Harvest Monday....

It's Tuesday, So it seems a little late. Yet again.
This time it's my email not getting my pics from my cell phone I sent. But, then again it's always something. Isn't it?

This weeks harvest has been wonderful. All the citrus I can eat. All the pomegranates...
and some pictures!

Just look at those lovely fruits! In addition to what you see the girls had a birthday party that included the fun of plucking your own fruit to take home... too bad I wasn't aware of this until after the fact. Don't get me wrong I';m glad the kids are sharing and then neighbors all brought something healthy home instead of candy. It's just now the trees are bare and it will be a while before they are ready to harvest again.

First fall frost was due this week. So I dug up all the larger sweet potatoes even though the plants were still blooming profusely. Unfortunately tonight it's not just a frost and any chance of the bed producing anything other then the ones I didn't find yet are slim. I might get another 3 or 4 pounds if I'm lucky. Considering I harvest here and there throughout the year I can't complain.

The fall garden is finally starting to look like a garden again.

Still has a way to go but it makes me happy seeing green again!

Off to Alabama again this week. I can not wait to unplug and unwind. Also get to play with my new box blade. :-) Ah, the little things.

See you soon!

Barbie~

Harvest Monday?

Yup. I know. I blew it. Again. I keep forgetting to post my Harvests on Monday. Not like i haven't been doing this long enough to know by now. So. I guess today it's Harvest Tuesday! Wahooo!!!

We've been extremely busy around the house lately. Not just with harvests but lots of other things too. I havne't posted much the last few weeks and soon enough you'll find out why.

Meanwhile - The harvests right now are centered around my fruit trees. Persimmon and Pomegranates are the majority of what I am bringing in, but citrus and figs are also hitting the table pretty regularly as well...

My fruits are generally no spray. These pomegranates are no exception. Because I don't spray the outside rind of them gets speckled, and a bit ugly. But on the inside the arils are nice, plump and perfectly wonderful. These 6 below made nearly a gallon of arils. They are heading to the juicer tomorrow. :-) I can't wait for breakfast.

The persimmons turned into persimmon cake... This was better the 3rd day. It started out a little dry, but ended up nice and moist, a real treat!

OH! I nearly forgot. Also being harvested once again - EGGS! I'm SO incredibly happy about this. I had to break down and BUY eggs the last 2 months. Whats up with that? LOL.

That's it for my wonderful harvests. I know I had a few more that I didn't get pictures of, but my poor memory can't manage to keep track any more. I'm off to do some weeding!

See you soon!

Barbie~

Harvest Monday 2/10/14

It's harvest report time! 

This week the picking have been somewhat meager, but when you can harvest anything in January and early February I consider it a lucky draw. 

This weeks harvest looks much the same as the last few weeks...

Lemons grace my table again. There is one single honeybell orange that is almost ready to pick soon and a couple limes. I keep thinking the citrus fest will end and yet it continues... (I am so not complaining!)

4oz of broccoli this week. I did catch Savannah out there chewing on some. I will never know how much because she wont even admit that her mouth was full when I caught her! 

Another pomegranate graced our table as well. This one was hiding on the wrong side of the fence. These are the best poms because they escape my notice until they are at the bursting point. SOOO juicy and delish!

I lucked out and managed to keep one single tomato plant alive through the several freezes we've had. Turns out it's a roma and I'm now rather anxious to get some of the fruit ripened and on the table! I could use some fresh maters right now.

It's nearly Spring here and our temps lately have been getting into the 80's again. I am hopeful that it means our freezes are over for the year and I really want to get some more goodies in the ground. I did plant out a 3 or 4' section of peas, mostly sugar peas and some snow as well. They should be peeking up above the soil line today or tomorrow and that makes me HAPPY! :-)

See you soon!

Barbie~

Harvest Monday 10.14.13

It's the middle of October and I can't believe it! Welcome back to Harvest Monday. Thanks Daphne for always being such a great hostess. If it wasn't for you we wouldn't all get together to celebrate the harvest that are happening all over the world!

The last few weeks I have lost almost all of my bean plants. I think I also figured out why - but that is another post. I've replanted my green beans (AND my winter squash) 6 different times this year to no avail. All the seeds come up the seedlings look great and then - poof they just disappear into nothingness. Deader than a doornail. It's been frustrating to say the least. At first I chalked it up to our extreme weather. This summer, more than any other we've had enough rain to continually drown out the plants. But, I garden in raised beds and while the rain would still cause issues and allow certain types of plants to die off this amount of destruction was unprecedented. We've had more than 6 months in a row with over 10" of rain each month. You'd think that would be enough to cause the problem after all!

But, I have been able to harvest some beans. The lady peas and black eyes made it through OK, but even those are no starting to succumb to diseases. I can't wait to plant out my fall plants. I sure hope they do better!

This weeks harvest? BEANS... well, southern peas but it is still a bean. 

