Seven Days Worth of Harvests!

It's really starting to produce here at Windy Thistle. I've planted a long row of green beans because they are my Darling Roger's favorite veggie and I love making him happy. They take a lot of picking, though, daily. Also, the hot red peppers are ripening and of course, there are always the blushing tomatoes to pick.

I pick the tomatoes while they are just blushing up and let them ripen the rest of the way on a tray in the kitchen. I find that I get more tomatoes that aren't also shared with bugs that way. I will use bug-bit veggies - I just cut out the bad parts and process the rest. The bad parts always go to the chickens - they don't care a bit. The perfect fruits, herbs and vegetables are what I offer to the good folks who patronize our humble online farm stand.

The morning ritual is a joyful time of the day for me. I'm an early riser, so feeding and watering the chickens, going around picking what is ready is not a chore but rather a communion with nature. I study the chickens and Henrietta the Turkey to make sure everyone is ok and getting enough to eat and then I go to the garden.

I thought you might like to see how the garden grows and produces more over time. The first photos at the top is Today, 8/17. Here is a little trip through memory lane just for the month of August. I'd already harvested most of the onions and garlic during June and July.

August 5th, the last 3 onions and just a few beans and tomatoes.

August 9 - Oh My, Look what a difference four days makes!

August 12 - the beans are prolific!

August 14 - a nice mess of beans, tomatoes and hot red peppers!

August 15, I was worried, hardly any tomatoes but look, Red Peppers!

August 16, It was raining, so I didn't harvest any green beans or peppers but GOSH, the tomatoes had to come in!

And then today is at the top of this post! There is plenty of produce ripe and ready to share with my patrons - Green Beans, Tomatoes, Hot Peppers (and boy, are they hot!) as well as herbs! I love how things are growing at Windy Thistle.