Days 977 - 1053 Winter Ends...Did it ever start?

Yes, eleven weeks since the last posting. School is coming to an end and I will have more time over the next few months so I should post more frequently.

This is the time of the year when we are just finishing the "lemon only" period and start fruit harvest all over again. We have had some cherries already (very early) and raspberries are not too far off. After this begins, we will have fruit again pretty much every day until at least March of next  year. Pretty amazing climate!!

Speaking of amazing climate. I am pround to day that we have our first Avocados on the tree this year. It looks as though there will be a bunch too!! Perhaps even 100 or so. Do not want to count my guacamole before I am sure, but it sure is a great sign (every other year the flowers on the avocado tree just dropped).

Here is what we harvested in the slow time of the year. Only $150 worth of produce over the past 11 weeks. Not much to speak of but I did managage to harvest something every day to surpass the 1000 day mark!!

An eleven-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 156 ($78.00)
Cherries: 1 pound ($5.00)
Limes: 13 ($4.25)
Oranges: 75 ($37.50)
Grapefruit: 13 ($13.00)
Salad Greens: 14 ($14.00)
Strawberries: 3 baskets ($6.00)

Eleven-Week harvest: $157.75
Total Produce Harvested : $4941.25
Total Honey Harvested: $1080.00
Expenses: $500.00

Daily Details
Year 3, Day 246
1) 1 orange
2) 2 limes

Year 3, Day 247
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 1 lime

Year 3, Day 248
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 249
1) 3 oranges

Year 3, Day 250
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 251
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 252
1) 1 grapefruit
2) 1 lime

Year 3, Day 253
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 lemons

Year 3, Day 254
1) 5 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 3 lemons

Year 3, Day 255
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 256
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 257
1) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 258
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 259
1) 3 oranges

Year 3, Day 260
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 5 lemons

Year 3, Day 261
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 262
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 2 limes
4) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 263
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 lime

Year 3, Day 264
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 265
1) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 266
1) 3 oranges

Year 3, Day 267
1) 6 oranges
2) 2 limes

Year 3, Day 268 - 271
gone

Year 3, Day 272
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 273
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 lemons
3) 2 limes

Year 3, Day 274
1) 4 lemons
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 275
1) 1 lemon
2) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 276
1) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 277
1) 3 lemons
2) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 278
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 279
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 280
1) 6 lemons
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 281
1) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 282
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 283
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 284
1) 5 lemons

Year 3, Day 285
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 286
1) 3 lemons

Year 3, Day 287
1) 3 lemons
2) 2 limes

Year 3, Day 288
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 289
1) 1 lemon

Year 3, Day 290
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 291
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 292
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 293
1) 6 lemons

Year 3, Day 294
1) 2 lemons
2) salad greens

Year 3, Day 295
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 296
1) 2 lemons
2) salad greens

Year 3, Day 297
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 298
1) 7 lemons
2) salad greens

Year 3, Day 299
1) 7 lemons

Year 3, Day 300
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 301
1) 20 lemons

Year 3, Day 302
1) salad greens

Year 3, Day 303
1) 2 lemons
2) salad greens

Year 3, Day 304
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 305
1) 2 lemons
2) salad greens

Year 3, Day 306
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 307
1) 3 lemons
2) salad greens
3) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 308
1) 5 lemons

Year 3, Day 309
1) 4 lemons
2) salad greens

Year 3, Day 310
1) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 311
1) salad greens

Year 3, Day 312
1) 6 lemons

Year 3, Day 313
1) 2 lemons
2) salad greens

Year 3, Day 314
1) Basket Strawberries
2) 1/2 pound cherries

Year 3, Day 315
1) 4 lemons
2) Salad greens (2)

Year 3, Day 316
1) 2 lemons
2) 1/4 pound cherries

Year 3, Day 317
1) 2 lemons
2) Basket Strawberries

Year 3, Day 318
1) salad greens
2) 1/4 pound cherries

Year 3, Day 319
1) 2 lemons
2) basket strawberries

Year 3, Day 320
1) 2 lemons
2) salad greens

Year 3, Day 321
1) 2 lemons

Days 921 - 976 Springtime Comes with Little Sign of Winter

What an easy winter it has been. A bit colder than normal but very little rain to get in the way of outdoor activities in Northern California. What is great for cycling and running is not the best for the garden though. I actually had to water the fruit trees last weekend for the first time ever that I remember (in the winter that is). An article that I read said that it is the driest January-February on record in California.