 

Don't let the pictures fool you. That is not a plate they are on. This is a very large serving bowl. The first picking was just over a half pound, the second a pound and the third a good 2 pounds. The green ones weigh more because they are not dried, nor will they be dried. They'll be used as snaps in my beans.  For a reference the green beans on the side of the bowl are 6-7" long.

 

Yes, I also harvest a few handfuls of green beans each time I harvested the southern peas and a couple lemons as well. They continue to trickle in a couple every few days. But, I've only got a few green bean plants that made it so the pickings are slim. I'll probably just throw them in the pot along with the beans and make some cornbread to call it good. Nothing like it!

 

Unfortunately like the rest of the year has been my harvest is not varied. (Thank goodness for eggs!) I sure hope to cure that with the cooler nighttime temperatures upon us now. Hope all is well in your garden.

 

 

See you soon!

 

Barbie~

Blogger issues

Turns out the picture problem has been going on since Friday. At least I know it isn't me. I'm trying to skirt the issue by uploading int he HTML format. Let's see if it works...

The first large bowl of pecans. These have now been dried and are awaiting vacuum sealing  
                             
Zucchini, tomato and oranges...
                            
My sweet girls gift of eggies. <3 I'm not sure which I like better. The chickens or the eggs. LOL.

So, if you have blogger and can't upload pics from your computer switch to HTML format and good luck!

See you soon!

Barbie~

Harvest Monday 12.05.11

December's first Harvest Monday report!

Linking into Daphne's for the party over there. Make sure you stop by to say hi and tell her thanks for hosting!

Well- after I said that I checked the link and she hasn't posted yet so if she doesn't post still pop on by and wish her well. She normally posts before the sun rises and keeps us gardeners straight!
This weeks harvests looked like this most nights:

I don't have a lot to share as the garden clean up from my week long hiatus hasn't even been completed yet. The peppers suffered from both my absence and a brief dip into the upper thirties. The marigolds that had spread 4' tall and 5' wide are both history. Wow what a sorry sight they are! The purple beans are nearly all gone. What is left is a tangled mess with a couple of live vines intertwined. It breaks my heart to rip them all out because there are a few left that are producing of course and this time of year there is no hope of starting any new plants and harvesting anything from them. The bush beans are nearly all done as well so a tiny handful this week is my pitiful bounty for green beans... but this is December - so I'm NOT complaining!

The cucumber vines also all shriveled up from the cold, and the tomatillos as well... I have one that is still alive but with only one alive it is doubtful that it could set fruit again this year so I will see tonight what is left to mature and bring in anything promising to finish the harvest for the tomatillos for the year. Time to start next years plants indoors! :-D They don't get nearly as tall as tomatoes so I'm seriously thinking about doing this. Besides the purple ones are kinda pretty.

The 'english' peas are doing well and Richard and I enjoy eating them as a snack fresh without cooking them. We eat them rather the way most people eat popcorn- in front of the TV. :-D

Some more Daikons and greens came in - and the first of the lettuce provided a nice salad this week, but silly me got to eatin' before taking a picture.

The Holiday season has officially set in full force as the sitter is officially on the schedule for the remainder of the month and every single week is jam packed with activities and I am scrambling to figure out when to do my baking already! I suppose this is a good thing, but the tree is only up and somehow we need to find time to string lights, and garland and ornaments, and decorate outside and sheesh! I'm tired just THINKING about all that. *teehee* When, exactly did I get O~L~D?

'Till next time!
Barbie~

Harvest Monday 11.14.11

Guess what time it is!? Time to join in to Daphne's Dandelions for this weeks edition of HARVEST MONDAY! So don't forget to stop by her place and see what everyone is harvesting - or how they are using their harvests!

This weeks harvest brought three first for our garden.

Our first (and only apple) Dorset. Please do not ask the size. It's embarrassingly small and not even enough for a snack. :-(

Our first pomegranate - There is still one more on the tree. Ah - well not bad for it's first year considering it was one of my 50% off bin recoveries. So far I've had a 75% success rate with those I have chosen. :-) I understand that next year I should have a bucketful. That would be nice!

Another first - a pound and a half of peanuts! YUMYUMYUYMYUMYUM.

There were loads of baby peanuts that didn't quite make it back to the ground. The space was restricted a little more than I wanted it to be but better a crop than no crop at all! I still have another small set of peanuts to harvest in the upcoming weeks, but I like to sow and harvest them in small sections so no nuts are wasted. Next year, though I may plant enough for some butter! The kids really enjoy fresh nut butters and I can't say as I mind making it or eating it myself. :-) But I may still be a little too restricted space wise to dedicate enough for that many plants. Time will tell!

We also had just over a pound of tomatillos, 6 ounces of green beans, 5oz of hot peppers and chilies, some key limes, basil, and a chocolate cherry tomato.

