I started Harvest Monday in 2009. It wasn't my original creation. The Ottawa Gardener started it but only kept it up for a few months. I thought a regular harvest celebration was a wonderful thing and I kept doing it, then I started hosting it. I've been blogging for even longer - 8 1/2 years. I started for very different reasons than other people. I was crafting and not using a good portion of my brain doing that. Though I loved crafting, I wanted to challenge myself in other ways. Writing was very very hard for me. It used to take me hours to write a post. After a few years it became much easier, but I kept with it for the community. You all are such wonderful people. But it is time for me to move on. I'll still be gardening and preserving the harvest, just not blogging anymore. I might put up an end of the year post to finish out my totals. I do hate when things aren't completed.
I would love if Harvest Monday or a monthly harvest celebration still existed. So if anyone would like to continue the tradition and play host, email me. Personally I've always thought it should be split into two. A northern gardener that did June-November and a southern gardener (probably Australian) that did December-May. I didn't do it that way because everyone begged me not to. If we do get volunteers, I'll let you know next Monday with a link to their blog(s).
Anyway onto this week's harvest. Early in the week I had a very nice harvest of broccoli, a small bit of zucchini, and some celery and parsley. And the first of the fall carrots. I finally used up the last of the June harvested carrots. The fall carrots really aren't that big yet. The storage ones are bigger, but will stay in for a month or two more before the big harvest of those. The fresh eating ones just aren't getting a lot of sun right now so are growing slowly. But I am getting enough to harvest and they taste pretty good.
I had a total of three small harvests, just picking what I needed to give them as long of a growing time as I can.
And I had a very respectable zucchini harvest. The bottom one got large, but was still quite firm and good.
And I was hoping that this weeks would go over 500 pounds as it would be a nice number to go out on. But I'm half a pound short. I was really hoping to be able to dig up the sweet potatoes, but I never got a chance. I will for sure this week. I don't want them to get too cold and the night time temps are starting to dip lower. I suspect that this year's totals will be over 600 pounds, but I won't know until the end of the year.
- Broccoli, 1.90 lbs
- Carrots, 1.66 lbs
- Greens, 0.22 lbs
- Herbs, 0.38 lbs
- Summer Squash, 2.35 lbs
- Weekly total, 6.51 lbs
- Yearly total, 499.56 lbs, $1059.41
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.
I love reading all the Harvest Monday posts. I'll be sad to see them go, if they do. But it is very understandable wanting to stop blogging. It's a lot of work and effort and you've been doing it a long time. Plus you post very regularly.
ReplyDeleteI love talking about gardening so blogging is my outlet. Otherwise I'd be boring my spouse and coworkers overly with my incessant garden talk.
I've really enjoyed Harvest Mondays and it would be a shame if someone didn't take it up to carry on. You have set the bar high though, with your informative posts and your visiting other blogs. I do understand wanting to move on though. I will miss reading and learning from your gardens though!
ReplyDeleteIt's very sad to read that you've decided to stop blogging, I really loved reading your posts every week. Definitely would volunteer to continue the tradition that you've started, though you did set bar VERY high as your posts have been super informative and fun to read. I will miss you.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Dave. You will surely be missed.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, this is sad news. Of course it's understandable, as we all need change from time to time, but it really was a community centered around your advice and experiences. I do hope someone picks it up (Jenny, kindly volunteering, would be a great host), and maybe you can post when you feel like it. You will be greatly missed.
ReplyDeleteHalf a pound off of 500 - you are far too honest, just think of all the harvests you chose not to weigh for some reason or other!! Hopefully someone will pick up the task, challenging as I'm sure it is. It's been a pleasure to know you through your blog, Daphne, best wishes!
ReplyDeleteHi Daphne, I was surprised to read your announcement but can't blame you. I have enjoyed your blogs and want to thank you for doing it this long. Your carrots and zucchini look wonderful. Mine have been done for awhile. I would love to harvest a half pound less than 500! Congratulations! Thanks again! Nancy
ReplyDeleteI'm sad but not surprised. Harvest Monday requires a lot of time and commitment and you always gave it 100%. I always appreciated the weekly prompt to write a blog and the community of bloggers it created. Thanks for your time and dedication. I hope you continue to blog occasionally.
ReplyDeleteWow, you will be missed!! I have been reading and participating in the Monday harvest report for years!! I have loved following your progress!!
ReplyDeleteSorry to see you go. Hopefully you'll continue to blog periodically, the posts have been excellent.
