Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Around the Garden









Oh my, the garden is growing well this year. Every day more of our meals are coming from the garden and it all tastes so good. Kale, Swiss chard, beets, onions, strawberries, cucumbers, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes and herbs are gracing our plates and filling our bellies. On Sunday morning we enjoyed an entire breakfast from the backyard - omelet with Swiss chard served with roasted tomatoes and wild raspberries on the side. What a wonderful feeling it was to sit down to that meal.

This week has found me spending more time in the kitchen than the garden. The canning pot is seeing almost daily use and the pantry shelves are filling up nicely for the winter ahead. Gingery pickled beets, dilly green beans, dill pickles and blueberry jam were canned this week and blueberries and zucchini were added to our freezer stash.

The rhythm of the season was not lost on me this week as I thought back to all the time we spent in the late spring and early summer season working in the garden, more time spent outside than inside. Then a slowness set upon us as the plants reached for the sun and dove their roots deep into the soil. We watched carefully for bugs, we weeded and watered when needed, but the hard work was done. And now the busyness of the harvest begins. We, or at least I, have moved inside to can and freeze as much as we can for the winter season ahead. It is a rhythm that is repeated year after year, and for me, never gets old.

In the next week or so I will be spending a bit more time in the garden as we get ready to plant the fall garden. We are still debating what to plant, but at this moment I think arugula, mesclun mix, beets, kale and Swiss chard will go in providing us with another lovely harvest later in the fall.

How are things around your garden?

23 comments:

  1. I am jealous! I canned some cherries that is it. I would love to do a garden, but time allowances are small these days. One day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I so wish I could share some of the bounty with you. And yes, one day for sure.

      Delete
  2. Oh my goodness Kim, your garden is just amazing!
    All I have left is okra and kale, but soon, if the ground will dry a little, the fall plants will be in the ground.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks wonderful!
    My garden is doing fine, but I'm not growing any veggies this year since we knew we'd be gone for too many weeks. We decided to concentrate on herbs and flowers this year which is also nice for a change. Some close friends went all out with their new vegetable garden so I get to enjoy seeing the growth there.
    Have a wonderful day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much. Herbs and flowers are always nice. Reece decided he wanted his garden to be flowers this year, instead of vegetables...and he loves it :)

      Delete
  4. ...swoooon- your garden looks amazing- what an great job you have done. Enjoy all your hard work - that is impressive.
    My garden?...yeah...tumble weed.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your garden is amazing, picture perfect :)

    Thanks for you comment the other day on my rant/post, I really appreciated it. Sometimes we just have 'those' days, today is a good day.

    Happy Hump Day :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Carrie. Happy today is a better day xo

      Delete
  6. Agreed! It never gets old. Your garden looks beautiful. Enjoy those harvest meals! And thank you too for the birthday card. It was so sweet for you to think of me, and I love the echinacea flower. ox!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the way baby butternut squashes look! Your garden is going splendidly. I'm so happy for you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great Garden- your Swiss Chard looks beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Such gorgeous garden goodies. I love that you are able to can so much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! It is awesome that so much can be put up for the winter season ahead. It is something I try to do more of each year. So far this year is a good year, I think I will can the most I have ever canned...exciting!

      Delete
  10. There's nothing better! All those pretty jars lined up, filled with food you grew and harvested yourself. Your garden looks magical, and oh how I love your fence! My favorite is your bed full of greens. Happy fall planting. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! The jars lined up is the best. We love that fence too, it was here when we moved in...lucky us :)

      Delete
  11. a late check-in to see how things in your garden are doing ~ your garden is the standard by which we are setting our future goals, y'know ;) It looks like things are going very, very well after all those hours put into it in the early season!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, that is awesome, thank you! Things are going well, there are a few more bugs this week, but we are trying our best to keep them at bay. Fingers crossed.

      Delete