Looking at the end of gardening this year, another month of food prep. It isn’t much this year but it has normalized life a bit. Going to start my second lettuce crop now that things have cooled. I think there will be no tomato sauce canning this year, just blueberries, got a 6lb. box of frozen at a great blueberry farm out by the lake. Weatherwise it was the worst summer ever, high heat, humidity, and all that pollution. I am grateful though.
Since we’re only a state away from one another, I am 100% with you on Northern Gardening this year! I am SO unmotivated it’s ridiculous and will spend all winter re-vamping what I’m planting, and how and why and also WHAT NOT to plant.
I have had good success with Green Beans (pole), Pears, Apples should be fine in another few weeks. Green peppers (which I HOPE will go to red, but not betting on it) have been so-so. Cucumbers were beyond ridiculously productive. Cherry trees were productive. Asparagus was OK - I AM going to add another bed of Asparagus next spring, for sure.
Failures were: Tomatoes (as soon as I see any ‘blush’ on the green ones, I am picking them and bringing them in to ripen) and Peaches. The peaches rotted from the inside out before even ripening! Zucchini were just STUPID this season. They would set ONE fruit - then overnight, with all the rain, it would grow to magical proportions. I think I got a total of 6 zukes off of 2 plants. All of this is attributed to so much rain. But - as I’ve said before - we won’t starve as I know where the Piggly Wiggly is. ;)
Today I am finishing up the Pear Butter and the pear slices in the dehydrator have a good 6 more hours to go; I swapped around the shelves before starting it up again this morning. ‘Dolly Doodlebug’ (Beagle) said 6am was time to get up this morning - and you don’t argue with an old dog and her old bladder, LOL!
Going to start the mowing today, too. It was very foggy this morning and all the windows were fogged over, so it’s going to take some time for the grass to dry - aiming for a Noon start, today. I think there will be one more good picking of green beans, too.
Tomorrow I am going to the 33rd Annual Lions Club Antique Show and Flea Market. Can’t wait for that! I don’t need a thing, but they do it up so nicely and it’s indoors and the vendors are always top notch. If I see any of the serving dishes Mom & I are collecting from Grandma’s old pattern, they’ll probably have to come home with me, though. ;)