Harvesting

I'm a couple weeks late in this post...  It was the end of August that I started seeing the tomatoes ripening in small bunches, and the beans were first being harvested as well.  I've picked 3 (soon to be 4) zucchinis off the plants too.

The cherry tomatoes are going NUTS which is great because with two kids under 5 who love to eat them, and me, who loves to load them into salads, we've got plenty to go around.  I may even have enough to can a batch or two for sauce!

Bringing in one of these dry pints every few days...

While the beans have been growing *really* well now, I've found that their planting was probably unnecessary since we've been getting a pound from the CSA each week for the last several.  Their beans are more desirable in flavor and texture when cooked, and I've found the my kids don't eat the ones I've grown unless they picked them and are eating them raw.

Fun to watch growing, not so great eating. :(

My gigantic Mama Leone bushes are doing really well- tomorrow I'll bet the first of the tomatoes from it will be ready. Edited to add: I just went outside and plucked it from the vine! I'm crossing my fingers I may be able to get a couple more vine-ripened but it's a gamble at this point.  My garden is starting to show patches of moss here and there and with the lack of any real sunny days it's not going to get any better. I've got to put in my order for crimson clover which I've read is a great cover crop for my area since I've decided not to try and do a winter garden this year.  I'm already behind on planning and last year netted me virtually nothing so I'm giving myself this season off.  My plan will be to build up the raised beds at least a foot off the ground (right now they are virtually ground level as you might have seen) in hopes that it will make the area less desirable for my dogs to tromp around in and also provide a bit of aesthetic dimension to my already basically flat backyard space.

First Mama Leone tomato!

Pumpkin pumpkin who spots the pumpkin??  This guy is just starting to show a *tinge* of orange (picture taken a week ago).

Also finally blooming are the sunflowers our neighbor gave us. They are absolutely beautiful and I'm finding I love them more and more each time I go out and see they are *still* blooming.  I've already decided they will be a regular part of our yard from here on out as the kids really like seeing them grow as well.