Harvest

Summer Basil with Broccoli Looming Behind

     After a very cold and wet spring that lasted through June, my warm weather crops were really plodding. Leafy vegetables like Swiss Chard and Basil responded quickly to a little hot weather. But my tomatoes, cukes and green beans grew lots of leaves and stalks but refused to flower or fruit through all of July and part of August.Only my chili peppers began to fruit in July

     My cukes relented first toward the end of July. We grow the pickle type that does not need peeling. They had a great August and are just finishing up now. 

Hiding under a Leaf.

     We dug up half our crop of fingerling potatoes in August and just dug the last half up last weekend. These little guys melt in your mouth and are very easy to grow.

     Tomatoes always seem to involve a roll of the dice, and we usually plant about six varieties to increase our chances. August began with only our cherry and grape tomatoes that are still producing today. Larger ones followed -- very slowly. We have always had a basket full  in the kitchen, but we kept up with them fast enough that we have not been able to freeze any.

A large Tomato Peeks out.

     Our most prolific plants are the grape tomatoes that we have to pick up off the ground every morning.

Overnight Harvest

     Our 'Early Girl' tomatoes, which are bred to mature early in the season, are just now going great guns after goofing off all  August. This season as a whole has not been a terribly prolific one. But what does show up is amazingly sweet and delicious -- far better than even the local farmers' market.

     And we are far from done. We continue to harvest broccoli, Swiss chard, parsley and basil every other day. And our new fall crop of snow and sugar snap peas is just now starting to flower. We will still be eating these well past the first several frosts.

Snow Peas Blooming