Well, fortunately we had a lot of rain in December so that the lakes are all full and there is some snow to ski on...unlike last year when all of the precip came in March and April.

In the garden, I did my February 1st fertilizing of the trees and planted some Kale starts. Need some rain to get them really rolling. Harvested 8 quarts of honey because one of the hives dies out over the winter. Pretty much every day has been started with a few oranges and a grapefruit from the bountiful citrus trees. A record 1313 mandarins this year and looks to be a record orange harvest too. The lemon tree seems to have more lemons than leaves. Pretty cool sight to see.

The Aprium tree has already bloomed and I hope that the fruit has set. The nectarine tree is in full bloom and the peaches are not far behind. Before the next post the entire yard will be in full bloom and I will get to see a sneak preview of what to expect for the years harvest.

An eight-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 15 ($7.50)
Chard: 9 bunches ($22.50)
Limes: 11 ($3.75)
Mandarins: 411 ($103.75)
Oranges: 136 ($78.00)
Grapefruit: 22 ($22.00)
Honey: 8 quarts ($160.00

Eight-Week harvest: $237.00
Total Produce Harvested : $4783.50
Total Honey Harvested: $1080.00
Expenses: $500.00

Daily Details
Year 3, Day 190
1) 1 orange
2) 15 mandarins

Year 3, Day 191
1)   25 mandarins

Year 3, Day 192
1)   15 mandarins

Year 3, Day 193
1) 32 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 194
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 195
1) 1 orange
2) 15 mandarins

Year 3, Day 196
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 197
1) 1 orange
2) 3 mandarins
3) 2 limes
4) 2 bunches chard

Year 3, Day 198
1) 15 mandarins

Year 3, Day 199
1) 15 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 1 lime

Year 3, Day 200
1) 1 orange
2) 20 mandarins

Year 3, Day 201
1) 3 oranges
2) 13 mandarins

Year 3, Day 202
1) 2 oranges
2) 60 mandarins

Year 3, Day 203
1) 10 mandarins
2) 1 lemon

Year 3, Day 204
gone

Year 3, Day 205
1) 7 oranges
2) 30 mandarins

Year 3, Day 206
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 lemon
3) 4 mandarins

Year 3, Day 207
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 208
1) 5 oranges
2) 6 mandarins

Year 3, Day 209
1) 4 oranges
2) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 210
1) 4 oranges
2) 8 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 211
1) 2 oranges
2) 16 mandarins

Year 3, Day 212
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 213
1) 3 oranges
2) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 214
1) 4 oranges
2) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 215
1) 3 oranges
2) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 216
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 217
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 mandarins

Year 3, Day 218
1) 3 oranges
2) 4 lemons

Year 3, Day 219
1) 7 oranges

Year 3, Day 220
1) 2 oranges
2) 6 mandarins
3) 3 lemons

Year 3, Day 221
1) 3 oranges
2) 3 mandarins

Year 3, Day 222
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 1 mandarin

Year 3, Day 223
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 mandarins

Year 3, Day 224
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 225
1) 5 oranges
2) 3 lemons
3) 1 grapefruit
4) 2 limes
5) 1 mandarin
6) 1 bunch chard

Year 3, Day 226
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 227
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 228
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 229
1) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 230
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 231
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 1 lime
4) 2 bunch chard

Year 3, Day 232
1) 4 oranges

Year 3, Day 233
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 234
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 2 limes

Year 3, Day 235
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 236
1) 5 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 237
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 3 limes
4) 2 bunches chard

Year 3, Day 238
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 2 bunches chard

Year 3, Day 239
1) 1 orange
2) 3 lemons

Year 3, Day 240
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 241
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 242
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 243
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 244
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 3, Day 245
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Days 865 - 920 Citrus and Climate Change in Northern CA

As we are in the midst of our citrus harvest season I thougth I would write about an NPR story I heard a while back about the concerns of climate change among citrus growers in Northern California. I would have thought that a warming of the temperatures would have only a positive effect on citrus with growers always fearing the dreaded freeze. Well, the grower that they were interviewing was talking about how much of his crop (Satsuma Mandarins) is eaten fresh and how we are accustomed to eating citrus that is orange in color (oranges, tangerines, mandarins) and how the warming of the climate will slow the colorization  of the fruit. Here is an article about Degreening of Citrus that I really thought explained what Citrus from Florida has to go through before we consumers actually find it acceptable.

This explains why the oranges that I would buy in Mexico would often be green (but perfectly ripe inside).

