Feeling Outpaced!

I won't say what's keeping us busy, that would be boring. I will say the garden is producing, processing is in high gear, fresh everything is coming across our table this time of year, and we love it! We're almost to tired to relish what we've been given, but we're thankful for it. Sadly, we've been outpaced by all you amazing garden bloggers. Here's a catch up post of some harvest totals, processing and meals etc. It's what's been been going on here at Spring Garden acre over the last 2 or 3 weeks.

We harvested our first bit of corn from this garden ever. Robin sent us a couple heirloom varieties, and they are doing great! We also harvested our first cantaloupe and watermelon. Okra has been a highlight, and we love the black cherry tomatoes. They are Matt's Wild Cherry. I think. Maybe they're Black Seeded Simpson (that's lettuce not tomatoes thanks for the correction Granny!) Black Cherry. Robin said if they came from her then they are Black Cherry. I'll have to check and see. They are keepers for sure! Thanks to all the people who shared seed with us this season. They are coming through like gang busters!

fried okra

Harvest sampling

First corn (Argent & Silver Queen) and cantaloupe

 We also harvested our first watermelon.  You can see the moon just beginning to form. We took it too soon. Next time we'll know. Thankfully it was still good!

Yet another squash plant succumbed to the squash bug. Thankfully we got at least a few Seminole squash. Apparently the Seminole natives of Florida used to grow this squash to hang from tree branches. We followed suit but used a trellis. Everything was great until...

We had our best harvest of beets this year. They replaced our spinach in cold frame 3. It must be a pretty healthy bed of soil! Like the spinach they did great. We planted broccoli in their place.

 Kebun-Malay Girl shared Aussie Brown onion seeds with us this fall. They grew very big and healthy, but they never grew bulbs. They turned out more like giant leeks. Maybe that's how they should look. I chopped and froze them for soups and other recipes this winter (Yes, despite the rumors, I do process something occasionally). Thanks Kebun for the seeds! We harvested almost 7 lbs!

Belle has been busy canning. Here's a shot of pickled jalapenos and Tomatillo salsa verde. These and other canning stores will hopefully keep us in stock this winter.

Here's one example of some of the great meals we've been able to eat that is 100% homegrown (except for the olive oil that was imported and the wine grapes that came from a vineyard up the road)

Homemade wines, okra, spaghetti squash, kale, tomato, garlic and garden herb sauce with something that looks like chicken but isn't. Ask me no questions I'll tell you no lies!

Harvest Totals 161 lb 4 oz

beets 10 lb 8 0z
carrots 11 lb 11 oz
corn 3 lb 4 oz
cantaloupe 31 lb 6 oz
cucumber 2 lb 6 oz
eggplant 2 lb 5 oz
jalapenos 3 lb 2 oz
okra 5 lb 10 oz
onions 20 lb 3 oz
peppers 3 lb 4 oz
pepperoncini 1 lb 1 oz
Seminole squash 3 lb 13 oz
tomatoes 27 lb 9 oz
tomatillos 13 lb 8 oz
Watermelon 21 lb 8 oz