Harvest Time

Last year was rainy and cool and this year was hot and dry. Neither have been optimal for vegetable growing, but we’ve managed to grow a majority of our summer produce, with the exception of lettuce and fruit. When I planned these beds a couple of years ago, I didn’t take into account the growth of trees. They just love to branch themselves out and make shade all over the place. Not the best situation for tomato growing.  I got just enough, but I wish I had a few more to share with neighbors and friends.

I planted the cukes in my sunniest bed and they've done great.  No wonder my trellis keeps falling over. This is the "Japanese long" variety.

Last year the little fig tree was new and produced 13 figs.  This year I'm getting 22. Nobody seems to like them but me, and that's perfectly fine.

I'm growing several kinds of pepper - this is a red hot cherry, and there are two more sweet red plants from Hook Mountain Growers.  If you're local, do yourself a favor and buy some of their supremely healthy seedlings next year.  They've all done spectacularly well here, even in my poor soil.

Also from HMG is this Pineapple Ground Cherry - a very fun plant to grow. The "cherries" look a little bit like small tomatillos. They're ripe when they drop on the ground, and do have a sweet, pineappley flavor. I graze on these in the morning for breakfast. I do plan to have my kids taste them eventually. (am I bad or what?)

Garlic was harvested a couple of weeks ago and is curing on the windowsill.  Half of this will be used to plant next year's garlic.

The hens will be 20 weeks old at the end of August. Just a few more weeks tiil I’m harvesting eggs!  The sunflower heads are one of their favorite treats.




I wouldn't be surprised if I am the grower of the "world's smallest carrots" this year.

Okra continues to flower and produce these pretty red pods.  They look cool sliced thin.

In the school courtyard, our 4th graders  planted a "Three Sisters" garden.  Some of the first harvests have been donated to local food pantries, but we still expect to have plenty for the kids to pick when they start school in a few weeks.

It was our first time growing corn (at least since I've been involved in the school garden).  We're really looking forward to planning some kind of harvest event at the school this fall.

I'd love to hear what you're harvesting, or what's looking especially good at your farmer's market this week!