Calm Amidst the Storm(s)

It's been relatively quiet out in the garden lately, at least if you ignore the near-daily thunderstorms! Despite the rain, I haven't had to do much weeding. In the spring the weeds seem to pop up overnight after each rain, so every week I have to work over the entire plot. My plot has not been used for a few years and it was chock full of weed seeds.

Produce-wise, the peas are harvested and the vines are pulled out, the lettuce is long gone, and the shallots and garlic are pulled along with early onions. Sadly, the beans and broccoli were not successful. We had multiple harvests of both last year, but three weekends ago one of the landscapers managed to tear out a section of fence with his mower, thereby allowing critters in to feast. They actually ate whole heads of broccoli! All is not lost, though, as I will be planting a fall crop soon.

Currently we are harvesting kale, mizuna and mustard greens grown from seeds we were given by Honeybee's Godmother, as well as Swiss chard and grape and cherry tomatoes. Chard is one of our favorite garden vegetables. Every few days we cut off the three or four largest leaves on each plant and leave the rest, so our six plants should last until late fall. We cut the stems crosswise and cook them like celery, and cook the leaves like spinach. Our summer staple dinner: chard, chorizo, and polenta.

Several peppers are still developing as are carrots, leeks, and Brussels sprouts. We cut the first handful of Brussels sprouts yesterday, but there are many more to come. My next big task is to do a permanent repair on that fence and then start the fall planting. Hopefully I will find time this weekend!