A Garden Interlude

My next post was intended  to be an appreciation of local

peaches, but the research is going slowly.  Until it's

finished, here's a gardening update.

After a late, wet and cold spring, a bout of seasonal

allergies, and three weeks away in July because

of medical issues, the garden is shaping up!

My fellow gardeners have had their triumphs and setbacks.
Some had corn that did not mature, or things that
did not grow because of the wet and cold.

But lots of things are finally starting to ripen.

So far, we have picked and enjoyed more sweet corn

than the five, misshapen ears which grew last year. 

Two people in the Guilderland Community Garden have

gigantically tall corn stalks and I hope to meet them and

learn their recipe for success.

This ear of corn looked better in the camera view finder
than it did in the above photograph
But it tasted pretty good in the end

In the early 1980’s, Hurley’s tavern in downtown Albany

served delicious chicken wings and a wide assortment of

beverages.  One of our favorite past-times was to order

wings and small, “pony” bottles of Rolling Rock.  

Each bottle of Rolling Rock has a “33” on the back of the

bottle, representing the number of words in product’s slogan. 

“33” is also a symbol used by journalists to signal to printers

that an article has ended.  

After picking plum tomatoes for two days, I was reminded of

both of these facts when I learned that I had picked “33”

tomatoes.  More green tomatoes are on the vine. I hope the

“33” in the number I picked does not mean the tomato sauce

I made will taste like beer - - or the tomato harvest is over.

33 plum tomatoes

I pulled these carrots in early July. 
From the size of the carrot tops , I thought the carrots were larger. 

One of my favorite crops  is carrots. When I was growing

up in Bloomington, Indiana, my mother encouraged the family

to plant radishes and carrots.  The radishes always worked

well, perhaps because they could fill out at a shallow depth

in the ground and the carrots did not work well. 

It’s been nice to finally succeed with a favorite vegetable.

I like a variety called Scarlet Nantes.  The first year in the

garden, I tried a variety called Danvers.  Although friends do

well with Danvers, mine were woody and not as tasty as

the Scarlet Nantes.

This year, the weeds overwhelmed the carrots and fewer

came up.  But the ones that did were longer and wider

than in previous years.  

I pulled these carrots in early August.
What a difference a month makes!

During our first year in the Guilderland Community Garden,

I planted pumpkins.  Our garden there is 25 by 33 feet and it

seemed to have more than enough room for pumpkins.

But by July that year, the pumpkin vines overran everything. 

We have planted pumpkins in the backyard ever since.  

Last week, three green pumpkins started filling out.  Now,

we are in a mad race between the pumpkins ripening and

assorted animals who want to eat the vines and the fruit. 

Last night, something got the smallest of the three. 

Let's hope the feasting ends there.

As of mid-August, more corn, carrots and tomatoes remain

to be picked.  And waiting in the wings are cauliflower,

Brussels sprouts, broccoli, fennel, peppers, eggplant and beets.

I hope that you are having gardening success too!