Well, for now our mandarins are turning nice orange and we have harvested over 900 to this date. The oranges have been tested and I plan on waiting at least a couple more weeks before starting to harvest them daily. Grapefruit will be at least a month.

A eight-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 18 ($9.00)
Chard: 2.5 bunches ($5.00)
Kiwi: 22 ($11.00)
Limes: 11 ($3.75)
Mandarins: 790 ($197.50)
Oranges: 13 ($6.50)

Eight-Week harvest: $232.75
Total Produce Harvested : $4546.50
Total Honey Harvested: $920.00
Expenses: $480.00
Daily Details
Year 3, Day 134
1) 4  mandarins
2) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 135
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 136
1) 7 mandarins

Year 3, Day 137
1) 3mandarins

Year 3, Day 138
1) 7 mandarins
2) 1 lemon

Year 3, Day 139
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 140
1) 9 mandarins

Year 3, Day 141
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 142
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 143
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 144
1) 17 mandarins
2) 8 limes
3) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 145
1) 50 mandarins
2) 6 lemons

Year 3, Day 146
gone

Year 3, Day 147
gone

Year 3, Day 148
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 149
1) 7 mandarins

Year 3, Day 150
1) 6 mandarins

Year 3, Day 151
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 152
1) 15 mandarins

Year 3, Day 153
1) 41 mandarins

Year 3, Day 154
1) 2 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 2 kiwi
4) 3 lemons
5) 1/2 bunch chard

Year 3, Day 155
1) 15 mandarins

Year 3, Day 156
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 157
1) 8 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 158
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 159
1) 6 mandarins

Year 3, Day 160
1) 20 mandarins
2) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 161
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 162
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 163
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 164
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 165
1) 12 mandarins
2) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 166
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 167
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 168
1) 14 mandarins
2) 2 bunches chard

Year 3, Day 169
1) 40 mandarins

Year 3, Day 170
1) 9 mandarins

Year 3, Day 171
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 172
1) 26 mandarins

Year 3, Day 173
1) 18 mandarins

Year 3, Day 174
1) 32 mandarins

Year 3, Day 175
gone

Year 3, Day 176
gone

Year 3, Day 177
1) 27 mandarins
2) 20 kiwi

Year 3, Day 178
1) 38 mandarins
2) 1 orange
3) 3 limes

Year 3, Day 179
1) 11 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 180
1) 14 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 181
1) 47 mandarins

Year 3, Day 182
1) 5 mandarins

Year 3, Day 183
1) 8 mandarins

Year 3, Day 184
1) 27 mandarins

Year 3, Day 185
1) 50 mandarins
2) 4 lemons
3) 1 orange

Year 3, Day 186
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 187
1) 12 mandarins

Year 3, Day 188
1) 13 mandarins
2) 2 oranges

Year 3, Day 189
1) 4 mandarins

Days 767 - 864 Busy days!!

Been 14 weeks since the last post. I guess life has been pretty darn busy!! I was just about to quit this endeavor but I thought I might regret it later...so here it is!!

Anyhow, I have continued to harvest daily and it has been quite the bountiful harvest this summer. Perfect weather we ahve had through the months of summer and fall. Not too hot and not too cool. The early rains of last year did not happen so we have had an amazing Fig crop (480 figs) and right now we are picking the first mandarins (already picked over 100 and the trees are loaded).

A fourteen-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 13 ($6.50)
Chard: 18 bunches ($36.00)
Strawberries: 6.5 baskets ($13.00)
Peaches: 53 ($45.75)
Zucchini: 106 ($78.00)
Cucumber: 52 ($27.00)
Tomatoes: 261 ($136.00)
Cherry Tomato: 3 baskets ($6.00)
Pears: 36 ($32.00)
Asian Pears: 9 ($5.00)
Grapes: 25 lb ($50.00)
Potaotoes: 2 lb ($2.00)
Raspberries: 7.5 baskets ($15.00)
Salad: 2 ($1.00)
Honey: 20 quarts ($400.00)
Kiwi: 2 ($1.00)
Limes: 2 ($1.00)
Apples: 128 ($70.00)
Figs: 480 ($120.00)
Mandarins: 112 ($28.00)

Fourteen-Week harvest: $673.25
Total Produce Harvested : $4313.75
Total Honey Harvested: $920.00
Expenses: $480.00
Daily Details
Year 3, Day 36
1) 7 tomatoes
2) 10 peaches
3) 8 pears
4) 6 zukes
5) 2 bunches chard
6) 1 lemon
7) 4 asian pears