ReplyDeleteOh, Daphne, that is incredibly sad news. You are such an integral part of the veg blogging community and I so look forward to all of your posts. But everyone has to do what makes them happy and blogging is quite a commitment, especially when done as regularly (and thoroughly) as you have. Like Dave I hope that we get a peak into what is happening with you and your garden every once in a while. You will be greatly missed.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, I am sorry to see you go, and I completely understand. We all evolve and find that things that once served us no longer do! Your voice will be greatly missed, and yet I hope you will be able to reclaim your blogging time and shift it into whatever it is you'd like to do with it :-) I wish you the best and thank you for your continuous inspiration and virtual garden support!
ReplyDeleteI am hopeful someone else will take over hosting Harvest Monday as I have truly loved the community here and knowing that, even when I'm not regularly participating, I can find everyone easily and check in how everyone's gardens are growing :-)
xoxo
Oh no, I can't believe you're going to stop blogging! I've learned so much from you, found so much inspiration here, and if it weren't for Harvest Monday I would certainly slack off on my blog quite a bit. I'm really going to miss your blog. You must do a year end post, things will feel so wrong if you don't. Do drop by now and then and leave a comment to let me know how you and your garden are doing. I have a feeling that I will continue with my harvest posts even though there won't be a spot to link to, it's just become a habit. Thank you so much for all the time and effort that you put into Harvest Monday's, it's been a great ride!
ReplyDeleteWell, that is not what I expected to read this week. :-( I am so very sad to see you go. I sure hope you'll pop up time to time and give us updates on how things are going around your parts. I know it's hard to blog for that many years and stay motivated. I will truly miss your posts, and wish you the best. You'll be in my thoughts often.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I can only agree with everyone else. I've only been following you and taking part for about a year and have been so impressed with all your harvests and advice, plus the time taken to comment on other people's blogs, including mine. It really is a lot of work, well done for keeping it going to such a high standard for so long. The thing you have most inspired me with is all your squashes, which is why I've tried to grow loads more this year. I will think of you whenever I see a butternut squash or a sweet potato :)
ReplyDeleteI am grateful you hosted for so long.
ReplyDeleteI am grateful I learned so much from you. Garden tips and health issues
Grateful so many other wonderful garden blogs.
Good luck!! Still quite a shock!!
Wow! What a surprise! All good things come to an end. You have been a dedicated blogger for such a long time but can understand the need to move on. I've contemplated quitting at various times. I know I have not been as regular here as I was at first. Too much else going on and gardening only one of many interests. If I were to nominate someone to take it on it would be Mark of Mark's Veg Plot. I didn't see a comment from him today. I'll put a comment on his blog.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone else Daphne, you are going to be missed. I hope that you will do the occasional post to let us know what's happening in your world.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed participating. Thank you for hosting for so long!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the informative and inspiring posts, Daphne. Reading your blog has been a big incentive to me, in my little babystep gardening efforts.
ReplyDeleteYou will be missed. Although I understand and wish you well, I was so sad to read that you will no longer be blogging earlier today. I couldn't respond at the time, but I felt myself missing you and your posts already. You are the glue that kept our little blogging community together for so many years. Thank you so much for teaching, inspiring, and hosting Harvest Monday so we could share and celebrate our harvests each week. I hope you will check in once and awhile and allow us to catch up with you and your garden.
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ReplyDeleteDaphne, I echo what other have said: your Harvest Monday posts and the link you have managed have been the highlight of many bloggers' week! I hope you will still do an occasional blogpost to let us know how things are going.
ReplyDeleteHave really enjoyed your writing and photo's, thanks very much for sharing for so long.
ReplyDeleteI've really enjoyed your blog, even though I've not been reading for very long. Thank you for Harvest Mondays. :)
ReplyDeleteWow, I almost missed this post. I can't believe you are going away. Dang, you will be missed but as everyone has said, we understand. I think you will see that you can't just cut us off completely, ha, everyone wants you to come back from time to time and at least give us an update on your goings on. Promise?
ReplyDeleteMiss you already. Keep us posted if/when Harvest Monday moves elsewhere. We put off our garden this year but I so enjoyed sharing the Summer before and am looking forward to getting back into it next Spring.
Big cyber hugs!!!
I hope that doesn't mean that you will stop blogging altogether.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all you did for the online gardening community!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to miss your posts for sure. Take care!
I'm sad to say goodbye to you and your blog, but I understand completely - sometimes, it's just time to move on. Hopefully to new adventures and good times!
ReplyDeleteI have always been impressed by how much/how regularly you've been blogging, and how long you've been hosting Harvest Monday - thank you for all that!
I am so very sad that you will not be blogging anymore. I always look forward to seeing our seasonal differences, the snow you have; and I am ALWAYS supremely envious of your bounteous harvests. it's always been a joy to read your blog.
ReplyDeletetake care. grow and eat well xx e