. James Tour and Dr. Stephen Meyer, this session highlights the scientific roadblocks, the role of information, and the implications for how life began.”
The cases of these two men continue to get stronger with time. I enjoyed these lectures and I hope you do as well.
Posted by Chris 
Ong Choi…My “lettuce”
September 30, 2026Ong choi is most commonly known in English as water spinach
or water morning glory.
You may have seen warnings news like this in the media informing
citizens that they may want to forgo lettuce for now:
“Social media is buzzing with debate and speculation around the
dreaded summer ‘stomach bug’ that is spreading like wildfire and
seeding mistrust in supermarkets and restaurants across the
United States. The country is in the grip of a growing outbreak
of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne parasitic illness that can sideline
people for weeks at a time, and questions about where it’s coming
from are spreading almost as fast as the illness itself.”
SOURCE
I have tried to grow lettuce in Arkansas where I live and I have
never had success. So, the research began. The goal was to find
some kind of green that would stand a hot and humid climate.
The best of several choices was the one pictured above.
It is called Ong choi and the picture above shows this year’s
crop ready to harvest. It is nutritious and lasts until the bugs
get to it late in the summer. Most of the crop shown here has
already been eaten.
On a scale of 1-10, I would give it an 8.
If you are looking for a replacement for lettuce, Ong choi would
be a good choice.
I hope those of you who had a garden this year were successful.
God’s blessings,
Chris Reimers
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