August 5, 2013

Harvest Monday, 8/5/13

Tuesday's harvest: Eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash are really starting to coming in and we are still getting a few cucumbers although the plants look like they are on the downward slide into oblivion.
This is from the same Tuesday picking, more summer squash and zucchini. Look how the overgrown squash on the right look like shmoos, those wonderful mythical beings who love to be eaten (they were not counted in this weeks weigh in).
Friday and Saturday's harvest: Tomatoes were picked along with fresh hot peppers which were canned into 16 jars of salsa on Saturday, the jars are 3/4 of a quart so about 12 quarts total. Plus the 2 quart jars in the fridge were refilled for cooking and immediate consumption.
Sunday's harvest: A handful of Red Noodle yard long pole beans, okra, a single cucumber, and all manner of eggplants. The little round eggplants are a bit different then normal eggplant, they have a firmer texture perfect for soups and simmered coconut curries.

The garden is looking very overgrown and crazy messy. Pictures will be shared later this week. Shield shaped squash bugs are all over the eggplants, tomatoes, and pole beans. There are swarms of flea beetles amongst the eggplants. And vine borers have decimated a few winter squash vines. It has been raining too regularly for me to dust the plants with diatomaceous earth but something will have to be done soon.

I have been thinking about a fall garden in an abstract way, I don't know if I'm up for it. Maybe if the garden was flagging but there is so much canning and processing to be done. Pickled okra and hot peppers, dried eggplant, and maybe some tomato sauce are planned for the future.

This week's harvest:
17.89 pounds tomato
13.07 pounds eggplant
6.90 pounds zucchini
3.66 pounds summer squash
3.57 pounds cucumber
2.47 pounds hot pepper
0.79 pound okra

Totals: 48.35 pounds vegetables

Please join us for Harvest Monday hosted by Daphne's Dandelions.