Year 3, Day 37
1) 4 peaches

Year 3, Day 38
1) 6 pears
2) 10 tomatoes
3) 3 cukes
4) 4 zukes
5) 6 peaches
6) 3 lemons
7) 3 asian pears

Year 3, Day 39
1) 10 peaches
2) 10 pears

Year 3, Day 40
1) 4 peaches
2) 12 pears
3) 10 tomatoes
4) 3 zukes
5) basket cherry tomatoes
6) 1/2 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 41
1) 3/4 lb grapes
2) 8 peaches
3) 2 zukes
4) 2 tomatoes
5) basket cherry tomatoes

Year 3, Day 42
gone

Year 3, Day 43
1) 7 peaches
2) 6 tomatoes
3) 1 zuke
4) 3 cukes

Year 3, Day 44
1) 2 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 45
1) 2 asian pears
2) 6 tomaotes
3) 4 zukes
4) 1.5 baskets strawberries

Year 3, Day 46
1) 2 bunches chard
2) 4 peaches
3) 3/4 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 47
1) 1 lb grapes
2) 3 zukes
3) 1/2 basket raspberries

Year 3, Day 48
1) 2.5 lb grapes
2) 1 cuke
3) 13 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 49
1) 2 baskets strawberries
2) 2 bunches chard
3) 1 zuke
4) 4 tomatoes
5) 2 lb potatoes
6) 1 lemon
7) 1/4 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 50
1) 1.25 lb grapes
2) 3 tomatoes
3) 1 cuke

Year 3, Day 51
1) 1 lb grapes
2) 11 tomatoes
3) 4 zukes
4) 1 bunch chard
5) 1 basket strawberries

Year 3, Day 52
1) 1 basket raspberries
2) 3/4 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 53
1) 3/4 lb grapes
2) 13 tomaotes
3) 3 zukes
4) 2 cukes

Year 3, Day 54
1) 2.5 lb grapes
2) 2 bunches chard
3) 1 basket strawberries

Year 3, Day 55
1) 3/4 lb grapes
2) 16 tomaotes
3) 1/2 basket Raspberries

Year 3, Day 56
1) 1/2 basket strawberries
2) 8 zukes
3) 1/2 lb grapes
4) 4 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 57
1) 1.5 lb grapes
2) 8 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 58
1) Salad greens
2) 1/4 lb grapes
3) 1 lemon
4) 5 tomatoes
5) 1/2 basket strawberries

Year 3, Day 59
1) 1 lb grapes
2) 4 zukes
3) 1 bunch chard
4) 10 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 60
1) 3/4 lb grapes
2) 10 tomatoes
3) 1 cuke

Year 3, Day 61
1) 1/2 lb grapes
2) 3 tomatoes
3) 2 basket raspberries
4) 2 figs

Year 3, Day 62
1) 2 lb grapes
2) 1 basket raspberries
3) 6 figs
4) 4 zukes
5) 3 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 63
1) 2 zukes
2) 12 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 64
1) 8 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 65
1) 1/2 lb grapes
2) 1/2 basket raspberries
3) 1 bunch chard
4) 1 zuke

Year 3, Day 66
1) 7 tomatoes
2) 2 bunches chard
3) 3 zukes
4) 3 figs
5) 1/4 lb grapes
6) 1/4 lb green beans

Year 3, Day 67
1) 1 basket raspberries
2) 4 tomatoes
3) 1 fig

Year 3, Day 68
1) 4 figs
2) 1/4 lb grapes
3) 2 tomatoes
4) 3 zukes
5) 1 lemon
6) Salad greens

Year 3, Day 69
1) 5 tomatoes
2) 5 zukes
3) 1/4 lb grapes
4) 3 figs

Year 3, Day 70
1) 1 basket strawberries
2) 4 tomatoes
3) 2 figs

Year 3, Day 71
1) 4 cukes
2) 2 tomatoes
3) 1 basket raspberries
4) 1 fig

Year 3, Day 72
1) 5 zukes
2) 4 figs
3) 1/4 lb grapes
4) 1 apple

Year 3, Day 73
1) 1 bunch chard
2) 8 tomatoes
3) 1/4 lb grapes
4) 2 apples
5) 8 figs

Year 3, Day 74
1) 7 figs
2) 1/4 lb grapes
3) 3 apples
4) 1 lemon
5) 1 zuke

Year 3, Day 75
1) 8 figs
2) 5 apples
3) 1/4 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 76
1) 8 figs
2) 3 apples
3) 1/4 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 77
1) 3 apples
2) 17 figs

