Harvest Monday....... July 1, 2013 & Harvest Totals to Date

We had two big harvests this week, a lot of the Broccoli and the Garlic. Some of you may have seen my Big Broccoli Harvest here. Well that wasn't all of it for the week. I harvested a few heads earlier in the week and a few more on Sunday. Sorry, no pics of those.

Sunday I went to the plots and pulled the remaining peas. The peas in the home garden were pulled last week. It's just too hot for the peas and they were about finished. After I finished with the peas. I thought that I better check the garlic. Well, it was ready to be pulled. I pulled all the garlic and brought it home.

Since we are in constant threat of thunderstorms lately, I had to put it under the covered part of the back porch. Now I can barely get out the back door!

38 Heads of Music (Hardneck Variety)

 

and.... 

 a total of 56 heads of Silverskin (Softneck Variety)

more of the Silverskin

 

The garlic heads are a good size and I'm quite pleased with the harvest. I think we will have enough for us and my son's household. Later this week I will hang the garlic and let it cure for storage.

 

Since I have been a bit busy and haven't participated in Harvest Monday this year, I thought I would post my year to date weighed harvest totals.

  



Baby Choi - 3.25 lbs.
Asparagus - 3.3 lbs.
Strawberries - 20.8 lbs
Broccoli - 16.8 lbs.
Garlic - 94 Heads (will be weighed once they are cured)
Greens & Lettuce - 3 lbs. (I haven't been weighing most of these)
Onions - 8 oz,
Peas - 11.2 lbs.
Peppers - 1 oz. (1 hot pepper)
Spinach - 5 lbs
Tomatoes - 3 Sungolds (not weighed)

Year to date Total - 62.45 lbs.

 

Hop on over to Daphne's Dandelions, our host of Harvest Monday to see what's going on in gardens around the globe!

Too Busy to Blog & Garden Update

Yes, everything is A-OK.....I've just been too busy with work, life and the garden to blog!!! "The Italian" and I had a lovely vacation in May. The garden is doing great and work is busy as usual. I really appreciate the inquires.

As you can see the plots are bursting with growth! We had one heat wave already in late May. Other than that the rain has been consistent and the heat wave didn't seem to hurt the spring crops.

Plots from the front

The Eggplant were getting nibbled, but the new growth is good.

It looks like they are going to be OK

 

The Peppers are looking good and so are the potatoes (on the left)

The Broccoli is forming heads!!!



The Asparagus is finished for the year. We harvested about 3.5 lbs this year.

 

The Squash are coming up.....and we have Peas galore!

There are Snow & Snap Peas at the plots and Snap & Shelling Peas growing in the Home Garden. To date we have harvested more than 5 lbs. of Peas.

The Tomatoes are Happy!

 

The Cauliflower has yet to form heads. But, I'm sure they will be forming soon!

The Cabbage is starting to form heads.

 

The Blackberries have lots of blooms....so do the Raspberries!

 

The Strawberry bed has to be kept covered due to the birds.

We've picked more than 17 lbs. of strawberries so far this year!!!

Overall the garden is looking great and we are happy gardeners!

 

How's your garden growing so far this year???



 

Harvest Monday............06/25/2012

The harvests are starting to pick up a bit around here. The spring broccoli, cauliflower & cabbage were started a bit late since I didn't think the plots would be ready. In spite of the late start, the broccoli is doing well. I planted 3 varieties. So far, the Premium Crop has produced the biggest heads. Four varieties of cauliflower were planted. To date, only one variety has produced heads. This was the Silver Cup, which is a 45 day variety. As you can see from the picture below, the heads started to bolt on the first day of our heat wave this past week. It still tasted wonderful though! Since the temps have dropped significantly, maybe the rest of the plants will be able to produce something.

This is a drawer in the kitchen refrigerator. We are so so happy to have some broccoli and cauliflower this year!

The strawberries are trickling in a little at a time. Some of them do make it back to the house.

I pulled a Walla Walla onion the other day for dinner. It wasn't ready, but we had no onions left from last year.

This is the Silverskin softneck garlic.It was pulled on the 21st since it was completely lying on the ground. The heads are a nice size and it it now hanging to cure.

The Music hardneck variety was pulled on the 22nd. As you can see from the picture, the bunch to the left is bigger then the rest. This bunch was planted in a different bed. I guess it liked the soil better in that bed. All of the garlic is at least 2 weeks early this year. It will be weighed once it is finished curing.

I snuck a few more potatoes for dinner the other day. These are Kennebecs. It looks like we will have more potatoes this year then we can possibly use. I'm sure my in-laws will be happy about that!

Hop on over to Daphne's Dandelions, our host of Harvest Monday to see what's going on in Veggie Gardens around the globe!

Harvest Monday............06/18/2012

I can't believe the last time I did a Harvest Monday post was on April 23! I have been weighing most of my harvests, but not all of them. Of course, a lot of the strawberries end up not making it to the house.

I started harvesting broccoli this past week. I am extremely happy with the broccoli so far. I really didn't think I would have the plots ready for spring broccoli....so, they had a late start. Last year my broccoli was a bust due to the weather.

