The Summertime Garden Update

It’s been a bit of a crazy time around the homestead, where we’re just living from day to day and trying to get through our existing commitments, rather than taking on new and exciting things.

I’ve been taking care of the garden as best I can (despite predation incidents); I’m still baking bread weekly or even more often; the chicks are growing steadily (we’re about 6 weeks from potential egg-laying); and the boys are enjoying day camp, where they’re seeing movies, doing lots of swimming, and taking field trips to fun locales. So there haven’t been a lot of stories to tell.

But, today, I pulled out the camera and documented some of the sights hereabouts, so I could share the everyday.

It’s been the coolest, rainiest summer we’ve experienced since moving here, which has been great for tomatoes, as they need below-or-around-70-degree nights to set fruit. (I’m almost afraid to mention this, fearing that 100-degree temperatures will arise to punish me for my optimism.)

The Sun Golds, as promised in so many online reviews, are really fantastic — cherries seem to handle the heat better than other varieties of tomatoes. The basil is going to seed, but I can in no way keep up with its prolific leafing, anyway, so I don’t hold it against them. Time for another picking, processing and freezing session!

Wildlife of some sort robbed us of lots of tomato productivity, as well as numerous watermelons, a few weeks ago, but I’m trying to put the past behind me and not be too bitter about it. This year’s garden has still performed better than last year’s, though the weather — and not my expertise — deserves the lion’s share of the credit.

Hope your garden, your family and your livestock are flourishing this summer!