Year 3, Day 78
1) 3 apples
2) 10 tomatoes
3) 3 cukes
4) 6 zukes

Year 3, Day 79
1) 1/2 lb grapes
2) 5 apples
3) 11 figs

Year 3, Day 80
1) 13 figs
2) 5 apples
3) 1/4 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 81
1) 9 figs
2) 5 apples
3) 2 tomatoes
4) 2 cukes

Year 3, Day 82
1) 7 figs
2) 5 apples

Year 3, Day 83
1) 3 apples
2) 5 zukes
3) 1 cuke

Year 3, Day 84
1) 18 apples
2) 6 tomatoes
3) 1 lemon
4) 30 figs

Year 3, Day 85
1) 6 figs

Year 3, Day 86
1) 12 figs
2) 1 cuke
3) 1/2 basket cherry tomatoes

Year 3, Day 87
1) 11 figs

Year 3, Day 88
1) 12 figs
2) 4 apples
3) 1 cuke

Year 3, Day 89
1) 8 zukes
2) 7 apples
3) 3 cukes
4) 1 lemon
5) 15 figs

Year 3, Day 90
1) 17 apples
2) 25 figs

Year 3, Day 91
gone

Year 3, Day 92
1) 7 figs
2) 4 zukes
3) 4 cukes
4) 3 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 93
1) 20 figs
2) 1 apple

Year 3, Day 94
1) 17 figs
2) 8 apples

Year 3, Day 95
1) 15 figs
2) 1 apple

Year 3, Day 96
1) 19 figs
2) 4 zukes
3) 6 apples
4) 2 bunches chard
5) 5 cukes
6) 2 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 97
1) 10 figs
2) 1 apples
3) 1 kiwi

Year 3, Day 98
1) 11 figs

Year 3, Day 99
1) 4 apples
2) 1 fig
3) 4 cukes
4) 1 tomato

Year 3, Day 100
1) 11 figs
2) 4 apples
3) 3 zukes

Year 3, Day 101
1) 20 figs
2) 1 apple

Year 3, Day 102
1) 19 figs
2) 1 apple
3) 2 cukes

Year 3, Day 103
1) 16 figs
2) 1 apple

Year 3, Day 104
1) 20 figs
2) 1 apple

Year 3, Day 105
1) 12 figs
2) 1 tomato
3) 4 cukes
4) 4 zukes

Year 3, Day 106
1) 3 figs
2) 1 tomato
3) 4 cukes

Year 3, Day 107
1) 14 figs

Year 3, Day 108
1) 12 figs
2) 2 tomatoes

Year 3, Day 109
1) 3 tomatoes
2) 17 figs

Year 3, Day 110
1) 9 figs
2) 5 zukes

Year 3, Day 111
1) 8 figs

Year 3, Day 112
1) 33 tomatoes
2) 1/2 basket cherry tomatoes
3) 1 zuke
4) 6 cukes
5) 1 mandarin

Year 3, Day 113
1) 2 figs
2) 1/4 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 114
1) 4 apples

Year 3, Day 115
1) 1 mandarin
2) 1 bunch chard

Year 3, Day 116
1) 1 kiwi

Year 3, Day 117
1) 3 apples
2) 1 lemon

Year 3, Day 118
1) 1 mandarin
2) 1 lime

Year 3, Day 119
1) 1 apple
2) 1 lemon
3) 1 lime

Year 3, Day 120
1) 12 mandarins


Year 3, Day 121
1) 8 mandarins
2) 3 apples

Year 3, Day 122
1) 10 mandarins

Year 3, Day 123
1) 3 mandarins

Year 3, Day 124
1) 4 mandarins

Year 3, Day 125
1) 6 mandarins
2) 1 apple
3) 1 bunch chard

Year 3, Day 126
1) 6 mandarins

Year 3, Day 127
1) 5 mandarins

Year 3, Day 128
1) 4 mandarins

Year 3, Day 129
1) 5 mandarins

Year 3, Day 130
1) 9 mandarins

Year 3, Day 131
1) 13 mandarins
2) 1 lemon

Year 3, Day 132
1) 9 mandarins

Year 3, Day 133
1) 15 mandarins

Days 746 - 766 Peak Produce

Today I was out picking the daily produce and I was astounded that I picked more than 13 pounds of fruit and vegetables in one morning. Thus the title, "Peak Produce". I have to believe that early August has to be the peak of my garden here in Sonoma County. Surely cannot sustain 13 pounds of produce every day for very long.

