Harvest Monday

greens, artichokes, onion

Harvest Monday once again! Link up with Daphne's Dandelions and visit gardeners around the world!

Here in the US this is a holiday; Memorial Day, to remember those that have died for their country. Today I also reflect on my many ancestors that fought in the Revolution, Civil War and other times of trouble to ensure freedom for their descendents.

But the garden harvest does not wait for anything. The garden gives when it's ready to give and you'd better be there to catch it! Like my grandkids will say "You get what you get and don't throw a fit!"

My cooking greens have now generally been green chard, red burgundy amaranth and some fat nasturtium leaves. Nasturtium is too hot and spicy for me to eat raw, but it is a lovely addition to cooked greens. Also found these three small artichokes.

Royal Burgundy purple snap beans

This was a week of firsts. Here are the first purple snap beans. I now remember what I didn't like about the Royal Burgundy beans. They are not very bush like and they tend to sprawl all over each other in a tangle. I think I will try another variety next year; anyone have suggestions?

The first nasturtium blossom opened.

nasturtium blossom

trumpet vine

The trumpet vine began blooming this week; it's a big draw for the hummingbirds.

waterlily

My free waterlillies put out their first bud.

permaculture bed

Here is my experimental permaculture bed. In the center is a small Kadota white fig. Around the edges are comfrey plants which will be chopped down for mulch and animal feed. Also scattered around the edge are lemon mint, sunflowers and Kaboch squash. Sprinkled all over are buckwheat; also for animal feed and mulch. I also just discovered that buckwheat greens can be added to salad mixes. And their flowers are good bee food.

comfrey blossom

baby fig

Chaparral Sage blooming

Sage blossom

The Chaparral Sage by the driveway is blooming. I love the scent of this plant, I make bundles of it for smudge sticks and as an air freshener. Just leave a bundle in your hot car and it will smell wonderful when you get in it. When the sun is shining hot on the leaves you can smell these two small plants 10-15 feet away.

gnarly turnips

I realized (not the first time in my gardening life either!) that turnips really are mostly a fall crop. They began bolting and these two roots were the only ones in the patch that were big enough to do anything with. The rest went to the chickens.

first potatoes

More firsts this week were the first potatoes. The russets were from sprouting grocery store spuds and the red one is a Red Pontiac. I think all the work I put into the potato beds, begging for leaves, adding coffee grounds and potash, extra digging, is going to pay off in a nice crop this year.

first tomatoes

And the first tomatoes! The Princepes and the currants ripened at once. And of course a bird had to have a taste too.

Pearl Oyster Mushrooms

And a promise for next week! The mushrooms are growing!