The garden continues to produce at an exceptional rate. The heritage tomatoes I purchased this year have stalks that must be twelve feet long. I have canned crushed tomatoes and a pureed tomato variant. I have also roasted up the smaller tomatoes with the added tastiness of onions, peppers, garlic and herbs, pureeing the result into a sauce that went into the freezer. Whole and perfect tomatoes get washed and frozen in plastic bags. I have made several batches of chili sauce. Many of this year's tomatoes are a small variety, which is ridiculous to peel.
The tomatoes overwhelmed the cabbage. I had never grown cabbage before but that which was not overtaken by the jack-in-the-beanstalk-like tomato plants have been quite yummy.
I planted more beans this year and there have been tons. I have frozen about two milk crates of beans, likely more. I had never grown turnip before either and they were very very successful. They were early. I put some in the basement only to find them shrivelled up a few weeks later. Of the later ones, many were too far gone but I still managed to get a bucket full and spent several hours freezing them yesterday.
As usual the zucchini have been incredible. We didn't eat all of last year's relish so I have not made any this year. Most of the zucchini has been chopped and frozen for later use in loaf, muffins, and dog food.
I have dug up a few potatoes but there are many more to be had. As well, we have had meals with carrots and beets, but there remain more in the garden.
The broccoli and cauliflower were not that great. I may not bother another year. Peas are a lot of work for a small amount. The white beans look good but we'll see how many I actually get. I planted melon for the first time and we ate one small one yesterday. Perhaps they were overtaken by the squash.
I planted a few more butternut squash this year. Just a few. Daughter and I recently harvested two wheelbarrow loads. She had fun getting dirty with Mom one afternoon.
Sister's Potager Garden has amounted to heaps of herbs. I have frozen some chopped basil mixed with olive oil. I recently picked rosemary and sage and have these drying. The parsley has been most enjoyable fresh. There has also been spinach, lettuce and arugula. Somewhere in that garden I planted sweet potatoes. I have not yet dug up any but there are green plants growing from the shoots I put in. And the peppers have also done well, as has the chard.
The hens visit this garden late each afternoon. They scurry around, scratching everywhere for whatever tasty bugs and worms they can find. Oh, and it has become a common resting spot for a big white dog or two....
Marjie
The wild barn kitty we re-homed here through a rescue organisation is still here. We don't see her much at all. I saw a flying fluffy tail a few weeks ago. Well before that I did manage these photos one morning.
She was enjoying the morning sunshine. Her colouring really is quite beautiful. Beau keeps hunting around her hiding spot. Humphrey visits too and one evening Beau chased him from this shed all the way to the barn. I have no worries about Humphrey or Marjie holding their own with Beau. I may be worried about Beau-dog though.....