A while ago somebody asked me how much time I spent on my garden. Honestly, there is some time that is used for planting seeds, starts and taking care of the weeding...but my answer to him was that most of my time was spent harvesting stuff. I try to do it all in the morning and I find that the plants respond better if I harvest when it is nice and cool as opposed to during the mid-day heat. Each morning I must spend a good 15 minutes gathering from the garden. Due to this blog, I do spend a little more time tallying up the totals each day and weighing stuff that I need to do so I can get a dollar figure. Fifteen minutes may not seem like a lot of time...and it is not a problem right now, but being a teacher, once school starts, the mornings are a bit more time-sensitive and I will have to get up a bit earlier just to keep up with the great stuff that is coming out!! Cannot complain too much though since I get to bring all of this fresh stuff to work with me for snacks!!

Did only three weeks this time since the amount we have been havesting is much greater (as opposed to the winter when we harvest one or two varieties of citrus).

A three-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 4 ($2.00)
Chard: 7 bunches ($14.00)
Strawberries: 2.5 baskets ($5.00)
Blueberries: 1.5 baskets ($3.00)
Peaches: 120 ($70.50)
Zucchini: 37 ($34.00)
Cucumber: 27 ($17.00)
Tomatoes: 24 ($27.00)
Cherry Tomato: 2 baskets ($4.00)
Pears: 37 ($32.50)
Asian Pears: 4 ($3.75)
Grapes: 1.75 lb ($3.50)

Year 3, Day 15
1) 1 tomato
2) 1 cucumber
3) 15 peaches
4) 1 basket blueberries

Year 3, Day 16
gone

Year 3, Day 17
1) 6 zucchini
2) 1 tomato

Year 3, Day 18
1) 2 zucchini
2) 5 peaches
3) 1 bunch chard
4) 1 tomato
5) 3 cucumbers

Year 3, Day 19
1) 27 peaches
2) 1 tomato
3) 2 zucchini
4) 1 bunch chard

Year 3, Day 20
1) 36 peaches
2) 2 cucumbers
3) 2 bunches chard

Year 3, Day 21
gone

Year 3, Day 22
1) 5 zucchini
2) 2 cucumbers
3) 1 tomato
4) 2 lemons

Year 3, Day 23
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 cucumbers
3) 3 zucchini

Year 3, Day 24
gone

Year 3, Day 25
1) 5 cucumbers
2) 2 zucchini
3) 2 tomatoes
4) 5 peaches
5) 3 pears
6) 1 basket cherry tomatoes

Year 3, Day 26
1) 2 tomatoes
2) 3 bunches chard

Year 3, Day 27
1) 4 tomatoes
2) 3 zucchini
3) 3 cucumber
4) 1/2 basket blueberries
5) 1 peach

Year 3, Day 28
1) 3 peaches
2) 1 basket strawberries
3) 5 pears
4) 2 zucchini
5) 1 asian pear

Year 3, Day 29
1) 1 cucumber
2) 1 peach
3) 6 pears
4) 1 zucchini

Year 3, Day 30
1) 1 1/4 lb grapes
2) 3 zucchini
3) 1 basket cherry tomatoes
4) 2 cucumbers
5) 6 pears
6) 3 peaches

Year 3, Day 31
gone

Year 3, Day 32
1) 3 tomatoes
2) 5 zucchini
3) 1 cucumber
4) 9 peaches

Year 3, Day 33
1) 9 peaches
2) 1/2 lb grapes

Year 3, Day 34
1) 7 peaches
2) 9 pears
3) 4 cucumbers
4) 5 tomatoes
5) 3 zucchini

Year 3, Day 35
1) 8 pears
2) 1 1/2 baskets strawberries
3) 3 tomatoes
4) 1 cucumber
5) 3 asian pears

Three-Week harvest: $216.25
Total Produce Harvested : $3640.50
Total Honey Harvested: $520.00
Expenses: $430.00

Days 718 - 745 Variety of Life

Coming out of winter it amazes me how much variety can come out of a little backyard garden. This 4-week period saw 14 varieties of produce...almost a grocery store...with quality that never ceases to amaze the senses.

It is this time of the year when we can start seeing a real difference in our shopping habits. I have been doing most of the grocery shopping for the summer and I hardly have to buy any produce. I buy carrots because we do not grow those and the occasional bunch of bananas, but I have been finding that we can eat almost all of our fruit and at least half of our veggies from our yard. The tally for the last 4 weeks is over $200...which is greater than the entire 8 weeks prior. That itself says why my shopping trips have become so much easier.

