We hit a high today of 92 degrees and it was brutal out in the garden. Fortunately, I didn't spend a lot of time there. Only long enough to make the second harvest of all but one remaining head of broccoli and all seven cauliflower plants in a raised bed.
This means the broccoli is just about done (and in the freezer) except for the one still smallish head and any side shoots I might get.
The cauliflower is beautiful this year. My seed packet said to expect heads up to 8" across. Didn't quite make that but since cauliflower is a cool weather crop, and we've been having anything but cool weather, I thought I'd better harvest it before something baaad happened to it.
My biggest head was 7-1/2" across; the smallest 5". I spent most of the day in the cool (ha!) kitchen blanching the broccoli and cauliflower and prepping it for the freezer.
So far I've put by 13 servings of broccoli and 18 of cauliflower. I still have 6 cauliflower plants I put in the field garden about 2-3 weeks later than the first batch set out in the raised bed. I seriously doubt they will do much of anything because of the undesirable growing conditions for them now.
Actually, it wasn't too bad working in the kitchen most of the day. Much, much better than it would have been outside. The feeling of satisfaction that comes from squirreling away home grown vegetables for nutrition and pleasurable eating during the cold winter months did make this hot day a good day.
The fruits of one's labor. Ya can't beat it!
11 comments:
I have heard from others in your area and others that-a-way who are feeling as if they are on another planet. Pretty toasty for you so far north isn't it?
You got some great veggies put by I envy that. So far we got about 1/2 dozen cukes before the rabbits and squirrels formed a union and out did any and all preventative measures. There have been multiple green peppers but not more then needed for a meal at a time. I really think our soil here is lacking but the resident master gardener has no need for my opinion and that is that.
Our weather is toasting up and looks to be coming down around oh, say, December. In all seriousness looks to be not until this coming Thursday we will drop back down to "normal" temps. Hope you get there before us would hate to see you all puddled up on the kitchen floor!
Goatldi - Ha! Yep, pretty toasty is the word around here at the moment. Usually we get three or four days like this all summer long and we can joke saying, "Summer was really hot this year. When did it happen? Last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday?"
I have a couple of zucchini almost ready to pick . . . to saute, not big enough to grate for zucchini bread and there is one blossom on my slicing cucumber plants. Wa-hoo! Snap peas are finally forming pods. Sure hope the shell peas can stand this weather and give me a good crop, but . . .
At this rate, I really should wash the kitchen floor today in case I do end up flat out there . . . prostrate from the heat! ;o)
Please...what kind of freezer do you have?????
Must be a big one!
One, in which you can know, where each set of items is... All winter long.
Big one!!!!!!
wisps of words - I have a six foot long chest freezer (yes, it is a big one!) that is devoted to (almost) all vegetables and berries. It has really good heavy plastic division "grids" in it so there are several sections in which fit two grocery bags in which I store the different veggies and berries. Even at that I keep a diagram of what is where so I don't "lose" anything! (Or go crazy trying to find something at any given time.)
We're melting here, too; supposed to hit upper 90s again today and not cooling down as much as usual at night. But I saw a little cucumber and TWO cherry tomatoes turning red, and snow peas and 'bush' beans are both blooming; WOOT. The veggies like the heat more than I do....
Michelle - Yep, last night was the first night this summer that we didn't sleep well because of the heat. I woke with a stiff neck and shoulders that must have been caused by a funny sleeping position . . . maybe wishing I was curled up in a snowbank somewhere!
If we can keep enough water on the veggies to make them happy, they will do their thing and produce for us. Yay for your two cherry tomatoes turning red! I keep searching for something of that color on mine -- see more and more blossoms -- but can't find any of the green ones ripening yet!
I am starting to miss 'squirreling away' home produced produce for the winter, even though another part of me is relieved that I do not have to make the effort to do so in this hot, humid, and stormy weather we are having at the moment.
Nice cauliflowers.....I have not managed to grow a single head of cauli yet!
Vera - Although if you had the option this year, I know it wouldn't be your choice to not be slaving away (!) in all this heat and humidity to put up produce for the winter, do let yourself totally enjoy that relieved feeling of having the time to do something else that brings you satisfaction and pleasure! When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And what tastes better on these dog days of summer than a tall, cold glass of lemonade! Hugs to you across the pond!
Beautiful vegetables Mama Pea! Although I am not a fan of cauliflower and I force myself to eat it for the health benefits of it alone, those are darn good looking ones!!!! I would eat those ones! :)
MrsDM - I told Papa Pea I am going to be looking for new and tasty ways to cook cauliflower this winter. Although cooked, seasoned with salt and pepper and some cheddar cheese melted over the top makes it go down pretty easy! :o} Hubby says he would eat it all made up into Cheddar-Cauliflower soup . . . and that is yummy, too.
Your cauliflower is gorgeous! It says something for the coolness of your house (I can testify that it is glorious, cool or not) when you prefer the kitchen to the outside. My house holds its own as long as I do not turn on the stove, oven or hair dryer. What a great feeling to have your delicious, nutritious food stored away for the year.
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