August 16, 2026
Enough with the cucumbers! I'm calling 'Uncle' on the pickling, although I am saving a couple of big, ripe cucs to make Hubby's favourite relish. I marked them earlier with some flagging tape so I wouldn't pick them by accident.
The first harvesting of green peppers, other than the random ones we've been eating.They got blanched, sliced and dehydrated, their tops and tails cubed and frozen. There are lots more, as well as the red guys that are maybe starting to colour...You have to look really, really closely! There are lots and lots of peppers, a really good pepper year. They love to be planted together. I have 16 plants in a 4' X 4' grid.The paste tomatoes are colouring...
and they seem to be out-pacing the ripening of the beefsteaks.Pumpkins are out-growing their slings on the fence, popping right out of them. I think they are sturdy enough to hold on without the slings.
Other squash are growing, some winter squash and acorns, and always later to the party, the butternuts. I'd been saving a good swathe of more or less weed-free lawn, cut and raked it up on Friday, then layered it into one of my compost bins with the dry, mulched leaves I've been saving in the barn from last fall. Making the layers here, and the result, this morning! Compost making is magic!I've been blanching and squirrelling the celery away in the freezer. Bags and bags for winter soup making...what a luxury! I will be totally self-sufficient in celery this winter.
There have been several afternoons of late, when there have been big rolling white clouds in the sky, giving us light, intermittent showers. One could get totally lost gazing at these beauties.
The next picture was taken in the evening, and the white edges on the clouds in the picture, were glittering gold, as the sun was in the western sky behind them. It didn't come through in the photo, but interesting none the less.Bald-faced hornets decided to build a nest on the solar array, sorry guys, not a good place,and one of the pictures on the trail cameras was kinda' cute. Mama and young 'un having a snack.Finally, my glads are starting to open.Pretty nasturtiums, one with a Bumble bee's bum.....
You really live the rural life.
ReplyDeleteWe have lived the 'urban' life....much prefer this one!
DeleteYour level of industry never ceases to impress me, and the results are astounding. I know that we can never “get back to then land” in a complete way, but you seem to have come the closest to it. Bravo, congratulations and keep on doing it! Best wishes - David
ReplyDeleteThanks David.
DeleteOur motto is...'Move it or loose it!' We bemoan the fact that things aren't as physically easy as they once were, but are learning to pace ourselves.
You have such a lovely, varied garden. I don't plant any hard squash at all. I am also regretting planting three cucumber plants. The joke is you must always have cucumber with every supper. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenn. I'm a lazy gardener! The squash, pumpkins, rutabaga, onions and garlic don't need much attention and little or no processing. Squash and pumpkins keep really well in a cool room, if handled gently.
ReplyDeleteAs for the cucumbers, lots less planned for next year, therefore more space to try growing something new and different!
You are having a great harvest, here the drought has made our harvest tiny.
ReplyDeleteYou are dry over there, and Ontario has had several damaging, flooding rain events this summer. The world is topsey-turvy. Last summer was drought here. Go figure!!
DeleteSuch a sweet pic of the fawn and its mama. And how lovely your garden harvest looks! Bad spot for the hornets though.
ReplyDeleteAnother initiate into the 'Garden Raiders Guild'.
DeleteIt is a good year for produce, as we've had decent rains at decent intervals.
The position of the hornet nest would inhibit one from adjusting the panel angle as fall approaches!
That is a great problem to have and an opportunity to share your bounty. We are lucky recipients of our neighbor's garden as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
DeleteExcess gets taken to the Food Bank locally.
We're seeing harvest season here too, with plenty of cherry tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. It's a wonderful time of year!
ReplyDeleteSo good to step out to the garden and harvest stuff for whatever one is cooking for supper! I try to preserve a lot, but fresh is always best.
DeleteOur cucumbers turned out to be duds, unfortunately. We did manage to buy about a bushel of cucs from a friendly gentleman on Turners Road. The pickle factory has been going all out since then. Today I made a batch of jam with wild plums. A lot of work for hardly anything though. I think I'll pass on that next year.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to cause the cucs to be duds?
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to compete with the critters for the wild fruit! There sure is a lot this year; pin, black and choke cherries, hawthorn berries, apples etc.