Monday, August 19, 2013

Harvest Monday, August 19th, 2013

The beans finally started to come in this week. The hand watering really did the trick. So they joined the zucchini and cucumbers in the harvest baskets. And as you can see the melons joined them.

It was definitely the week of the melon. Sadly melons always come ripe at the same time. I need to get two varieties that are ripen at different times. Ambrosia would do that. It is a great melon, but it doesn't always have time to ripen here. The above melons are Halona which is a cantaloupe and the bottom one is Sensation. The biggest of the cantaloupes was over six pounds. So they were good size melons this year

It has been a good melon season. Often we get a big rainstorm in August that cracks my melons before they are truly ripe, but this year the rain has held off at the appropriate time. It also means the melons don't get watery which can be a problem here. OK I say a good melon season, but the reality is that it has been the best melon season in the three years I've been growing in this garden. I've been very happy.

Sadly it was the last of the peaches this week. I'll miss them.

And the first patch of corn was finished up. I'll be picking the next batch this week.

A massive batch of chard was picked - over 17 pounds. I really shouldn't let my chard patch get away from me. It is easier to pick it at least every other week and freeze it in small batches.

A few odds and ends were picked. Some broccoli and some celery.

And last but not least the first of the dried beans was ready to be weighed. These are Tigers Eye beans. Not only are they the prettiest bean I've ever seen, but they are also one of the tastiest. Well really it is the texture. They are the smoothest, creamiest bean that I have ever tasted. Sadly they aren't all that prolific. I have some unshelled still, but I won't get more than a pound of beans in the end. And that was from a 4'x 8' bed. Though to be fair the beans had rust in them very early on so they did struggle to produce.

I'm finally feeling like it is summer and I'm having trouble keeping up with the harvests. Before I was wondering where my harvests were. I'm still about 150 pounds below normal for this time of the year. Mainly that means I'm not sharing as much as usual. I've yet to share any beans, cukes, or zucchini with my townhouse mates. Usually those are the summer staples to share when they come in heavily. I will be giving away some cukes this coming week though. All I need to do is make two jars of bread and butter pickles, then my pickling days are over for the year.

  • Alliums 2.27 lbs
  • Beans 3.23 lbs
  • Corn 8.96 lbs
  • Cucumbers 7.03 lbs
  • Greens 17.88 lbs
  • Melons 24.04 lbs
  • Squash 5.80 lbs
  • Weekly Tally 69.70 lbs
  • Yearly Tally 251.03 lbs, $392.44
  • Fruit
  • Peaches 3.87 lbs
  • Apples 0.28 lbs
  • Rhubarb 2.89 lbs

Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to show off, add your name and link to Mr Linky below.

31 comments:

  1. Wonderful harvest as usual! I'm amazed you have so much chard and those melons look really nice!

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  2. I've never managed to grow melons successfully. I have always had issues with germination and then when they do germinate they don't seem to want to set fruit but perhaps I just haven't tried enough varieties. Yours look wonderful!

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  3. Yep, that's a summer harvest for sure. The Tigers Eye beans are gorgeous, do they retain their color and pattern after cooking?

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    1. Sadly no. The markings disappear when they are cooked.

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  4. It sure looks like summer, with corn, melons and peaches. But then you've still got broccoli too, which is nice. We are fortunate to be able to grow Ambrosia here. I had the first one last week. Melons are sure picky about the weather. I was afraid our rains would ruin them but then it dried out just in time when they started ripening. But I still lost one that split on me. Yours look to be nice sized indeed!

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  5. That is an amazing harvest this week. I am particularly envious of your corn and zucchinis. Yum - summer food!

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  6. Corn, dry beans and melons! They are lovely! I've never successfully grown melons, except a Korean variety which would not even grow a plant for me this year. I have several melon babies in my garden that are the size of golf balls, so hope springs eternal. Your harvest this week looks amazing!

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  7. Oh wow! Your melons look perfect and delicious. I didn't grow any this year and it looks like I missed the perfect weather for them. I'm still wondering where my harvests are too. It has been a strange year. Hopefully things will turn around this week.

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  8. What a big harvest you got this week. I have so much trouble growing any kind of melons. But I keep trying every year.

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  9. Your melons and corn are just gorgeous! I do wish we could grow melons as well here as so many others can around the country! Also, I would have been sad to see the last of peaches, too, but I'm sure they were phenomenal while they were around! Enjoy your week!

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  10. I started 9 melon plants this year but not a one managed to make it to harvest thanks to our over abundant rains this year. It's always a gamble with them but worth it!

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  11. I can't think what I would do with 17 pounds of Chard! I like it, but not in such big quantities. Now, melon, or Peaches, that's a different story...

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  12. Your melons are beautiful. I don't have room to grow them unless up a trellis, but I can't imagine trying to support a 6 pound melon on trellis netting.

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  13. Yes, your harvest is looking wonderful! Yummy looking melons! I don't think I have room here on my little lot for growing those. Would like to figure out where I could grow corn! Have you tried freezer dills yet with your extra cucumbers? Nancy

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    1. No I've never tried freezer dills. Can cukes stand up to freezing?

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  14. I take it the raccoons left your corn alone, how considerate of them. :)

    I'm hoping that I'll get my first melons ever from my garden this year. Halona is one of the varities I'm trying and the other is Alvaro.

    Yes indeed, it looks like summer in your garden!

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  15. Beautiful melons! We are looking forward to our first cantaloupe any day now. The plants are loaded with fruit but they are all very small this year. I think maybe I should have thinned the fruit and not left quite as many on each plant. Yours look great!! 6 pounds is a nice sized cantaloupe!!

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  16. Such a varied harvest--and all from an urban garden. You're an example for all of us gardening in a city or small-lot suburban locale. The celery looks beautiful. Grown from seed? Which variety works for you? Susan

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    1. I have Ventura and Redventure. They do OK here. Not great. But I don't have a lot of celery needs. So they work out.

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  17. Nice abundance summer harvest, I didn't grow any melon this year, miss the fruits.

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  18. Beautiful harvest. Just curious, how many chard plants produce 17 lbs in one picking?

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    1. I've got one row that takes up about a third of a 4'x8' bed. Without actually going out to count, I would guess 12 plants.

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  19. Melons are one of the few fruits I can eat raw. I love them. I would love to grow them one day!

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  20. You may be finishing your peaches but look at all those beautiful melons and other produce. My peach trees are just breaking bud now - they are so pretty

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  21. Nice looking harvests! Good to see you are still enjoying the Tiger's Eye. I planted them this year too and the Trail of Tear's beans you sent me a while back.

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  22. WOW! I am amazed at what you have harvested from your garden! I am looking forward to the summer months so we can start harvesting a greater quantity!

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  23. I loved the cantelopes! So pretty! I have several on the vines, like you said they always ripen at the same time! Nice harvest week for you!

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  24. Your stat about being 150 pounds below normal is a startling reminder of how strange this season's been. I'm hoping things will catch up, but the days are clearly shortening!

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  25. Very jealous of your corn - ours did so badly this year, and the local farmer's markets haven't been great this year either.

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  26. Definitely a nice harvest on your melons and your beans. Sorry about the peaches :-( I hope next year is better for you there...

    It has been an off year. With that said, I don't know what a normal year is anymore. I've been gardening consistently for 5 years now and each year has been quite off of my expectations...

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