In Herzegovina, winter is not winter if there is no collard greens and smoked meat. It is a tradition that has remained largely unchanged for centuries, where the cultivation of a special type of loose-leafed cabbage has been playing the key role for centuries. Collard greens are fairly widespread in the urban green markets. The plant is very adaptable to all conditions of soil and climate and often grows spontaneously. It is harvested in the coldest months. Thus, it is clear why the farmers have considered it the precious food in the fight against hunger in the past and why they have carefully guarded the seeds to ensure its cultivation from one year to another.

However, even nowadays, the cultivators of collard greens still guard their crop to such an extent that they have refused to provide their escort even to an exceptional customer, such as pop star Madonna, who tasted it on her Balkan Tour and was stunned by the special sour sweet taste of these incredible Herzegovinian green leaves.