2009’s Results
Thanks to a last minute carrot harvest, my pull for the season is approximately 81.6 pounds. How does it all shake down?
Beans: 3 lbs.
Broccoli: .25 lbs.
Cucumbers: 23.65 lbs.
Carrots: 3.5 lbs.
Peppers: 3.775 lbs.
Pumpkins: 29 lbs.
Tomatoes: 13.635 lbs.
Watermelons: 4.8 lbs.
Looking at some of these results, I have to wonder if the effort was worth the outcome. I’ll be spending the next few months thinking about that, plus I’ll assess how I used what I picked. Unfortunately, whether it was lack of time, or lack of understanding, a percentage of things went to waste.
The Last Harvest
I was so proud when I pulled up more than three-and-a-half pounds of carrots this week. That’s better than I had hoped for.
They’re not the most beautiful carrots. A close inspection would tell anyone that I neglected to thin out the seedlings, and my soil is probably too compacted. But they are so aromatic and taste fantastic. And that’s all the success I need.
It All Falls Apart
OK, I’ll admit it. Things have gotten away from me. Way away.
It’s been a really weird fall around here. There were some cold days a few weeks ago, but lately things have soared into the high 60s. Roses are still producing blooms, and I’m way behind on closing up shop for the winter. I never got around to planting the wheat, but if I had known that warm temperatures would persist into mid-November, I would have done it.
There’s still some green on the ground, and some color in the leaves. And just enough daylight to make the last moments of the garden shine.
Liatris in fall
Urban Farm
A friend passed along news of this new publication , and I think it sounds really interesting.
I’m constantly fascinated by urban farming and how people can come up with inventive ways to use space. I have a few friends in my home capital city who use vacant lots to grow food. Then there’s what you can do if you’ve got more money than you can manage.
As the world deals with an expanding crisis of food security, I’m paying attention to ways we can make a difference, even if its just by using the spaces we’ve got.
Great Photos of Great Work
I just wanted to take a moment to recognize some the fabulous photos posted in the Suburban Farm’s Flickr pool. Here are some of my favorites.
Courtesy of beegirl21
Courtesy of Stellvilla
Courtesy of hiphomemaker
Courtesy of Chiot's Run
Thanks for sharing scenes of your life “down on the farm.” I, and others, can’t wait to see what’s next.
Corn FAIL
What a lousy year for corn.
Every ear is small and deformed. I consulted my husband’s aunt, who has plenty of experience with corn, and she concluded that this summer was just a lousy year for corn (among other things). With more than fifty days of rain, everything suffered. Just about everyone I talk to has a story to tell about short plants, worms, and low yeilds.
It’s easy to commiserate over our small family plots, but what hurts the most is seeing farmers lose everything on account of one bad year.
Who’s Got Time for Wheat?
The wheat seeds are here, but UGH! It’s really hard to find a minute to clear out a patch and put them in the ground. I feel like I’m racing against time. (aren’t we all?) The sun disappears well before I put my little boy to bed. During the summer I had a full 30 minutes of uninterrupted time in the Suburban Farm after he went to bed.
Anyway, Saturday should be the day to sow the wheat and hope for the best.
Plus, I have updates on corn and watermelons. Hint: they ain’t great.
The Best Part of Being a New Englander…
…is going apple picking.
Lost in a Macoun
Tomatoes into Sauce
The tomatoes have been begging to be picked for days. Their fat, red orbs have been threatening to pull down the stalks. I finally got out there on Sunday, and just as I had expected, some couldn’t wait; their skins split. This kind of pull—7.5 pounds of cherry tomatoes in one day—needed to be made into sauce.
I’ve never made tomato sauce, but the glut of ripe fruit meant I had two choices tonight: sauce or compost. I don’t have any of the proper tools for canning. I wanted something quick, because I worked all day, then class, then home to finish out the day with family responsibilities. Hovering over a pressure cooker isn’t what I wanted to do.
I boiled all the tomatoes, skinned and pureed them. Tomorrow I’ll strain them through cheesecloth. I’ll add basil, garlic, and onions, and pop the whole lot in the freezer. Done! I don’t know if it’s right, but I’m sure it will taste good.
Things like this will always be a challenge: a successful garden means I need to deal with what I harvest. And I don’t grow it to waste it; I grow it for my family to eat. The challenge is to figure out how to make it work when life gets in the way.
Tomatoes and Sunflowers
Things are slow, and the season is showing signs of winding down. But I’ve been pulling in a steady stream of tomatoes: 11.725 pounds of cherry tomatoes as of yesterday. The stalks look terrible, but the blight infestation and fruit production must have narrowly missed each other.
The sunflowers are at their peak, and while things were slow during my yard sale on Saturday, I watched bees hungrily dine on the blossoms.
I sure am going to miss summer; it barely started. It makes me appreciate the stretch of golden days we’ve had this week.
The Suburban Farm 