What's in the Garden?

[CWS4322]

What's in my garden now? Lots of dying, dehydrated plants of all sorts. Hottest, dryest summer in local memory, and can't keep up with the watering.

That's so disappointing. We are experiencing the driest summer since 2001. We have been irrigating, but with 6000 row feet planted at two properties, it takes a lot of water (we are on well water) and time. At the farm, we have a separate well for the barn, so have been using the water from that well. We figure we are putting 400 gallons of water on the gardens a day. That's a lot of water. The zucchini, cukes, and squash are suffering. The beans love it and are very prolific, the tomatoes have set fruit, but nothing ripe--yet. These are heirloom varieties. The season started as a very promising garden season--now, well, we're trying our best to keep the gardens watered. It isn't easy.

 

[CWS4322]

Barely after high noon here--have picked cukes (not enough for a batch of pickles...have to do refridge pickles), broccoli (one head for lunch, the rest for the freezer), pole, bush, and wax beans; plus kohlrabi, okra, beets, carrots. lettuce. onions, potatoes, peppers (sweet and various hot ones), bok choy, cabbage, kale, Swiss Chard (always), and summer squash (3 varieties). The tomatoes aren't ready yet and I'm not picking corn until the car is loaded and I'm ready to head home (except for the corn I plan to eat here--that I'll pick once the pot boils). Inside hiding from the sun for a few minutes.

 

[Dawgluver]

Wow, CWS, quite the harvest!

I've got a nice basket full of ripe tomatoes, some cukes, and green beans. The cherry toms are starting to come on. Peppers aren't as prolific as last year. The ground squirrel population IS prolific this year, and the critters are also enjoying my tomatoes. It's been so hot and dry, I put out a big dish of water for them, as I think they're looking for moisture from the toms. I do vegetables in large containers in a fenced in area, so it's fairly easy to keep watered.

 

[Addie]

Barely after high noon here--have picked cukes (not enough for a batch of pickles...have to do refridge pickles), broccoli (one head for lunch, the rest for the freezer), pole, bush, and wax beans; plus kohlrabi, okra, beets, carrots. lettuce. onions, potatoes, peppers (sweet and various hot ones), bok choy, cabbage, kale, Swiss Chard (always), and summer squash (3 varieties). The tomatoes aren't ready yet and I'm not picking corn until the car is loaded and I'm ready to head home (except for the corn I plan to eat here--that I'll pick once the pot boils). Inside hiding from the sun for a few minutes.

Busy, busy, busy!

 

[kadesma]

it's hot here but we are managing to keep things watered. Tomatoes are great and so juicy and sweet. Only problem are some neighbors down the road who think this is a farmers market that doesn't ask for cash, check, or plastic. It drives me mad when I have to chase the small youngsters home with an ask me first cuz mom and dad are to chicken to say may I....
Getting apples, peaches, not so many nectarines, cherry and mini yellow tomatoes, plus green stripe heirlooms,along with the Krim black,red yellows as well. Zucchini, jalapeno,s plus some that are blazing hot and were supposed to be Italian sweet frying peppers wonder what they are? Have 3 cubenelle's that are really prolific and I love them Had a fried batch last night with some foccacia yummy, there are 3 new fig trees, tons of Sun flowers that are making DH crazy, lots of California poppies,2 apple trees, each child will be getting a nice large pumpkin for halloween, yellow squash,all kinds of flowers which I'm really enjoying. Other things like pomagranates, oranges, Meyer lemons, tangarines. I know there is more but right now I don't remember it all.
kades

 

[Dawgluver]

Oooh, nice stuff, Ma! You've been busy too!

Maybe an electric fence for the little thieves, or a loud alarm system....

 

[kadesma]

Oooh, nice stuff, Ma! You've been busy too!

Maybe an electric fence for the little thieves, or a loud alarm system....

I need to do something. I feel like I've allowed some of this hit and run by not being more vigilent. But these kids are pretty darn smart. that's for sure. Maybe I should just pick a bag of something and go door to door and and say this is so the kids don't have to feel guilty for looting or is it plundering
ma

 

[Dawgluver]

I need to do something. I feel like I've allowed some of this hit and run by not being more vigilent. But these kids are pretty darn smart. that's for sure. Maybe I should just pick a bag of something and go door to door and and say this is so the kids don't have to feel guilty for looting or is it plundering
ma

If you know who the thieves are, I think that would be a sweet idea, as well as giving you an opportunity to speak to the parents. It might shame them into curbing their kids. This is ridiculous. You shouldn't have to sit outside with a shotgun in order to protect your stuff.

 

[Addie]

I need to do something. I feel like I've allowed some of this hit and run by not being more vigilent. But these kids are pretty darn smart. that's for sure. Maybe I should just pick a bag of something and go door to door and and say this is so the kids don't have to feel guilty for looting or is it plundering
ma

It is outright stealing. It could be the parents are unaware of what the kids are doing. If you choose to speak to the parents, ask them if they would be willing to pay for whatever the children steal in the future.

 

[taxlady]

... Only problem are some neighbors down the road who think this is a farmers market that doesn't ask for cash, check, or plastic. It drives me mad when I have to chase the small youngsters home with an ask me first cuz mom and dad are to chicken to say may I....

If you have chased them away and they come back, it's time to talk to their parents.

 

[CWS4322]

Here are some photos of the stuff I brought home from the farm garden today:

 

[CWS4322]

One pound of purple onions,
Two kohlrabi,
three pattypan squash,
four cucumbers,
five yellow beets,
six pounds of chard,
seven yellow zucchini,
eight baby carrots,
nine gallons of purple beans,
ten quarts of wax beans,
eleven ripe tomatoes,
twelve ears of corn and 18 brown eggs...

What did you pull from your garden today?

 

[Addie]

Mary, Mary, quite contrary. How does your garden grow?

One pound of purple onions,
Two kohlrabi,
three pattypan squash,
four cucumbers,
five yellow beets,
six pounds of chard,
seven yellow zucchini,
eight baby carrots,
nine gallons of purple beans,
ten quarts of wax beans,
eleven ripe tomatoes,
twelve ears of corn and 18 brown eggs...

 

[Kylie1969]

Here are some photos of the stuff I brought home from the farm garden today:

Wow, what a lovely array

 

[sparrowgrass]

C-Dub, you forgot " and a partridge in a pear tree" !!

 

[CWS4322]

C-Dub, you forgot " and a partridge in a pear tree" !!

That's cause I don't eat my hens! I also forgot the two heads of bok choy (are they heads?)--they are HUGE.

 

[FrankZ]

We picked some more maters today, some jalapenos, Thai chili peppers and an okra.

 

[CWS4322]

Thanks for reminding me--I have six okra in the fridge that I need to blanch.

 

[Cheryl J]

Here are some photos of the stuff I brought home from the farm garden today:

Holy cow! Beautiful......!

 

[FrankZ]

Thanks for reminding me--I have six okra in the fridge that I need to blanch.

Roast em!