Harvest for September 12th

Garden Update

by Andy
After two weeks on the Junior High Odyssey, I came back to discover that the gardens have been in overdrive. The excessive heat has resulted in everything ripening at once. So now is the time to come to the market. Stock up people! Freeze the extras. 

We had great support in the gardens while I was gone: Katie, Jen, Laura, and Donna all pitched in to try to keep up with the harvesting. Thank you! And this week we had Great River High School out for their fall visit and Class G coming to help harvest on Thursday. 

The Broccoli family has come on too fast, too strong. Successive plantings are maturing all at the same time. And we planted more this year. We have a lot of cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage now, but maybe not so much in a month. So design some meals this week around the broccoli family, and hope for cool weather to slow them down a little. Also, while you are hoping for things, ask for a good soaking rain - we are dry,dry,dry,dry.

Some good news is that some of the crops that got a slow start with the cool June seem to have come along nicely. The winter squash is ripening, finally, and tomatoes, peppers, melons, and eggplant are coming on strong. 

The powdery mildew that was threatening the cucumbers when I left, has done them in almost entirely, so that ship has sailed for this year. Likewise, the sweet corn that was just starting two weeks ago, has fizzled due to combination of prolonged drought and invasion by a colony of raccoons. Next year - electric fence for the sweet corn. 

Here's what I think will be harvested tomorrow:

Herbs: basil, parsley, other herbs.

Arugula and Lettuce mix - some and maybe a few heads of lettuce.

Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Napa Cabbage, Bok Choy

Beets, Turnips, Radishes, Carrots, Potatoes, Onions, Scallions, Garlic

Zucchini, Cucumbers (a few), Green and Red Peppers, Hot Peppers

Eggplant, Red Tomatoes, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Cut Flowers

We reserve the right to add to this list.