The summer fruit. That is what we are partaking in right now. Peaches are ripening nicely and we are doing our daily consumption. Lucky for us, the first peach variety that we get is slow to ripen and I can find about 10 each day that are perfect. The aprium though was a different story. How that tree has the quality of a plum!!! All of the fruit came and went in about 10 days. Giving some away and freezing a whole lot...for the kids love them frozen!! What a treat.

Starting the 3rd year of continuous harvest. Here we go!!

A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 15 ($7.50)
Salad Greens: 5 salads ($5.00)
Chard: 8.5 bunches ($17.00)
Beets: 40 ($30.00)
Strawberries: 3.5 baskets ($7.00)
Raspberries: 15.5 baskets ($31.00)
Blueberries: 8 baskets ($16.00)
Apriums: 105 ($39.00)
Nectarines: 17 ($12.00)
Peaches: 35 ($18.00)
Zucchini: 24 ($23.50)
Cucumber: 7 ($4.00)
Tomatoes: 2 ($1.00)
Cherry Tomato: 1 basket ($2.00)

Year 2, Day 353
1) 1 basket Strawberries
2) Salad greens
3) 1/2 bunch chard
4) 3 baskets raspberries
5) 5 lemons

Year 2, Day 354
1) 1/2 basket blueberries
2) 5 beets
3) salad greens
4) 1 basket raspberries
5) 1 aprium

Year 2, Day 355
1) 2 bunches chard
2) 5 apriums
3) 1.5 baskets raspberries

Year 2, Day 356
1) Salad greens
2) 5 beets
3) 1 aprium
4) 1 basket raspberries
5) 1/2 basket blueberries

Year 2, Day 357
1) Salad greens

Year 2, Day 358
1) 6 beets
2) 1 basket raspberries
3) 1 lemon
4) 1 aprium

Year 2, Day 359
1) 1 bunch chard
2) 6 lemons
3) 1 basket raspberries
4) 1/2 basket blueberries

Year 2, Day 360
1) 1 basket strawberries
2) salad greens

Year 2, Day 361
1) 1.5 baskets raspberries
2) 2 apriums

Year 2, Day 362
1) 6 beets
2) 1 basket raspberries
3) 2 apriums

Year 2, Day 363
1) 1 basket blueberries
2) 5 apriums

Year 2, Day 364
1) 6 beets
2) 12 apriums
3) 1/2 basket raspberries

Year 2, Day 365
1) 2 bunches chard
2) 1 basket strawberries
3) 1 basket blueberries
4) 1 basket raspberries
5) 6 apriums

Year 2, Day 366
1) 4 zukes
2) 2 cherry tomatoes
3) 1 basket blueberries
4) 1/2 basket raspberries
5) 30 apriums

Year 3, Day 1
1) 6 beets
2) 1 nectarine
3) 1 zuke
4) 20 apriums

Year 3, Day 2
1) 10 apriums
2) 1 basket blueberries
3) 2 cherry tomatoes
4) 3 nectarines
5) 1 zuke

Year 3, Day 3
1) 10 apriums
2) 1 nectarine
3) 6 beets
4) 1.5 baskets raspberries

Year 3, Day 4
1) 5 nectarines
2) 1 basket blueberries

Year 3, Day 5
1) 6 zukes
2) 1 nectarine
3) 3 peaches

Year 3, Day 6
1) 2 nectarines
2) 2 bunches chard

Year 3, Day 7
1) 4 nectarines
2) 5 zukes

Year 3, Day 8
1) 1 basket blueberries
2) 3 peaches

Year 3, Day 9
1) 3 zukes
2) 5 cukes
3) 1 peach

Year 3, Day 10
Gone

Year 3, Day 11
1) 2 tomatoes
2) 2 zukes

Year 3, Day 12
1) 1/2 basket strawberries
2) 1/2 basket blueberries
3) 10 peaches
4) 3 zukes
5) 2 cukes
6) 3 lemons

Year 3, Day 13
1) 8 peaches
2) 2 zukes
3) 1 bunch chard

Year 3, Day 14
1) 10 peaches
2) 1 zuke

Four-Week harvest: $213.00
Total Produce Harvested : $3424.25
Total Honey Harvested: $520.00
Expenses: $430.00 (seeds and avocado tree)

Days 662 - 717 BB King

Eigt weeks is just too long of a time. We left harvesting only lemons and we have already harvested our first cherry tomatos!! I will try to commit to a 4 week maximum between posts.

