mid-june thru july garden ~ 2021.

If gardening for us were purely utilitarian we would use all our space to grow vegetables. No doubt we'd easily be able to grow 1,000 pounds (or more) of food, and have plenty to share and sell. However, the ability to grow flowers is too much for me and so probably more space is actually given to blooms than veg, but it all works together and if we actually needed more food production we could do it. 

Some harvests are complete: onions, garlic, beets, strawberries, blackberries, snow peas. I'm especially pleased with the 28 pounds of onions - a new record for us. Where space opened up I have planted more squash, carrots, greens and even flowers because, why not? Our Northwest Missouri growing season is so long that we can be harvesting well into October and greens until freezing temperatures. If soil is available we sow seed. 

We are of course enjoying so many fresh vegetables and herbs with our meals as well as storing so much in the freezer for winter. I don't create too many "products" as I prefer having ingredients on hand for whatever I want to do in the moment, but I have been making many jars of blackberry jelly. I'm also wanting to try my hand at making basil pesto this year, something new for me. Usually I slice the basil thin, mix with olive oil and then freeze in ice cub trays to easily pop in soups and sauces, and while I'll probably do a bit of that, I'd like to try pesto, plus it also freezes well for future uses. I've even found a recipe for pesto using carrot tops, so if I make time that could be a possibility too.

Our weather is hot and dry, so we are being diligent to use our rainwater and without shame our sprinkler as needed. August, hopefully, will be a stellar harvest month of tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and squash - and maybe provide us with slightly cooler temperatures and a rain shower or two. 

2021 Garden ~ 163 lbs.

Beets - 7 lbs.

Blackberries - 12 lbs.

Cucumbers - 2 lbs.

Garlic - 4 lbs.

Green Beans - 17 lbs.

Greens - Red Russian Kale, Spinach, Endive, Cabbage - 18 lbs.

Potatoes - Rose Gold: 13 lbs.

Snow Peas - 15 lbs.

Squash -  12 lbs.

Strawberries - 10 lbs.

Stuttgarter Onions - 28 lbs.

Tomatoes -  Cherry: 7 lbs., Roma: 12 lbs., Sandwich: 6 lbs.

Dehydrated - Sage, Thyme, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Basil, Chamomile, Rosemary, Marjoram