late summer fields
The late summer always surprises me. Suddenly the fields change color – the greens turn to yellows and golds. The light and the air change. The days are getting shorter. Though the vegetable garden is certainly still growing and producing, the hot weather crops are winding down and the fall crops are growing. I have had all sorts of big events this summer. Parties and family. Its gone by much too fast. But has been a wonderful summer. In a few days school starts, and the fall business season will…
community garden plot update
I missed going to my garden today with other activities to occupy us. I’m looking forward to a visit tomorrow. I’m trying to water the garden well daily. We aren’t getting much rain and I planted so many seeds earlier this week. I want to make sure they get a good start. I have a nice crop of basil, ready to be harvested. It will make a good project for tomorrow. We’ll cut it down, Pull off the leaves, process, then add olive oil pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and salt.…
red summer crisp
This is the lettuce I have been growing this summer. Red Summer Crisp from Johnny’s. It has grown slow in the heat, but has not bolted. A beautiful shade of dark red in full sun, light/brighter red underneath my tomato plants.
making red sauce
With four big bowls full of ripe tomatoes on my counter, last night I made up a quick red sauce. This was the real quick version. Just chop, cook, remove skins, then freeze. Oh, and lick out the pan – it was VERY tasty! I think the mix of so many varieties made it taste so good. tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) Skippy’s vegetable recipes
summer chiles
By far, my best chile this summer is a cayenne plant given to me by Amelia. It has been producing bright red spicy chiles for a couple weeks now. I’m looking forward to saving seeds from this plant, as Amelia did, and growing them again next year. Of course, one of the reasons this plant did so well is that it got the front seat in my chile pots. The plants towards the back have had to compete with pumpkin, gourd, sunflower and dahlia leaves. Not so easy. And considering…
baby pumpkin
My first pumpkin is ripe! This is a variety called Baby Pam. It weighs just under 2 lbs (same as that giant yellow squash behind it). I’ve resorted to using my summer squash as decoration. I don’t know how long they will last in the basket on my porch. I was amused to read this post by Soilman: At this time of year, the house feels like a farm shop. There are vegetables everywhere. The pattypan courgettes have gone berserk. We can’t keep up. So the traditional question, “What to…
fall seedlings
I have transplanted all my fall seedlings into the garden now. I started them in seed packs a few weeks ago. Mostly greens. Lettuce, endive, arugula, dill, spinach and broccoli. I have a mesclun mix. Also a fall greens mix that seems to have a lot of kale and other brassicas. I also sowed roots: radish, beets and carrots. We’re down to about 50 days left until frost! The 50 day crops include early carrots, small beets and broccoli. With luck, maybe I could still seed more of these. Lettuce…
cultivate your own – 100 reasons
100 reasons to grow a vegetable garden: “Find the shortest, simplest way between the earth, the hands, and the mouth.”-Lanza Del VastoTo participate in one of the basic parts of living – producing your own foodFree food!Reduce trips to the grocery storeTo reduce pesticides and chemicals in your foodTo experience the seasonsTo increase vitamin D levels by regular sunlight exposureTo breath fresh airFor physical exercise that produces something tangibleTo hear the birds singingFor the beauty of the plantsFor the scents, colors and sounds of the gardenTo create a work of…
This is a journal of my vegetable gardens. Skippy thinks the garden is his, even though I do all the work. We're located near Boston, in USDA zone 6. I have bees, chickens, fruit trees and berry bushes, too. I use all sustainable organic methods and strive to grow all of my family's vegetables myself. -Kathy
weeks and counting until my last spring frost
My garden this week
Skippy’s vegetable of the month – Egyptian walking onions!
