Monday, June 29, 2015

Harvest Monday - 29 June 2015

Welcome to another Harvest Monday post from Eight Gate Farm, Just a short one today, as I am still in the recovery room after yesterday's lawn party. An afternoon of music, conversation, and great food from The Kitchen Goddess, followed by sitting around a fire in the chiminea on the patio until it started to rain. And yes, beverages were involved.

Picking in the rain today, we got another load of "Blizzard" snow peas. We've been getting harvests like this every few days. It's great year for peas, and the cooler weather is helping that. They were a hit at the party, by the way. We put out a bowl and the guests ate them like potato chips.


Also the first substantial picking of "Sugar Snap" peas. They are quite later than the snows. They grow tall, which is unfortunate since the wind accompanying this rainstorm blew a few over. But TKG prefers them.


And the first head of "Fiesta" broccoli. Not too bad at 11.5 oz. (326 g.), but still not as big as last year's average.


Until this head starting sizing up, I was about ready to consign Fiesta to the also-rans. Last year it under-performed Arcadia. The plants just seem weaker. But a nice head like this, which was actually larger than any Arcadia this year, makes me rethink that. Maybe one more year of trials.

I didn't take pictures, but we brought in a big haul of the various lettuces on Friday to serve our guests, with plenty left over as well.

A gardening couple (my honorary cousins Harry and Karen--we share the same uncommon last name but don't seem to be related) gave us this lovely gift of lavender.


That's it for this week. Click on back to Daphne's Dandelions for more Harvest Monday reports.

14 comments:

  1. Lovely harvests. I grew both Fiesta and Arcadia last year. This year it was just Arcadia. I like it a touch better, but I really need one that matures at a different time.

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    1. Thanks, Daphne. I would suggest Blue Wind with its early maturity.

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  2. The broccoli must have been listening when you threatened to stop growing it. :) It's a lovely head. What a great idea to put a bowl of snow peas out for snacking, as sure way to reduce a glut.

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    1. And, compared to chips, to reduce a gut! Thank you Michelle.

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  3. My broccoli does differently from year to year, and it's tough for me to decide which to grow. Arcadia really did poor for me last year, but it seems to do well for everyone else!

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    1. It is strange that there does not seem to be consistency. Oh well, buying new seeds is fun!

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  4. TKG knows what's right ... sugar snap peas are much better than snow peas! Pretty lavender, I'm trying to grow it myself for the first time this year but it's only a few inches tall!

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  5. I like the snap peas better for snacking, good with dips. I'm impressed you have broccoli already, and look at the size of it. I have both Fiesta and Arcadia planted (a trial, as you say) but they are not forming heads yet. I guess I should threaten them

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    1. Yes, like a struggling pitcher, threaten them with a trade.

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  6. Sounds like a great party, even if it did involve some next day recovery time (or maybe because it did?)! I so love fresh peas - I usually end up sowing them later than usual (not on purpose), but that also means I'm harvesting them when most others have finished up. I always say I'll get them in the ground sooner but maybe I should be doing a couple of plantings a month apart to keep those peas flowing for a longer period of time.

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  7. Your pea harvests look great. It really makes me want to try a fall planting of them. And that head of broccoli looks amazing.

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