The Patchwork Kitchen Garden: The Sixteenth Week
“Just as the seasons change and the honey bees pollinate the planet and make honey, we are also doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing. We also are a part of nature, certainly not separate from nature.” -Bryan Kest
We are on the cusp of the changing seasons, you can see it and feel it in the garden. Less song birds, the days are getting shorter and the squirrels, the squirrels are everywhere. The next thing you're about to read is a heartbreaking tale but it needs to be told.
A tragedy had befallen the garden, the squirrels ate my broccoli. I don’t mean just a head or even a little nibble, they ate all nine of my new heads that were growing and were only a few days from harvest. I actually cried, I was so absolutely upset that I cried and mourned my loss. It was especially hard because I had already sampled my first harvested broccoli and it was so delicious. My other broccolis were probably just as good or better since the squirrel ate every single one and left not even a crumb, just bare broccoli stems. I’m hoping that I’m going to get more shoots of broccoli and so far it’s looking pretty good. Towards the end of this week, I saw a few more growing. I’ll just have to get out my Cayenne to ward away anymore sneaky squirrels.
Other than that tragic start to the week, the rest of the week has gone spectacularly well. Slowly but surely my tomatoes are ripening, my first corn cob decided to emerge and I found not one but four female pumpkin flowers in the pumpkin patch.
As the days go by you can feel the season start to shift, we’re entering the later half of summer where a lot of the garden’s abundance is enjoyed. I’ve been picking vegetables and herbs out of my garden once or twice a week now. As well as the abundant harvests, I’m also prepping for fall and winter if you could believe it.
The canning season has already started and of course I’ve decided to start with peaches this year. The orchard I get them from has had a wonderful early harvest and I just couldn’t resist. But of course that’s only the beginning.
To go with the peaches, I plan on canning tomatoes as well as cucumber and jalapeno pickles towards the very tail end of summer. It's a very exciting and busy time both in the garden as well as the kitchen.
Although I’m currently planning and prepping for the canning season, I’ve already started drying most of my fresh herbs. I’m drying them in batches, only cutting away the mature herbs for drying so that way I can keep getting more harvests as the season progresses. When the time comes to use them I will have plenty. Drying fresh sage for Thanksgiving, fresh peppermint for Christmas and plenty of chamomile for cozy cups of tea during the long winter months. I know it seems crazy to be planning so far in advance but it’s very necessary to ensure you get to use your produce and herbs as efficiently as possible.
Unfortunately, that’s all I have this week. I summed up everything pretty well and hope to have even more exciting things to share with you all next week.
To see the entire garden in all its glory, check out the gallery below. Until next week, Happy Gardening!
