July 20
July 24
July 26
July 26: Canned five pints of "Chili Base" from six pounds of tomatoes and a Mrs. Wages mix. As the others ripen, I'll try the Mrs. Wages Pizza Sauce and Mrs. Wages Pasta Sauce mixes.Mrs. Wages
Except for this huge and delicious Cherokee Purple that might be a Brandywine tomato. Or the big orange Kellogg's breakfast tomato that also has a delightful flavor. Those will be saved for fresh eating! Today's lunch was a BLT, and one slice covered the entire sandwich.Harvest totals for July 20-26:
Crookneck squash 4 pounds 10 ounces (plus 2 pounds 11 ounces that went into compost and were not added to total)
Cucumbers 7 pounds 8 ounces
Peppers 1 pound 8 ounces.
Pole beans 1 pound 9 ounces
Potatoes 13 lb.
Tomatoes 22 pounds 2 ounces
Pumpkin 14 pounds 8 ounces.
Strawberries 1 pound 13 ounces
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Total for week: 66 pounds 6 ounces
Total for 2009: 210 pounds 13 oz.
That tomato is HUGE!! Very convenient though how it only takes one slice to cover the bread hehe! Once cut open it looks like a 'Big Beef', my favourite tomato! Very hearty flavour and looks like a piece of steak :)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on linky things...I just don't understand. Too old to learn, too!
ReplyDeleteYour harvests have been great. And you HAD to post a pic of a BLT!-talk about rubbing salt into my cold northern wounds....LOL. Well, at least I get to SEE what a tomato looks like!
Wow look at that slice of heaven on the blt! YUMMY! I like to use my home grown tomatoes in tomato and onion sandwiches.
ReplyDeleteGranny, your garden is the most productive thing I've ever seen in my life. It's just amazing how much you squeeze out of it. That pumpkin looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteWow what a harvest week you had. It puts mine to shame. I think I might finally have a cuke that has set but not big enough to pick yet. Most of the others have shriveled up and not set (plants are too small and its been too cold). You finally broke 200lbs. Congrats. We might finally get some heat this week. That ought to push a bit of my warm weather crops to producing. I hope so.
ReplyDeleteWow! I don't read your comments enough to know if you've answered this 100 times before or not, but how many total square feet do you have?
ReplyDeleteI'm way impressed with your harvest so far and the beautiful, healthy meals you've been posting. It's an inspiration :)
And such a beautiful harvest it is!!!
ReplyDeleteOh my 210 pounds, how fantastic!!!
Next year I'll dig out a scale and keep track of my totals.
What was your harvest total for 2008?
Marrissa, that is one tomato that will be grown again next year, although, with two kinds of plants (regular and potato leaf) sprouting from the same packet of seeds, I don't know what I'll end up with....I'll just plant them all!
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Sue, I'm glad to hear I wasn't the only one who couldn't figure that out. I usually pick up stuff quite easily, but Mr. Linky has me scratching my head! Hey, not to worry....I'll eat a BLT just for you today, mkay?
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Hidinginmygarden, I'm going to have a yellow tomato sandwich for lunch today (no bacon). I picked a really big Kellogg's breakfast and it's a very good flavored tomato. It's the first yellow tomato I've eaten that I like, they are usually too bland.
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Good morning Ribbit! That amazing pumpkin is still sitting out there staring at me, wondering when I'm gonna cook him!
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Daphne, the tomatoes are really pushing up my totals right now, and soon the squash will help. I guess pureed pumpkin is so dense, it's not safe to home can even with a pressure cooker. Mine will be mashed and frozen.
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Kathy, Thank you for the nice compliments! I have about 375 sf of actual garden beds, plus couple of fence lines that get some planting, a spot at one end that ends up getting something planted on it, and a bunch of buckets and three barrels that get planted. I guess somewhere around 400 sf of total planting area.
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Toni, I didn't keep track of the harvest last year. I know I was bringing in around 6-7 pounds every time I went out to pick. It wouldn't have been anywhere near what I've harvested this year, though. I only had 6 tomato plants (27 this year) no winter squash, pumpkins or potatoes, and maybe half the amount of beets. I more than doubled my planting area this year.
Granny, what's the best way to prepare swish chard? It's my first time!
ReplyDeleteToni, I've never grown or prepared Swiss chard. Daphne would be the one to ask, I think she stir fries hers.
ReplyDeleteYou continue to amaze. My poor garden is frying. Not even sure I'll even get another cuke, given that they set, but then turn yellow and die. This heat is just too much.
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous of your very large beautiful harvest! I think I am drooling now.....
ReplyDeleteSB, we'll be having 100+ temperatures for the next three weeks, I suppose. It's a good thing we have unlimited irrigation water, because the plants are really drinking it up. the containers and SWCs must be watered twice a day now, and I still get some wilting plants.
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Shawn Ann, will you please put your bib on...you're getting drool all over me! LOL
Your harvests are so beautiful! That Organic Gardening you have photoed just should up in the mail today. It will be my next read.
ReplyDeleteWhat a big beautiful tomato! I also can't believe you've got ORANGE pumpkins! So cool.
ReplyDeleteDan, thank you! I "stole" a basket out from under my bedroom flower arrangement so I could photograph today's produce in it. It didn't work too well, it was so shallow everything kept falling out!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading Organic Gardening magazine. If you get a chance to look at the August issue of Country Living, check out the garden on page 110. It (and the garden plans on pages 116-117) will make you drool!
Jenn, it would be nicer if I had orange pumpkins in October instead of July-August!
ReplyDeleteYeah well, I'm a pumpkin junky so I wouldn't mind one even now. ;^) Besides, they'll keep till the fall if they're stored in a cool dark place.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in TX, it seems like they'd say to plant pumkins in July to have them for Halloween. I'm not quite sure how you'd modify that for WA, but that's all I know.
ReplyDeleteOver 200 lbs, that's great!!
Jenn, is there a cool place anywhere near me? Other than right over the air conditioner vents? I'm anxious to cook that first one, and I will find time soon. I hope. Then I'll probably try to keep at least a couple of the last four.
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Amy, I'd say the same would apply here. I planted mid-April and harvested just over 90 days later. July planting should give me pumpkins in October. I'm still getting a LOT of blossoms, so there might be some small later pumpkins in there. Unfortunately, I'm beginning to see some powdery mildew.
Holy Moly! You are doing super!
ReplyDeleteThe chili base looks good! I have never used the Mrs Wages mixes - I will be interested to hear how they taste.
KitsapFG, you know, I bought those three mixes on a whim after hearing that so many people liked the Mrs. Wages pickle mix. After looking at the ingredients, I could have made the same from scratch very easily, just by adding sugar and chili powder to crushed tomatoes. I tasted the chili base and it was OK, but really tomatoey (I know that's not a word, but the only way I can describe it). It remains to be seen how it will taste with meat and beans added. I'm thinking not as good as if I just canned plain tomatoes and seasoned my own chili.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, there's enough there to feed our village! You are doing wonderfully well aren't you!
ReplyDeleteLOL, Heskie....I send a lot of it home with my two boys. Feeding them is almost like feeding a village!
ReplyDeleteHoly moly!! I used your blog as a wonderful reference this winter while I was planning my garden (thank-you). I am so impressed by your harvests! I will be sure to make regular stops over here from now on. 8)
ReplyDeleteHave you made chili bases before? I have been eyeing a recipe but have yet to take the plunge.
Kelly, thank you and you're welcome ;-)
ReplyDeleteI've never made the chili base before, so the jury is out until I actually make a batch of chili. If you find a good recipe (from scratch, not a mix) I'd be interested.