Today in the Garden
A small tomato harvest: Two Early Girls, which were picked rather too early. These were suffering from sun scald, so I thought they would benefit from ripening inside; a rather small Celebrity; my first Kellogg's Breakfast; a 20 oz. unknown giant....the seeds were labeled Cherokee Purple, but it obviously isn't (or could it possibly be a cross with a Brandywine?).
The pumpkin patch.
More of the pumpkin patch.
And more of the pumpkin patch. These are all on one vine, and they are growing quite large for their supposedly small variety. I probably won't let any more mature after these four, as the leaves are starting to suffer from powdery mildew.
The largest Waltham Butternut in the squash patch is well over a foot long now.
There seem to be quite a few of them, and many are already a good size.
Wow! Look at those pumpkins. How cool!My butternut is just now flowering. I hope I can get some harvested in time.
ReplyDeleteI have never eaten a butternut squash. I am looking foreward to seeing how you cook that.
ReplyDeleteRibbit, you were gone when I picked the first one...14-1/2 pounds! It's still sitting on the patio table, waiting to be turned into pies.
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MissyM, butternut is my very favorite winter squash! I like it best just cut in half, seeds scooped out, placed cut side down in a baking dish (I add just a bit of water in the bottom of the dish), covered and baked in the oven until tender. Then I remove it, drain off the water, flip them over so the cut side is up and fill the cavity with brown sugar and butter....return to the oven long enough for it to get all melty and bubbly. That's it! Or you can cook it and mash it with butter and a bit of brown sugar. I sometimes do that, cooking it in the microwave. I guess butternut squash soup is delicious, although I've never tried that.
Hi there! Those squash look great.
ReplyDeleteOh -- do try roasted butternut squash. Peel, cut in cubes, toss with olive oil and salt, and cook in a very hot oven, like 450, shaking every once in a while until it's quite done -- dark and caramelized.
My children fight over that. . .
Stefaneener, I do something similar....butternut squash oven fries. I cut it in strips like French fries, toss them with a bit of olive or canola oil, season and bake them on a crinkled foil lined cookie sheet, 450F, until they are caramelized (turn half way through cooking). I do sweet potatoes the same way. Love them!
ReplyDeleteHummmmm.......I can see that I will have to add butternut squash to my list for next year. Anything with butter and brown sugar has to be good.
ReplyDeleteBoy your pumpkins ripened early! When did you plant them? Was it from seed or starts? They look beautiful and so does the Butternut squash. I have a great squash and bean soup recipe that was shared with me last fall - and I highly recommend it. Big hit with my family!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.modernvictorygarden.com/squashbeansoup.htm
MissyM, you sound like me...butter + brown sugar = taste bud heaven!
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KitsapFG, I planted all my squash and pumpkins on April 19, direct seeded. Thanks for the recipe, I'll go snag it!
Hi AG-you're right that your whopper sized tom looks more like a Brandywine. And I remember from my IL days that they get HUGE like that. Ah, for a tomato! I love our cool summers, but honestly, I'd LOVE to have a Brandywine!
ReplyDeleteGAAAHHHH!!!! GRANNY!!! I love all squash and i'm a HUGE fan of butternut squash. Hmph. Loving your pictures, as always...
ReplyDeleteAnd my boys were sitting here peeping over my shoulder when I was reading your post and my 5-year-old said "pumpkins? WHAT? how are they growing pumpkins??!?" I thought I had made it quite clear to them that real humans can't grow pumpkins and that they only grow in stores - LOL. Foiled again!
Sue, so far that big potato leaf bush and the Celebrity are the only ones that have given us a decent tasting tomato. If the others don't start performing in the flavor department, they will be unmercifully uprooted. I hope the Early girl have some flavor, as they are the ones that are loaded with hundreds of tomatoes!
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Kate, did I not mention that mine is the only home garden that is authorized to grow pumpkins for the grocery stores? I can't believe that slipped my mind!
Or maybe it's "Granny isn't really a human".
;-)
We have had so much rain in Kentucky. I have had some tomatoes but nothing like last year. I did make a baked tomatoe and basil layered casserole tonight. It was great...
ReplyDeleteDang, granny.....You're gonna have alot of pumpkins to prepare. Those tomatoes look very good, and oh! You still talk funny! Ha!
ReplyDeleteWow, all your squash look great. I'm beginning to think I should move near by. Your climate must be a veggie heaven.
ReplyDeleteBasil Becky, I'm getting overwhelmed with tomatoes this week. Most of them have picked up a bit in flavor, but there are a couple that are just not good tasting and might get ripped out.
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EG, I'll probably have to give some of the pumpkins away, as I'd never use that many in my lifetime! You talk funnier.
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Dan, we do have a long growing season here, with lots of sunshine and lots of irrigation water.
Hey, I have one melon on each of the three varieties planted! At the very least, we'll get a taste of each one.
Wow what a pile of pumpkins. If I had that many I would buy myself a pressure canner and puree the flesh and can it all. I could have pie and cake all year long. Yumm. I keep waiting for my big tomatoes (only two plants) to come in. Not yet. I think soon.
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