We woke up early Saturday morning. We had the car half packed to go camping and wanted to get an early start. I wanted to be at the campground by 10am so we could join our friends that had gone up earlier in the week. I wanted to make sure I was there early enough to not miss the hike that they were going on that day. So I was up about 5:30. I went out to the garden to pick the corn to bring. As I walked out the door I immediately saw two raccoons. One was on the neighbor's stoop eating his garbage. The other was in my garden. My thoughts went straight to my sweet corn. Another neighbor said they quit growing corn because the raccoons always ate everything. I told them I'd had no trouble yet. So I checked my corn. None had been stolen. I know that one of the benefits of growing corn and squash together is that raccoons don't like the prickly squash plants. Since I've been in this house I've always grown a two sisters bed. I plant the squash at the ends of the beds (4'x16' beds) and the 10' in the middle of the bed is planted in corn. I train the squash to grow under the corn. So far not one of ears of corn has been stolen.
Before I left I also made some chocolate zucchini bread for the first time ever. Oh my it is good. Sadly not very good for me. My regular zucchini bread is much better. There is more zucchini, lots of applesauce, and I use whole wheat. I wonder if I could just add chocolate to my regular recipe. It probably wouldn't taste nearly as good though. I also did what Granny did and used the food processor to puree the zucchini before adding it. It really did make the texture wonderful. Much lighter than with grating the zucchini.
Breakfast yesterday featured the above bread along with my cantaloupe (the first of the year) and a peach. Yum.
And what do you do with fifteen pounds of chard? Well I blanched and froze it of course. And had it on pizza for dinner. The chard and broccoli patch really needed to be cleaned out, so I spent some time on that yesterday. I also pruned back my zucchini plants as I couldn't get through anymore to look for zucchini. They sure are growing well, but the female blossoms are mostly turning yellow and falling off before they open. I'm still getting enough zucchini though. Only one plant is producing anything, but it spits out one every few days. So once again no zucchini glut, but enough to eat. As is normal for me all my gluts come from my chard.
I've got my fingers crossed for the safety of your corn. XX Hope the prickly zukes keep it safe. If your zucchini is half as spiny as mine it should do the job!
ReplyDelete15 pounds of chard! It must have taken you ages to get that washed and processed.
I liked the texture of the bread with the zucchini pureed, too. In fact, I think I'll try baking it in a 9x13 pan, adding a glaze, and pass it off as a slightly healthier "cake". I doubt anyone would notice the difference.
ReplyDeleteNext year I'm going to try growing my butternuts right in with the corn. I have to plant something shallow rooted in that mid-section of garden, where the old tree roots still reside. That's where I always put squash, but corn might do well there too. Both take up so much room, maybe they can share the space.
Good tip about the pureed zuke. Hope you have a great time camping!
ReplyDeleteHope you continue to have good luck keeping the raccoons from eating your corn! Do you saute or steam your chard before putting it on your pizza? Enjoy your chocolate zucchini bread! We can't eat healthy all the time! Nancy
ReplyDeleteI boil the chard. Then I squeeze out all the water in it before I chop it up and put it in the pizza.
DeleteGreat story on how the squash is keeping the raccoons from the corn! It's been a strange season, some things doing well and others not. Our chard is the largest I've ever seen... Happy camping, looks like gorgeous weather ahead!
ReplyDeleteInteresting the squash has kept the raccoons away. I have always wanted to grow corn but we have alot of raccoons, I've seen 10 together once. I'll have to try it next season.
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