There isn't much success to share in the way of our garden this year. I understand it has been a tough year for growing vegetables and we are well aware of the hot and dry weather as well.
Anyone who gardens in the midwest, knows these photos are a few weeks old:
Though a few weeks ago much of our planting showed promise, we've since lost rows of collard greens, brussel sprouts, and broccoli. The leaves completely browned and went limp following the first heavy rain of the summer. The green bean plants have large holes, but are hanging in with a small harvest. The cucumber plants never really grew beyond the starter plant and somehow are buried in straw, but are giving us a cucumber or two anyhow. The corn tasseled out before it reached four feet tall and the tomato plants are filled with green tomatoes, though the plants are beginning to brown and weaken and red doesn't seem in our color pallet. Oh sigh...
There is one vegetable we always seem to grown successfully despite the weather and rain, despite the soil condition and weeds: zucchini. I give thanks for this hearty little plant which makes even the newest of sowers a success. I also give thanks for the many, many different recipes to make good use of this harvest.
We've had zucchini pie (like apple pie), zucchini flat bread, zucchini bake (like a quiche), fried zucchini, grilled zucchini, and steamed. Tonight we are trying zucchini soup (will gladly share the recipe if it goes well). But, there is one good old stand-by of a recipe which makes my summer harvest complete - zucchini bread. I use Paula Deen's recipe with a few minor changes: 1 1/2 cups Truvia baker's blend instead of sugar, no sugar added applesauce instead of vegetable oil, and Hodgson Mill's white whole wheat flour instead of enriched flour. Always a success!
While not a success in the yield, there is much joy in the sowing, watering, waiting, and watching. And I really do mean joy. This year, the joy came to me in a surprising treat as well - a gift given by Peace on my office wipe off board:
I may not have the harvest I'd hoped for. At least I know I've successfully planted the seed.
A successful seed-planting, for sure! Strangely, our zucchini plants were the first to succumb to the summer's heat...! And we've had great success with beans, collard greens, chard, beets, eggplants, and brussles sprouts this year - go figure!?! Our cucumbers and tomatoes are similar to the way you describe yours, though. It's always a joy to see what's happening out there!
ReplyDelete-Cindy