Summer's Bounty

Potatoes, zucchini and a couple of cukes from a few weeks ago

I started writing this over a month ago but as any gardener knows when things are growing there is little time to write about it. I wish I could have picked blackberries (like I had planned) and to make pickles (like I planned). Oh well.... maybe next year. Working kind of gets in the way of all these things.

That being said my little garden did pretty good this year. Things didn't turn out quite how I expected but because of this I have already made some decisions for next year. My potatoes are all dug up and drying in the basement. The ones I actually planted didn't do the greatest but the ones that were volunteers in my other box did really well. Not sure why because I know you aren't supposed to plant in the same spots. I didn't have the heart to pull them out but I did add so much in the way of new soil and amendments I guess it was okay. Decision number one. I don't think I will grow potatoes next year. Too much space, and quite honestly mine just didn't taste as good as the lovely little new ones you can buy at the market.

The acorn squash did really well and it looks like I will harvest quite a few of these little guys. They were pretty fun to grow and easy but I think next year I would like to try butternut squash like I had originally intended.  The cucumbers that I grew alongside the squash did okay but not great. I have never had great success with them but they were tasty and I will attempt again next year. Maybe in their own dedicated beds with supports. I kind of wanted to pickle a few but didn't have enough cucumbers and like I mentioned above, not enough time either.

The peas are long gone but they were good. Again, will do more of them next year. Carrots were great. I tried Nantes seed tape and they were the most perfect carrots ever. I did another row of the same seeds that I used last year and somebody ate the tops off. Every single one of them, eaten. I did see a mouse a couple of weeks ago so I think he was probably the culprit.

The beans were a yellow wax bean but they seemed to be green and purple as well. Not sure what happened there. They weren't the greatest so I think I will try a different variety next year and stick with the bush beans. I seem to have more success with them. These guys were a bit tough and stringy. Can't wait to eat all of the ones I have in the freezer!

The kale is great and I haven't picked my beets yet but am looking forward to them. I hope the mouse doesn't like beets (like my husband). I have made a couple of batches of kale pesto with roasted red peppers that are in the freezer for winter. I put some in some pizza sauce this weekend and it was very very good.

I found my two eggplants hidden amongst the peas a while ago and had to rescue them and move them to a less crowded spot.They are too late to produce anything for this year but I might take the big one home and put it in a pot if it starts to get too cold outside. Maybe I can coax an eggplant under grow lights in my basement? I will try eggplant again next year but start them much, much earlier.

The one thing that didn't disappoint this year was zucchini. I had a bumper crop. I wasn't able to make it to the garden last week because of the rain and I was treated to 6 zucchini when I went this Saturday. Two big ones and four smaller ones. With one of the large ones I made two zucchini loafs and one zucchini chocolate brownie cake. I have been on the hunt for good zucchini loaf recipes. I made one a couple of weeks ago and it was kind of dry which is strange because it shouldn't be that way. I found these two recipes on Pintrest from a blog called The Sweet {Tooth} Life and they are very good. The chocolate brownies were to die for, just cook it a lot longer than she says and it should be fine. Mine was a bit soggy in the middle but it was still really really good, but next time I make it, and there will be a next time. I will cook it a lot longer.

Another great recipe I made were the most amazing zucchini fritters. They were absolutely fabulous. It is from a wonderful blog, A Garden for the House and here is the link for the recipe.  It is actually an appetizer but it was lovely for a side dish. Try it. Even Zucchini haters I think would like it.

The tomatoes are just beginning to come into their own and deserve their own special write up. Until then, Happy Harvesting!