My Saturday in the garden post is a little late tonight because we JUST arrived home from a four-day trip to Spokane and Post Falls, Idaho to visit Great Grandma and other extended family (stay tune for more information on that – you won’t want to miss the fun stuff I have simmering.)
As soon as we pulled into the driveway my son and I rushed right out into the garden and we found all kinds of food waiting patiently to be picked. It was actually a special time for us, being in the garden – talking about life’s important issues. . . things like Legos, super powers, Star Wars and the occasional garden question, as we peeked around for things ripe for the picking. The garden is great for that – real conversations without the distractions of televisions, toys, flashy things and computers – just dirt, food and sunshine. And I’m so grateful for the wholesomeness of it all.
We found a TON of tomatoes, but only a handful were ready to pick. I cannot wait for a bowl full of tomatoes. . .but I suppose it’s a good thing they aren’t quite ready because we are still getting a ton of zucchini. . .
I might have to bring some over to the neighbor tomorrow. We also plan to shred and freeze a bunch – hopefully tomorrow or Monday.
I seriously, I mean seriously, underestimated the space plants would need! This is two plants – a pickling cucumber plant and an English Cucumber plant. It’s crazy, it’s everywhere!
Lift up the leaves to see all sorts of things growing underneath! I was able to harvest an English Cucumber tonight and a HUGE pickling cucumber. My son said – that looks like a potato! And it was so thick and big that it did.
Smile for garden fresh English Cucumbers!
I think we will be harvesting a green pepper this week! I’m so excited that I am growing a bell pepper. . . in my garden! It’s amazing. Other baby peppers are trailing behind.
And then we move over to the Fava beans, which were just begging to be harvested! We probably should have picked them before we left for vacation, but I didn’t have the energy – so tonight we harvested a HUGE bowl – enough to fill a grocery sack of fava beans. Tomorrow, I try and figure out what the heck to do with them!
Here’s what the fava beans look like on the stalk. They are big beans and I’m pretty sure I have to shell them. I’ll report back as soon as I figure it out.
Our little pumpkin patch, with our bright YELLOW pumpkin. I have no idea why it’s yellow. Perhaps that’s what color it is before it turns orange. I have no clue, but it seems to be growing just fine, so we’ll let it go! Do you know? Are pumpkins yellow before they turn orange? Or is this a squash and I’m just a very confused gardener?
So here’s what we harvested tonight – green beans, cherry tomatoes, a huge bowl of fava beans, four zucchinis, two cucumbers and four eggs. We have someone who watches our house while we’re away and they get all the eggs while we’re gone – so these are the four fresh eggs from this morning!
I wish everyone the joy of a garden. I truly feel blessed to be raising healthy kids and growing healthy foods, with their little hands helping along the way. My colander runneth over. . . and my heart, too.
How are things looking in your garden this week?
If you’re just now joining my gardening journey, I’m learning as I go grow and sharing along the way:
- First I built the raised beds
- Then I added dirt
- Then I added plants
- and for fun, we created a DIY Worm Compost Bin
- and then Mavis came and gave me some advice – um, give your plants some room
- Our first harvest, lettuce rejoice and be glad
- June 23 – Saturday in the garden – built two more raised beds and harvested bok choy, cilantro, radishes
- June 30 – Saturday in the garden – Harvested green lettuce, swiss chard and bok choy, more greens pop up!
- July 7 – Saturday in the garden – Fava beans bloom, zucchini plant doing great, green/red leaf lettuce growing
- July 13 – Saturday in the garden – Zucchinis, Peppers, Greens, Beans, Carrots!
- July 21 – Saturday in the garden – Spinach, lettuce, chard, zucchinis and one big pickle! Advice needed, please
- July 28 – Saturday in the garden – Harvesting lettuce, basil, zucchini, carrots. . .
- August 4 – Saturday in the garden – Big ole zucchini, fava beans, cucumbers
The garden is part of our quest to be more self-sufficient this year. We also recently got chickens! See our chicken journey here.
How’s your garden doing?
Michelle says
You are so lucky to have an awesome little helper. Way to go!
Kari says
my grandma always made Zucchini bread and jelly when they had their garden! The jelly is awesome on toast. This looks similar to what she used to make 🙂
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zucchini-jelly/
Melinda says
Papa C. harvests his Fava beans when they are BIG,rinses them, shells the beans, then ‘nukes’ em for a few minutes, shells them again and enjoys them. I did the same, but tossed the beans in some olive oil & fresh lemon juice while still warm.
Celia Husmann says
I grew up with Fava beans! They overwinter in Sacramento, I am so jealous! They are good with tomato sauce and basil. Lots of fancy recipes too. My mom makes a salad with arugula and Pecorino cheese, if you want the recipe, let me know!
Maureen says
I love your gardening posts. You are doing a beautiful thing by exposing your kids to this and instilling an appreciation of nature. All too rare these days.
Kristina says
Pumpkins will usually (depending on the kind)start out yellow or green then turn orange. At this stage we have taken a nail and carved our childrens name in a pumpkin for each. It forms a scab as it continues to grow so don’t go too deep but enough to see the name or words. What a joy for the kids to have their own personalized pumpkin.
Caro says
Thank you for sharing your wonderful life! Will you adopt me? LOL!
Renee says
Fava beans DO need to be shelled. to eat them it is a 2 step process. Blanch in hot water 3 minutes then drain
pop out cooled beans. saute in butter with fresh tomatoes and garlic. some tines I add a little white wine and chopped basil YUMMMM
The fava outer shell is a GREAT nutrient for your garden, just work them into the soil and they will break down.
enjoy!!