The lack of something green

It is official, if not for the herbs, strawberries, blueberries, and the four tomato and four pepper plants I bought recently, the garden is going to bare this year. Without someone to help me tend it, I am letting go of having a real urban farm this year. Fallow will be the ground and I am sad for it...

The last two years I have been two sick to tend it so Jenn did and this year she wants no part of it. I am not able, yet, to take on the vastness of what we had last year, so for this one year I will do what I can to make it ready for fall planting of garlic, and other hardy crops.

So much for being a full time urban farmer this year... and, to add insult to injury we have to move two of the chickens to a farm in Washington as they are too loud and the neighbor, in his words, "is at his wits end" over the noise.... we hope to keep Bruiser Woods and Laverne and add a couple of Maran pullets to see how that pans out.

More in fall when there is something to report.

Finally There is Food.

The weather has played havoc in the garden this summer. We have very few ripe tomatoes, no cukes, no melons, and the corn isn't ready either. We do have some peppers, some cauliflower, herbs, and the strawberries have started producing again. Strange. Scarlett runner beans are running a amok. There are a few sad excuses for pickling cukes and a TON of green tomatoes.

I have hopes that the weather will hold long enough for everything that did survive the cold to mature. It would be nice to slice inot a lovely ripe tomato, sprinkle it with salt and pepper and eat it warm out of the garden.

Anyway.... here are some photos....

Waiting for food.

The garden gets more lush everyday. Not much to eat yet, but the signs of what's to come are there. Tomatoes are nubs of green, but there are many of them. Cabbage are starting to make heads, carrots look like they might produce after a traumatic transplant, cilantro and celery get bigger everyday. The cucumber plants have the smallest nubs of fruit. The pepper plants are looking good. There are ears on the corn, beautiful purple and blond silks tease at as to what they protect.

We have had some potatoes and some beans and peas. Roasted with garlic and rosemary. The blackberry bushes in the alley are alive and we are picking everyday. There is a reason they call it a growing season. Not everything comes to fruition at the same time. So, I try and wait patiently for Mother Nature to do her thing. I will be happy when I can make a fresh grilled corn, tomato, and pepper salsa. A few more weeks should do the trick.

If Only The Sun Would Shine

It has been nice to not be suffering the fate of most of the rest of the country. Temperatures here have been on the cool side for most of what has been a summer that feels like spring or fall. If only the sun would shine the vegetables would grow and we could eat them. Right now, everything is so small, or green when it should be getting red.

We have managed to harvest some red potatoes and some Radicchio. The peas, because of the cool temps, are still producing and Jenn is happy about that. But, no chiles, no tomatoes, and no corn yet.

Mother Nature is a cruel mistress some years and this is one of them. We might not be harvesting much of anything for another month. I hope that I am wrong, but these long mornings of cloud cover sure are slowing things down.

How The Garden Does Grow and Thoughts on Eating Local

The garden in three stages.

With the sun comes growth. I am loving looking out the window today to see corn that is nearly as tall as me and peppers on the plant and flowers on the tomatoes. How lucky are we to have fresh eggs everyday, snap peas, and so much more to come as the summer meanders its way to fall.

It Is Finally Garden Season

At least for now. No rain for a couple of days and, if you can believe it, SUN. I had to water!

I worked outside for almost two hours today. A first since my surgeries. The strawberries are brilliant red, the blueberries are bluing, and the peas are finally getting fat. We thought they would never mature as they went in the ground late again this year. So, I must be grateful for the rainy days on behalf of the peas. The spinach that also loved the cold, damp days is ready to harvest.

I started a new tater patch this morning. I need to read up on raising healthy potatoes that don't get eaten by whatever is eating the first ones I put in. I have high hopes for my own Yukon Golds.

Although cranky about the fact that the corn might not be "knee high by the fourth of July", the garden is loving the sun. Everything is headed to the heavens. Tomato plants look like plants and not little knobs pushing through the dark soil. The sage plant is trying for a take over of it's corner of the garden. I already have a good bunch drying in my "farm" kitchen. I guess I better make some sage rubbed chicken thighs once it crisps up enough to be run through the grinder.

The oregano plant that nearly died when growing in a pot out front is so big and lovely that I have to make some kind of Italian something so I can crush it up in my hands and then take a deep, long, whiff of the aroma.

We have such a constant supply of eggs from Laverne, Bruiser Woods, Buffy, Dolly, and Penny. There are enough to keep us in all we need and enough to share with friends. Life is good, the garden is good, and I am healing. If you don't plant a garden, you should. It gives one time to pause and take in the beauty that is things that grow and bloom.