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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

A little night harvest.

It's been so bloody hot and humid, that I can't get much done until it cools down.  Which leaves me grasping in the gloam for my dinner.  But, my dinner is getting more exciting!  Last night I picked some Swiss chard, some green beans and a couple of wax beans, pulled half of my carrot crop (6) and robbed the taters.  I also sucked it up and pulled up a garlic bulb.  With all of the drought and disappointment, I was hoping that they'd somehow grow into big, fat bulbs if I ignored them.  I was pleasantly surprised (you will note that the 'gloam' applies to the interior of the house as well - too hot for lights!) at the size of this particular head.  Of course, there are plenty more out there, so who knows what I'll find.  But they are dying back very early this year, so I am going to harvest them this weekend and hang them in the goat barn to season.  It adds a delightful garlicky atmosphere to the barn - and I don't care if the goats don't like it.  I'm mad at them at the moment.


Quarter for comparison. 

Carrots, chard, green/wax beans, Yukon Gold taters.

Of course, I just read Erin's blog and I'm feeling puny and insignificant in the face of her spectacular harvest...

16 comments:

Sue said...

Nice garlic. Next year I'm letting YOU grow mine!

Carolyn said...

My, that's a large bulb you have there. Garlic, of course.

And I know what you mean about Erin's garden. I swear, if I didn't like her so much I'd be seething with envy. Well, I'm not quite to the seething part yet.

Unknown said...

You do what you can with the weather, bugs and critters. I had great cukes, then went out this week and all the leaves were gone! I know it wasn't the chickens as I had the same problem last year, outside the chicken area. I don't know if it's squirells, bugs or what. The blossom are still set, so I', leaving them and hoping for fruit...

Susan said...

Sue - Oh, great. Another reason to lie in bed at night - in total angst over my garlic harvest! Be glad to!!!

CR - Why, thank you. I think. She's too nice to seethe at - lucky for her!

Nancy - Oh, no! What is it with garden pests this year? Are they super-sizing them? I hope your cucumber crop survives the onslaught.

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

It is too HOT! I am out there am and pm too, but when you have sweat running down your legs at 8 am, it is just disturbing. I am going to be one happy camper in September.

Susan said...

Jane - Amen to that. Even at 7a, when I venture out, in two seconds I am covered in sweat. It's disgusting! I'll be happily camping right along side of you in September.

Tombstone Livestock said...

With all the water problems I have had lately the tomatoes are not even blooming, few green tomatoes on the vines. I am just going to wait til February and plant more brocolli, lettuce, spinach and chard ........... to hot to be outside watering now anyway.

Susan said...

TL - It's good that you can extend your growing season across the year. I imagine the only thing I will be growing in February is my waistline...

Michelle said...

Nice garlic. Mine are really small this year.

Mama Pea said...

Well, at least you have garlic to harvest this year. I am garlic-less. Next year. (Good gawd, that seems to be the gardener's mantra anymore . . . next year.)

I've been wanting to steal some new potatoes from our patch but hubby says why not let them grow bigger. BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD A POTATO FOR MONTHS, that's why I want to steal some NOW!

Umm, did the goaties do something bad?

Ngo Family Farm said...

Does garlic really whip goats into shape? Mine have been naughty, too!

I'm itching to rob some of my potatoes, but their leaves are just recovering from a grasshopper feast, so I'm trying to be patient. What are you cooking with all that lovely late-night harvesting?

-Jaime

Susan said...

Michelle - I still have to pull up the rest of it and I doubt if I will be lucky enough to have a full crop that size. But hope is all I have!

Mama Pea - Oh, lordy! I don't think I could go that long without ONE potato. Can you wait until Papa Pea is asleep and sneak out and 'discover' one or two? And, yes, the goaties were very, very bad. See new post.

Jaime - I am especially fond of chard, so I had sauteed it with a sliced shallot and then poached a nice piece of white fish on top with a little ginger dressing. It was superb!

Candy C. said...

Your garlic looks great and so does the rest of your garden booty! :)

SweetLand Farm said...

Oh everything looks so good!!! So exciting to get some produce from the garden! I love that!

Erin said...

Silly girl! I am in awe of your constant energy and jealous you get to have animals! I am late reading your posts because it took me all week to process that darn stuff yet I bet you would have had it all done by 5 am and then been baking for the neighbors! LOL, too bad we can't split the differences, eh? I'm looking forward to winter personally :)

Erin said...

CR, seething....bahahaha you guys are funny! Now I feel ungrateful for wishing I could just dump all those tomatoes on a doorstep somewhere! Back to stir the pot :)