Ending Season

Cukes gave up several weeks ago. Beans ran out about two weeks ago. This past Monday most of the remaining peppers were picked. There are still tomatoes. A few zukes are coming but sporadic. The winter squash seems ok - giant (it is big) purple banana squash. Apparently, this is to be picked when the stem starts to dry up. These guys are going to be bigger then watermelons! I'll give the tomatoes another week or two before ripping out.

We started discussing what to plant for the fall. At least we don't have to water as much!

I have more photos to sort out. Hard to keep up with this blog.

Tomatoes

This has been a great year for tomatoes! Persimmon tomatoes the size of softballs! I've had BLT's a few time & never get tired of them. Missing: photos of large tomatoes! Allyson's Sunsweet Tomatoes easily has out-produced all of the small types that have been planted. I think they are tastier than the yellow pear tomatoes in the supermarket. It hasn't been a particularly warm year, but maybe the night-time temperatures have been higher than usual & that is why the large tomatoes have done well.

This past Monday, Cindy picked ~ dozen roma tomatoes. I used them in a sause with zucchini - I used Graeme's recipe which I should post.

There are many artichokes, but when do they get picked? Time for googling..! The first ones I picked were too early - not very good.

When it rains, it pours! The bigger 'hot' peppers have rippen & I've been picking many the past two weeks. Poblano's look just like supermarket types. The unusual types are more interesting. Graeme & I picked a few 'chocolate' bell peppers last week. Most of these peppers & tomatoes have been used to make salsa - still not as hot as I like but good. They are also easy to stirfry with onion for fahitas.

There are a few squirrels running about & probably responsible for some eaten tomatoes, but there is enough food in all the nearby gardens that the effect hasn't been too bad.

harvest notes

Cindy, Graeme & myself watered & picked much today. We had ~2gal beans, 2 quarts tomatoes, many hot Serano peppers, a few other hot types of peppers and 4 eggplants! There were a few zucchini, but these are running out & there are no new flowers. So maybe end of season.

The remaining corn was stripped down by an animal. We lost maybe 6-8 ears. Overall, suppermarket corn is better and at 5 for a buck, who can argue?

The beans have been ok, but they tend to be chewy when they are big. My mother-in-law has a type that is more tender & freezes well. It has purple spots. I don't know the name, but we should plan this next year.

We are getting some nice size tomatoes and artichokes!

Tonight I will make a salsa with tomatoes, cilantro, hot peppers.

Since I am taking care of two gardens (my MIL is away for three weeks), I am getting a little burnt out.
-D