Farm Life

 First harvest of peppers.

Orchard goodness.

 Garden visitors.

 

Bee hive high-rise.

 

And a dropped basket of eggs, whoops!

Surprise! More Garden...

September means garden harvest is coming around full swing. The season is bittersweet for me, but definitely more sweet than not. A lot of work here on our little 5 acre farm. If I am not harvesting and processing something out of the garden every day, I feel I am failing. (a fresh bowl of salsa qualifies as success -I know to go easy on myself) I also feel completely blessed to have the opportunity to fail or succeed. I know it is a privilege.

Every year our garden space gets more organized, and with that, more productive. Finding my grove when it comes to bringing the harvest to table, as year around as possible, takes time... and I am impatient. Lessons all around, I guess.

I take notes, if only mentally, of what my family really does eat and how we can maximize our garden's potential. I did not plant any eggplant this year, but the garlic was doubled. Tomatoes add up to 65 plants and the bell peppers have never been so big. (perhaps it was the drink of compost tea we gave them earlier in the season) The pole beans are so-so --should've had them picked before now, same with the pickling cucumbers. The okra is over ripe, might have only a handful to fry up. And although fried okra is one of my favorites, it may not make the garden cut next year. I think more cutting flowers in the okra's garden space will bring me more enjoyment -I really do.
 

Our basil plants have had 3 cuttings equaling up to 2lbs basil butter (this stuff is delicious) and 20 cups of cashew pesto in the freezer. This makes me happy. Imagine me grinning really big -because I am. This last weekend I processed 15lbs of tomatoes into jam, and another 15lbs cored and in the freezer. The onions, potatoes, carrots, beets and pumpkins are all growing nicely. This evening I picked a large tote full of bell and hot peppers, the first big pepper picking of 2012. Take a guess at my to-do list tomorrow.