Thursday, April 25, 2013

What A Difference A Year Makes

My first garden harvest every year is a cutting of both my big chive plants.  I harvest, chop, and store them in containers to put in the freezer to use as "fresh" chives in our food all winter.


I wait until the first growth is big and healthy.


Then they get lopped off, brought into the kitchen . . . 


. . . and prepped for the freezer.


I'm currently using my last container from last year.  I don't know if you can read the label but it says 4-25-12.  That's exactly one year ago today that I put up my chive stash.


The above picture shows what one of my clumps of chives looks like this morning.  Yup, that's it just to the left of the trellis.  You may not be able to see them in the picture but there are tiny little shoots of green chives (bless their hearts) poking up through the soil . . . and under the snow.

Now granted, last year we had an extremely early spring.  I'm sure the harvest date of April 25th was the earliest I've ever had for the chives.

Mother Nature seems to still have control over the situation so we never know what we're going to get, do we?  But what a difference between last year and this!

* * * * * * * *

Our new computers arrived two days ago and dear daughter has offered to start installing them today.  I don't know if Papa Pea's computer is slated to be installed first or if she'll be working on mine.  At any rate, I have no idea how much time the switcherooney will take, so if I seem unusually quiet in Blogdom for a period, you'll know it's just because I have a few loose wires.

13 comments:

Lisa said...

Wow, your photos are a great visual just how different the weather's been your way this year. It's been different our way too.... late cold snaps.... garden going in a little later/last year went in a little earlier. I remember your series of chives photos from last year as they were so beautiful and green and that you used scissors to cut them up! Hopefully you'll have some beautiful chives to process in not too long. And how exciting to get new computers!

Tombstone Livestock said...

Your freezer must be getting pretty empty now ... getting ready for this year, last of the raspberries, peas, now chives. Now come on Mother Nature and warm up.

Susan said...

Thank you for the reminder - I will go out tonight and give mine a haircut (sorry...) Last year was the first time I cut and froze them (thanks to you xoxo) and I really enjoyed them all winter. Now I'm out. BUT the sun, albeit a cold sun, has stimulated the little dickens and I have enough to trim. Here's hoping your snow melts and your chives grow!

With your brand-spankin new computers, you should be shooting out those blog posts left and right!

Erin said...

My clump of chives has mysteriously disappeared! I think it may have something to do with the fact that the hubs did the bed clean out/weeding in those beds this year!!!

Erin said...

haha my word verification was Venison shutit LOL.....

tpals said...

I hope you also get the nice warming trend we're supposed to have this weekend. My gardens are still snowed under, but that should melt off soon...leaving a muddy mess.

DFW said...

My chives don't clump. Maybe that should be a rap song. They hang on year after year in the driveway planter (the best soil on our City property) and are delicious on any kind of potato!

Leigh said...

Gardening can be so unpredictable! I confess I don't even have chives. Yours look so good though, that I think I need to add some.

Congrats on the new computers. I always love new ones except for the learning curve!

judy said...

by the week-end they should be full grown-lol it will be nice out

Anonymous said...

Loose wires .... hehehe. Have fun with the new computers, that is always fun, trying out new toys.

Sparkless said...

Our chives look like yours did last year. I need to go out and chop them down and then freeze them cause that's a fantastic idea. I have more chives than I know what to do with but freezing them means I can actually use them all winter.
Have fun with your new computer!

FoxyLady said...

The fresh chives look so nice. I am going to have to try freezing some. I think I need to get a few more started too. The old ones by the old cabin aren't what they used to be. :)

Judy T said...

I was just noticing on my last tub of chives that last year I froze them in March! Mine are big enough that I could probably freeze some more.