Tuesday, August 14, 2012

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




12 comments:

  1. Nice harvests! Black Seeded Simpson is lettuce seed, and Matt's Wild Cherry is a really small bright red tomato, so I'd say your dark tomatoes are either Black Cherry or Chocolate Cherry.

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    1. Thanks Granny! It's funny because I've grown Black Seeded Simpson lettuce. Our dark toms must be Black Cherry. Robin sent them to us.

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  2. Wonderful harvests. I've yet to have squash bugs in the garden, but something always seems to happen to some squash. This year it was wilt. Last year they didn't set until late for some unknown reason. I got some that year but not many. Two years ago it was the dreaded groundhog. I'm hoping some year I get a great harvest without any of the trials and tribulations. I'm mean if I keep growing them it is bound to happen.

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    1. I'm with you Daphne, it's hasn't happened yet, but it's bound to happen!

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  3. It looks like you two are very very busy!! If those are tomato seeds from me, they are Matt's Wild Cherry and Black Cherry. They both are wonderful tomatoes!!

    Things will calm down in a few weeks. Then we can all take a little bit of a breather!!

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    1. It must be the Black Cherry. I have to check, which I've still not done yet.

      With the new job and all, I'll bet you're outrageously busy too!

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  4. Your harvest looks wonderful! My melons are only the size of a baseball and corn hasn't even started blooming. And 10 lbs of beets in one harvest is amazing!

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    1. We have been very impressed with the beets. The great thing about beets that we're learning is they have a very short growing season. They can be thrown in between early season harvests and late ones!

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  5. Lovely harvesting. I know everyone is enjoying all that good stuff at your house.

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  6. The squash bugs have been the worst I have ever seen this year. Must be the mild winter. You and Belle have been very busy harvesting and preserving. The beets look so pretty.

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  7. Your garden is producing so well for you - despite those darn squash bugs. Well done on all the produce you are bringing in and putting by for later use. I can well imagine how busy that plus real life demands are keeping all of you.

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