The first head of broccoli from the home garden with some garlic scapes.

All of the scapes have been harvested weighing in at 8 oz total.

This is the first head of broccoli from the plots and a few new potatoes that I snitched for dinner. I planted 4 different varieties of broccoli this year. So far the Premium Crop is doing the best.

The first carrots harvested this year. These were in the big container which I started inside in the basement. They aren't the prettiest.....but, they sure did taste good!

I've been harvesting some strawberries at the plots. Most of them get eaten there. The few that have made it home to get weighed have weighed in at 1.5 lbs. total. Surprisingly the new strawberry roots are producing way more then the transplanted plants. I think the transplants were moved at the wrong time. But, I had no choice in that. I really like the Jewel variety the best so far. They are really sweet and much bigger then the other varieties.

I planted a different variety of shelling peas this spring. The variety is Alderman. They get really tall, about 7'. I'm really not thrilled with the flavor though. I like Little Marvels much better. So, far the shelling peas weigh 1 lb. 10 oz. shelled. There will be a little more to harvest and then the vines will be pulled. I am planning to sow a fall crop of peas. Hopefully, I can get them in early enough to produce a harvest. 

Hop on over to Daphne's Dandelions, our host of Harvest Monday to see what's going on in Veggie Gardens around the globe!

Thursday's Kitchen Cupboard..........6/07/2012

Since half of my strawberry plants were moved and half are new roots this year, I am not anticipating enough strawberries to keep "The Italian" happy for a year. So, last Friday I went to an Organic Pick Your Own Strawberry Farm to pick some strawberries for canning and freezing. I picked 16 pounds of fresh strawberries. Needless to say, there were a lot of things strawberry going on around here this past week!

First, I made some Strawberry Jam following Daphne's recipe from last week. I usually use pectin in my jam and I think I was a little short on the amount of lemon juice needed. I also added about 1 1/2 Tbsp. of Balsamic Vinegar to the recipe. The vinegar is supposed to bring out the flavor of the strawberries. The jam tasted wonderful, but it was a little too runny. I ended up re-making it with some added pectin and now it is fine. I really think the Balsamic Vinegar gave it a great flavor.

Next, I made some Strawberry Syrup. Daphne posted about making this last week also. I used 4 Cups of crushed Strawberries, 2 Cup of Sugar and 1 1/2 Tbsp. of Balsamic Vinegar. The mixture was cooked for a few minutes until the Strawberries were soft. Next, I strained it with a jelly bag, returned it to the pan and cooked it down until it was more syrup like. It is wonderful!

Next on the list was Strawberry Infused Vodka. This is in the large jar on the left in the picture above. "The Italian" and I have made infused vodkas in the past, but never Strawberry Vodka. 

I found a recipe that called for 1 1/4 lbs. of Strawberries to 750ml. of Vodka. I used 1 lb. of Strawberries to 2 Cups of Vodka, since that's all that would fit in the jar. This is very easy to make. Just chop the strawberries, put them in the jar and add the vodka. Cover the jar and keep in a cool dark place for 3-5 days, stirring daily. I didn't stir it and it turned out great. When the vodka is ready, strain and return to a glass container. The Strawberry Vodka would be wonderful with a little Strawberry Syrup and some seltzer or to make a Strawberry Martini! We decided to save it for our special Gardening Blogging visitors this coming Monday! 

"The Italian" found a great Strawberry & Avocado Salsa recipe in a magazine to be served with Chipotle Grilled Pork Tenderloin. He and his daughter made this last Sunday for dinner. It was delicious!

Strawberry & Avocado Salsa

• 4 Cups Quartered Strawberries
• 1 1/3 Cups Chopped Peeled Avocado (about 1 large)
• 1/4 Cup thinly sliced Green Onions
• 2 Tbsp. chopped Fresh Cilantro (recipe calls for 1/4 Cup)
• 3 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
• Salt

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss gently.

The recipe for this salsa and pork can also be found here.

Other things Strawberry this week were Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberry Syrup and fresh Strawberries, lots of plain Strawberries and Strawberry Shortcake. I also froze and vacuum sealed  four 1 1/2 lb. packages of fresh strawberries for later use. 

What's been going in or out of your Kitchen Cupboard lately???

The State of the Plots Mid-May

It seems like it has been non-stop since we got home from vacation! I spent a few hours at the plots on Saturday and then we had to go shopping for Sophia's BD Bar BQ on Sunday. We always seem to be away on her BD. So, I told here we would have a BD Bar BQ on Sunday after we came home. After shopping there were important things to do, like bake a cake and start the homemade baked beans. Sunday was packed full of putting the cushions on the outdoor furniture, cleaning up a bit, cooking and then putting up a canopy since the temps were in the 90's! The Bar BQ was a great success and Sophia was very happy!

Yesterday I had planned to catch up on blog reading and visit everyone's Harvest Monday posts. In the morning I decided to clean out the refrigerators and some canned peppers that I was not happy with. All went well until I managed to clog the plumbing in the under-slab in the basement between the main pipe coming from the kitchen and the floor drain. The remainder of the day was plumbing related, including a visit from the Roto Rooter man!

