Happy Monday everyone!
I missed you all last week since we went out of town for a bit of a vacation! We’re back now though, and so happy to be home and able to harvest all of our veggies while they’re at their peak! That means it’s catch up time…here in the garden and with my canning pots!
Before we left for our vacation there were three exciting happenings: 1) We harvested our very first Black from Tula Tomato (it was a little split, but it was absolutely delicious!), 2) We accumulated enough Shishito Peppers to saute them up and enjoy a tasty snack and 3) We broke the 100 pound mark!
Last year we harvested 182 pounds of yumminess from the garden. So, when I wrote out my 101 in 1001 list, I hoped to increase that yield by 10% (or 18.2 pounds more than last years harvest). So far, we’re looking pretty good and I am quite optimistic that we’ll meet (and maybe even surpass) our goal!
While we were gone, our house sitter collected eggs each day and harvested a few tomatoes, but the majority of what was harvested this week was actually harvested yesterday morning! 21 pounds!!! 10 of which were just tomatoes (34 Romas, 10 Yellow Taxis, 8 Cherokee Purples and 2 Black from Tulas)!
The beans are definitely slowing down, but our Lemon Cucumbers, Sweet Corn and winter squash are just gearing up, so I anticipate that the next couple of weeks will be quite busy with harvesting, eating and preserving 🙂
Last weeks totals (7/30-8/5):
- Basil = 2 oz
- Bush Beans = 1 oz
- Jalapenos = 1 oz
- Oregano = 2 oz
- Pole Beans (Trail of Tears) = 11 oz
- Sage = 1 oz
- Shishito Peppers = 7 oz
- Summer Squash = 6 oz
- Thyme = 1 oz
- Tomatoes = 5 lb
- Zucchini = 3 lb 12 oz
- Eggs = 69
- Bell Pepper = 15 oz
- Bush Beans = 6 oz
- Lemon Balm = 4 oz
- Mint = 8 oz
- Oregano = 1 oz
- Pepper/Chile (Mystery) = 3 oz
- Sage = 1 oz
- Shishito Peppers = 5 oz
- Summer Squash = 2 lb 14 oz
- Thyme = 1 oz
- Tomatoes = 10 lb 10 oz
- Zucchini = 6 lb 10 oz
- Eggs = 48
Congrads on hitting the 100 lb milestone. Please share with us what you do with your herbs. I have an herb garden and haven’t been very successful at getting them put up.
Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe the variety and amount that you strive for in your garden. On top of it all, you say you have an itty bitty plot that is up at 7000 feet! (were a little over 2000 feet). Gorgeous harvest, and this is the 3rd time that I’ve heard of shishito peppers so I’ll have to look into sourcing them here.
Thank you! We are very happy with the garden space we have carved out of our 1/8 acre! I definitely recommend checking out the shishitos…they’re such a nice treat!
What a great harvest to come home to……. Isn’t it a great feeling when all your hard work and planning (and the right weather etc ) produces healthy crops.
Oh, it’s so wonderful! There’s so much i don’t have control over, but the ends results (whatever they are) are so amazing!
Congratulations on breaking the 100 pound mark – you are well on your way to achieving your production goals. Well Done!
The harvest this week has such a nice variety to it. I especially appreciate the tomatoes though, as they are always a challenge to get to maturity in our cooler growing climate.
Thank you! It’s been a good year so far 🙂
Your cool climate may be tough to get tomatoes to ripen in, but I wonder how thick the skins are on them? Our growing season is short, but pretty intense with our high highs, zero humidity and cool evenings…it all makes for yummy tomatoes (if you start them early enough) but the skins are a bit tough. My dad is from Kansas and he’s always talking about the juicy wonderfulness of the tomatoes he ate growing up 🙂
Wow you had a super impressive haul to come back to! That tomato looks practically seedless and so smooth! Very nice!
It was quite a treat! The Tula was really delicious and beautiful! I’m excited for the others that ripening up now 🙂
All you ultra organized garden bloggers make me hang my head in shame.
Your warty squashes are spectacularly strange and wonderful.
All you ultra organized garden bloggers make me hang my head in shame.
Your warty squashes are spectacularly strange and wonderful.
All you ultra organized garden bloggers make me hang my head in shame.
Your warty squashes are spectacularly strange and wonderful.
Ha! I try to be organized, but about this time of year I feel like all I’m doing is stumbling around and trying to keep up! 😉
100 pounds!! Yahoo!! You’ll make 200 for sure. Things are just starting to kick in for us but we have had a few set backs this year so I don’t think we will hit our goal for 2012 unless we get some really big pumpkins by September!!
Thanks! Who knows, maybe you WILL have some good pumpkins by September! Our pumpkins are itty bitty s yours are bound to be bigger than ours!
Beautiful harvests! The Black From Tula is a great tomato, I haven’t grown it in a long time because I keep experimenting with new varieties, but I think it’s due for a comeback.
Thanks, Michelle! I know what you mean about experimenting! There are just so many wonderful varieties out there! I think at some point though I’ll have to decide on a few and stick to them…at least while we have such a small space 🙂
It is so nice to get out into the garden after being away. Amazing what you will find!
Ha! it really is amazing how quickly things grow when you’re not looking 😉
Congratulations on reaching 100 pounds. I am sure you will exceed your goal for the year.
What a beautiful collection of tomatoes. I am still waiting for my green ones to turn a different color.
Thank you! I am really starting to think we’ll meet our goal 🙂 Your tomatoes will turn soon…it is SO worth the wait…even if it tortuous throughout the waiting period!
Oh, wow! Isn’t that just beautiful. Congratulations on getting so close to your goal. I’m happy to improve a little each year too.
Thanks! Yes, slow and steady improvement is the goal, for sure 🙂
Everything looks perfect! I’ve never tried Black from Tula tomatoes, but they look good. Good luck meeting (and maybe surpassing) your harvest goal for the year!
Thank you! If you have the space, I highly recommend the Tulas! They’ve been good to us so far and I really enjoy the taste!
Great looking harvest! I really like my Tula’s, plan to plant a lot more of them next year!
Thank you! I am really enjoying the Tulas as well! I wish I had more space…I’d have a million tomatoes 🙂
Not a bad haul for a week. Looks like you will be busy with tomatoes.
Thanks! Yes, it was a very busy weekend preserving!
Beautiful, multi-coloured selection.
Thanks, Liz!