Soon to come pictures of my babies in the new garden patch. The radishes are at the party and some of the other seedlings are beginning to emerge as well. So come on back later this week to check out the progress. Now that i have my camera again I can actually show you the pretty little things!

'Till next time!

Barbie~

Harvest Monday 1.10.11

Hey it is ACTUALLY MONDAY!!! Whoot! Linking in to Daphne's for Harvest Monday!!

Guess what I got my first of this week? A strawberry! The first of the year - and I am hoping and praying there are many more to follow. My strawberry plants seem to have suddenly gotten lower. I don't know if that makes any sense at all but they are. I didn't dig them and divide this year and now that they are already flowering and producing I feel inclined to leave them until next fall. I'll have less of a harvest this year but less is better than none! So, one single 1oz strawberry. No picture, sorry. The girls devoured it before it even had the chance to get washed. Good thing I don't use pesticides!

This harvest Monday is all about the citrus.

I picked 5 gallons of citrus off the trees that wasn't ready prior to the frosts. Technically produced in 2010 but now it is succulently sweet and oh so juicy. I'm glad I waited to pick it. I turned it into 1/2 gallon of orange juice, 2 quarts of grapefruit segments, a citrus salad and loads of assorted segments for lunches. I also keep using the lemons on my salads in place of vinegar. Any time I can use lemon juice I prefer it anytime for my salads. Not to mention the 3 gallons of lemonade we drank this weekend.

There is still more fruit on my parents trees that they will never use. Namely the tiniest tangerines you've ever seen. I don't know if they are worth my while for segmenting out. As a fruit they don't last too long because the peels are thin, as a juice there is more pith than fruit...but I really ador the flavor of the fruit.
Garden progress? Well I seeded a small section. Some garden peas, carrots, a few broccoli, some lettuce and radish. I'm really just replacing what has been taken so far from the winter garden. As I've mentioned before I'm not much of one for cabbage or greens so those few things are the main stay of my frost tolerant garden. All in all it takes rough 10 square feet. Not much - it leaves a lot of the main garden empty, and the only remaining things in the smaller gardens are the year round plants like the trees, and vines.

This coming weekend is a 3 day holiday for me and I am looking forward to working my fingers to the bone. Our budget won't tolerate the new garden that was scheduled to go in but I'm going to try some 'artistic' financing to see what I can come up with. I don't technically NEED the planter finished until mid February but it would be so nice not to have to rush to finish the project if I don't have to. I've put off starting my tomato seedlings until next weekend as well so if I do need to wait on the new bed I won't feel so rushed to complete it then.

Harvest...12/13/10

Well. It's Tuesday again. This time my challenge was my card reader. Unfortunately it is officially dead. I'll need a new one soon. After all Christmas is near and pictures must be taken! :-)
We had back to back freezes this week and this morning was -3*C. Yes. Celsius. It looks better that way. It was 27* outside. Another hard freeze. It took the last of what had survived under covers. All but the Cole crops and a few peas and carrots still hanging in there.

Lemons and limes. I don't have any weights on this harvest. It was a scramble as the freeze had already set and we were no where near prepared for it. There was 2 colanders of these. Plus 3 oranges. But, I did get a half of a paper grocery bag full of tangerines. They are much prettier than the nearly ripe lemons here. Bright orange. Wish I was able to show you. They are much smaller than normal tangerines, and there is one seed in every other section, extremely juicy. It's just unfortunate that they don't keep for long term.

Lettuces I did weigh at 9oz. so 1/2 pound, not bad for they are fairly young still.

Some green tomatoes that were already blushing. They will turn in no time. These are the last for not only this year but this season. I won't see any of these things until late in spring. Also some Royal Burgundy beans, (my favorite this year) Serrano peppers, okra, Cubanelle, and 2 lemon peppers.

Here is part of my garden all iced over.

I was too chicken to go outside and take pictures.

I did manage to get the frost bitten plants out this weekend. I know that I have plenty to do to keep me busy until it's time to plant again. The beds are no longer raised as they were. The new sod has grown nearly as tall as the beds, and the extra height will not only be aesthetically pleasing but will be better nutrient wise for the plants. When I built these beds last year I was in a rush for completion and didn't dig them as thoroughly as I wanted to. The amendments will do wonders.

I believe this is my last harvest for 2010. I'll be back soon though. There is other harvesting to be done while it's this cold. There is another trip to Alabama to gather pecans. So far this year we have 5 pounds. I'd really like to have more. We use roughly 1/2 pound a week for normal use. I'm capable of using the entire 5 pounds just in holiday baking. Good thing I had some left from last year. I understand it's not just our trees that didn't cooperate. The entire county had an off year. It does glean a little hope for next year because after an off year it's said that the following is a bumper crop. Maybe we'll have some to sell. That would be a first. Normally friends, family and our freezer manage to eliminate what we are blessed with.

Till next time!

Barbie~