Harvest Monday 6/27/11

Harvest Monday is a great chance to see what everyone around the globe is harvesting.   It is hosted by Daphne's Dandelions. Pop on over if you have a chance and see what is growing!

This week we had an assortment of things come from our garden. We started with something to put back in, seeds! Some of my scallions planted early had flowered and were so pretty we just left them. And now look, we have seeds for planting!



Scallion seeds


Also from the garden we harvested German Stripe tomatoes, Cherokee Purple tomatoes, Sorrel, lemon grass and our first cucumber!

German Stripe: 10 3/4 oz
Cherokee Purple: 1 pound, 5 oz
Sorrel: 10 1/8 oz
Cucumber: 1 3/4 oz
Favas: 3 - unweighed



Sorrel and a carrot

The leaves are huge

Lemon grass

Lemon grass sliced - I like the rings

Thai chilis, tomatoes, and first cucumber!

Stripe German and Cherokee Purple Tomatoes

Fava beans

We had the favas grilled with dinner last night, in addition to a super delicious salad of slice heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella and basil (from the garden). The sorrel we attempted to saute with some bok choy and serve with fish, I thought the tart lemony flavor would pair well with the fish. It was a disaster. The sorrel did not cook up well, turned brownish and the flavor was too strong. Oh well, now we know. The lemon grass was minced and mixed into a Thai chicken salad - delicious!

I was so excited to see that first cucumber. I love fresh cukes and the first was long awaited.  But I'm not sure how many this plant will produce, I had been battling some powdery mildew, I thought I had gotten rid of it... but then I looked on the underside of the leaves. Blast! Covered. So off they went. The poor plant looked nude afterwards. So if this plant goes to it's maker, I have 3 other kinds of cukes in the garden to wait for.

Happy Gardning all.

Around the garden

I had a slight setback in getting better over the weekend.  I decided that I was "well enough" to go for a run with the kids this Saturday, kept it short and relatively slow. Sunday we had some friends over for a cook-out, and Sunday night I could barely function I was so beat down.  Monday I was in bed until 2 pm. When I finally managed to drag myself downstairs, some homemade chicken and rice soup, a coke, dayquil and Doritos (hey, we all have our guilty pleasures) made me feel closer to human. So now the hubs and my running hubs (we have run together for the past 6 years, and people we meet assume we are married, even though we have told everyone we are each married to someone else and my kids look NOTHING like him! It's always good for a chuckle. It doesn't help that we live within 10 miles of one another and carpool frequently) have banned me from running until at least Wednesday and probably Thursday. Boo.  So I think I might have to do some yard/garden work.

I have been bemoaning my crazy floppy Favas in my daily garden inspection. The ants have been running around on them like crazy, and since they didn't seem to be doing any harm, I just let them have fun.  The flowers are coming and going with no pods in sight.  When all the sudden I noticed something......

We have little fava bean pods!  Geeking out! It's the little things in life that I have to enjoy and get excited about.  SO now the wait begins.... daily checking and making sure that pesky bunny doesn't nibble! 

You can click on the photo to zoom if you want.  Sorry about the haziness,
picture was taken through the sliding glass door.

The bunny was the surprise hit of the gathering this past Sunday.  He came out multiple times during the day, much to the delight of the kids.  And now I am getting to borrow a BB gun from a friend's kiddo!  He he he, watch out Mr. Bunny!

This was his breakfast this morning. A green strawberry.

More wandering around the yard showed me something else I have been checking and waiting for.... broccoli!  Look close....Now the hard work to make sure no pests notice it's there.

And one of the clusters on the CP. Hmm....Soon my pretties!  I am extremely envious of everyone who grows lots of the same plant to freeze and can fruits and veggies for the winter months. Maybe one day we can be productive enough for that. But for now we are enjoying every taste of homegrown goodies.

And can you see the ragged ends of the sorrel?  That is not the result of some marauding garden pest on four legs.... that is from the two legged variety.  I often find them standing next to the container nibbling on little pieces that they tear off. "Hmm, Sorrel Mommy, tastes like lemon." Mainly the big one, and not to be outdone, the little guy copies him. And Daddy has to have a taste as well. Good thing we are organic!

Sorrel - after the kiddos discovered it.

And something pretty to end the blog today.

Happy gardening all!  Off to Target for more OTC meds and maybe the garden store if I can drag myself that far.