We got one perfect peach from our peach tree this year—not bad for the tree's second year, considering we really weren't expecting anything. Our blueberry bushes also produced pretty well this year, and we're currently harvesting both
Mars and Canadice grapes from 2 year old vines. Our apples, pears, and plum trees offered no fruit this year, so we'll look forward to next. But our fig tree has set fruit again this year, and we're hopeful that it may get large enough and ripen to eat, considering all this heat we've been having.
Our cucumbers have finally started producing, though the pickling cukes more than the slicing cukes. I made 8 jars of garlic dill pickles this weekend, using cukes, dill and garlic that we grew ourselves. I chose to spear mine rather than pickle them whole, and Jim and I are looking forward to trying them. Overall, our cucurbits are doing pretty well down in the market garden, despite our lack of rain. The beans, however, have been a dismal failure, and several seem to be suffering from
clover yellow vein virus best I can tell. I'll be pulling those plants this weekend, and crossing my fingers for the subsequent plantings. Sometimes I think the biggest farming challenge is just keeping one's spirits up and focusing on the successes rather than throwing hands in the air and giving it all up for lost.
We got one perfect peach from our peach tree this year—not bad for the tree's second year, considering we really weren't expecting anything. Our blueberry bushes also produced pretty well this year, and we're currently harvesting both Mars and Canadice grapes from 2 year old vines. Our apples, pears, and plum trees offered no fruit this year, so we'll look forward to next. But our fig tree has set fruit again this year, and we're hopeful that it may get large enough and ripen to eat, considering all this heat we've been having.
Our cucumbers have finally started producing, though the pickling cukes more than the slicing cukes. I made 8 jars of garlic dill pickles this weekend, using cukes, dill and garlic that we grew ourselves. I chose to spear mine rather than pickle them whole, and Jim and I are looking forward to trying them. Overall, our cucurbits are doing pretty well down in the market garden, despite our lack of rain. The beans, however, have been a dismal failure, and several seem to be suffering from clover yellow vein virus best I can tell. I'll be pulling those plants this weekend, and crossing my fingers for the subsequent plantings. Sometimes I think the biggest farming challenge is just keeping one's spirits up and focusing on the successes rather than throwing hands in the air and giving it all up for lost.
6 comments:
I have some pickling cukes I want to pickle dill flavor. Care to share your recipe?
Got here from Farm Dreams, btw.
"Sometimes I think the biggest farming challenge is just keeping one's spirits up and focusing on the successes rather than throwing hands in the air and giving it all up for lost."
exactly how we feel. we have been a bit overwhelmed as of late. thanks for the reminder.
k-)
I think everyone is by July, no? I know my farmer is over it right now. But it does get easier every year; much less loss now that we have the routine down. I am amazed by how much you guys have accomplished in such a short time. Really. It took us much longer to get to that point. your CSA Share is beautiful!
Peaches! I'm jealous. The store bought ones around here are so tasteless and oddly textured. I would love to grow real peaches. Alas I'm a bit north here in Vermont.
I love hearing from everyone—thanks for the comments. The peach was so delicious. We each had a wedge, so one peach was split six ways (my mom was visiting), and we all agreed it was the best peach we'd ever eaten.
Speaking of being too far north, my son would love to grow citrus. We're thinking of trying to keep a lemon tree that we can bring inside in the winter. Might be kinda hard to do that with a peach tree, though, but if anyone could figure it out, it'd be you Walter.
HH: The recipe I used was really easy, but I haven't tasted the pickles yet. I'll have to update once we have some with any tweaking I might like to do to the recipe.
It's half/ half white vinegar to water, 2 tbsp pickling salt to every 4 cups of liquid, one garlic clove coarsely chopped, and 4 tsp of dill seed.
I didn't add any sugar to mine because I don't like a sweet pickle, but the recipe did mention that adding up to a tablespoon of sugar can help cut the sourness of the vinegar.
We have been on our farm since '04, this is our 3rd summer, second for the veggie area, and it is something different to learn each season. We raise sheep and it is the same way. I have relaxed somewhat, as initially, I was overwhelmed with 22 acreas that had not been maintained, and there is so much to do. Now, I look at what we've done, when I get anxious, I think of the pioneers! And a peach...well, you are doing well. They are prone to many things, and one of our two that we planted the first year died this spring. And my husband has a horticulture degree - so consider yourself a peach farmer in my book...
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