I was going to post the pics I took on Saturday. But, this morning I ran over to the plots in the misty rain to cover the strawberries that the birds think is a buffet! So, I took some more pics. There are lots of pics in this post!

Click on any picture to enlarge.

Before we went on vacation, I planted all of the Tomatoes, Eggplants & Peppers in the rain!! It wasn't the perfect time to plant them. Although Sophia is perfectly capable of taking care of the plants, I really didn't want her to have to tend to them. She does have school and track, which is very important.

Bed#1 The Potato Bed

The potatoes really took off while we were gone. Some of these weren't even out of the ground when we left. Hopefully, I can get over there tomorrow and mulch them with straw.

Bed #2 Tomato Alley #1

The tomatoes are doing very well with the exception of Aphids. I found aphids on some of the plants on Saturday. I was hoping that the pests wouldn't find the new garden the first year. I am going to make a spray today with potato leaves and see how that works.

The new growth looks great and so do the weeds!! Mulching to do!

Bed #3

The empty front section of this bed will have a Three Sisters Planting and some trellises for beans, cucumbers and cantaloupe

Toward the other end of this bed is Cauliflower, Eggplant and Hot Peppers. 

There is also space for another trellis at the end.

The cauliflower was really small when I put it in. I didn't think I would have the plots ready in time to plant spring cauliflower. We shall see if they produce. If not, I have plans for a fall planting in another space.

New growth on the Eggplants look great!

The Peppers also seem to be doing very well.

Bed #4 Tomato Alley #2

Not the best pic, but the tomatoes are doing just fine. There are two though that are struggling a bit. 

Bed #5

The empty section at this end will have trellises for more Beans, Spaghetti Squash and Korean Melons. At the far end is where the Zucchini will be planted.

This is toward the other end of Bed #5. 

I have planted Broccoli, a few Cabbage, 4 Chinese Cabbage and the Sweet Peppers. There are also some tiny Leeks planted in front of the Chinese Cabbage. Hopefully the Broccoli will produce since it was started earlier then the cauliflower. If not, there is a fall planting planned. One of the Chinese Cabbages bolted from the heat over the weekend. So, it will be removed.

Bed #6

The Blackberry & Raspberry transplants are doing very well. Since the blackberries won't get too big this year, I planted onions & celery around them. There is also space for a trellis on the end where I will plant Lima Beans.

Bed #7 The Strawberry Bed

The plants that I covered were transplanted from the old site. The new strawberry roots that were planted this year are at the far end mulched with straw. They are all doing very well.

Bed #8

This bed is along the right side of the plots. The Asparagus beds are at each end and there are onions and a few celery plants in the middle.

As you can see, the asparagus is going to ferns. I am so pleased that they made it through the transplant. Even though we did not have much of a harvest this year. The Fava Beans in the front are doing much better with the exception of ants. Last year I had the same problem with them. As soon as the rain stops I will try using cinnamon on the plants as a pest control.

That's the "State of the Plots" right now. There is still a ton of work and planting to do over there. I haven't decided what I am going to do with the paths. The gate is not up yet and I also have to sow the popcorn and beans along the front. I really think the worst part of the work is over. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and I can spend a few days over there sowing some seeds and tidying up a bit!

An Update on the Plots

The plots are starting to take shape. I managed to get everything transplanted from the old site to the new site last week. I also planted the potatoes, onions, overgrown favas and a couple of celery plants. Then we had some much needed rain over the weekend which lasted into Monday. Monday evening I went over  and turned over the next 5' x 20' bed. Yesterday was election day here in PA, so no visit to the plots. I am an election official and was working from about 6:30 AM until about 9:30 PM.

All of the potatoes have been planted in the long bed on the left. I covered the area in the front before the rain hoping to keep the grass from growing. This will be the last area dug, prepped and planted.

One post for the gates is up. I couldn't use the supports that we used at the old site. There is no way to pound those long supports in since there are so many BIG rocks deep down in the ground. Since I had already cut the posts down to 6', I couldn't just use concrete and stick them in it. 

I am using post tie that attaches to this bolt in concrete. I didn't take any pics of it and of course did have an issue with the one which I won't go in to today. Hopefully, it is all worked out and the other post will be in place soon.

Here are some Fava Beans planted in front of the Asparagus.

I started my Fava Beans inside since I didn't have a place ready for them at the plots. Then we had that really hot weather and.....as you can see they got really big before I was able to plant them. Hopefully they will be OK. I also planted a lot of onions in the middle bed and a few celery plants.

The Blackberries have been moved from the old site to the new site and seem to be pretty happy so far.

The Strawberries have also been moved. 

I lost about half of the plants from our severe heat and droughts last season. There are more roots on the way which are scheduled for delivery today.

Monday evening I turned over the next 5' x 20' bed. This bed will be prepped and framed in this evening. Once that is complete, I only have 3 more large beds to do. The rain really did help the working conditions over there......no more Dust Bowl!!!