Why BB King? Well, berries and beets are king right now in the garden. Not to mention that I harvested honey early and took nearly 2 gallons. Good stuff!! We have had so little rain in the spring but that has made a greatt berry spring. We are harvesting raspberries every morning and evening with more than enough for everybody in the family (and some for the neighbors). Gotta love that!! Beets are plentiful and the beets and the greens have been feeding our family every 2 or three days. Kids love them and we do too.

I started this blog trying to show that you can harvest something every day in Sonoma County and I am just completing 2 years. Pretty cool. By the time I post again I will be in the third year. I can forsee trouble in October with a small apple harvest...but the citrus crop next winter looks great!!

An eight-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 101 ($50.50)
Salad Greens: 21 salads ($21.00)
Garlic: 61 bulbs ($30.50)
Chard: 3 bunches ($6.00)
Beets: 33 ($27.50)
Strawberries: 11 baskets ($22.00)
Raspberries: 9.5 baskets ($19.00)
Blueberries: 2.75 baskets ($5.50)
Cherries: 0.5 lb ($4.00)
Honey: 8 quarts ($160.00)

Year 2, Day 297
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 garlic

Year 2, Day 298
1) 2 lemons
2) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 299
1) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 300
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 301
1) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 302
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 303
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 304
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 305
1) 5 lemons

Year 2, Day 306
1) 2 lemons
2) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 307
1) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 308
1) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 309
1) 2 lemons
2) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 310
1) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 311
1) 4 lemons
2) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 312
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 313
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 314
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 315
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 316
1) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 317
1) 5 lemons

Year 2, Day 318
1) 2 lemons
2) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 319
1) Salad Greens
2) 1 Garlic

Year 2, Day 320
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 Garlic
3) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 321
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 322
1) 2 bunches Chard

Year 2, Day 323
1) 1 lemon
2) 1/2 basket Strawberries

Year 2, Day 324
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 325
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 garlic
3) 1 raspberrry
4) 1/2 basket Strawberries

Year 2, Day 326
1) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 327
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens
3) 1/2 basket Strawberries

Year 2, Day 328
1) 4 lemons
2) 1 cherry
3) 1 garlic

Year 2, Day 329
1) 3 lemons
2) 56 garlic

Year 2, Day 330
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 331
1) 5 lemons
2) 4 blueberries
3) 10 cherries

Year 2, Day 332
1) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 333
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 bunch chard

Year 2, Day 334
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens
3) 1 basket strawberries
4) 4 cherries
5) 4 raspberries

Year 2, Day 335
1) 8 lemons

Year 2, Day 336
1) 4 beets
2) 6 raspberries
3) 6 cherries
4) 1 basket strawberries

Year 2, Day 337
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 338
1) 5 lemons
2) 6 beets
3) Salad Greens
4) 1/4 basket blueberries

Year 2, Day 339
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens
3) 1 bunch chard
4) 1.5 bvaskets strawberries
5) 1/4 basket blueberries
6) 1/4 basket raspberries

Year 2, Day 340
Gone

Year 2, Day 341
1) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 342
1) 5 beets
2) Salad greens
3) 1.5 baskets strawberries
4) 1/2 basket raspberries
5) 8 quarts honey

Year 2, Day 343
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 344
1) 5 beets
2) Salad Greens
3) 2 baskets strawberries
4) 1 basket raspberries

Year 2, Day 345
1) 1 lemon
2) 1 basket Raspberries
3) 1/4 basket blueberries

Year 2, Day 346
1) 1 lemon
2) 1 basket raspberries
3) 1 basket strawberries

Year 2, Day 347
1) 8 lemons
2) 5 beets
3) Salad Greens
4) 1.5 baskets raspberries
5) 1/2 basket blueberries

Year 2, Day 348
1) Salad Greens
2) 1.5 baskets strawberries
3) 1/2 basket blueberries

Year 2, Day 349
Gone

Year 2, Day 350
Gone

Year 2, Day 351
1) 3 beets
2) 2 baskets raspberries
3) 1 cherry tomato

Year 2, Day 352
1) 5 beets
2) Salad Greens
3) 2 baskets Raspberries
4) 1 basket blueberries

Eight-Week harvest: $190.00
Total Produce Harvested : $3211.25
Total Honey Harvested: $520.00
Expenses: $380.00 (seeds)

Days 627 - 661 Lemons

It is the time of the year that the garden is renewing. Flowers are out, bees are flying, and the veggie garden is starting. The lemon tree is the staple for about another month or so until the raspberries and the blueberries start ripening...and if we ever get a decent crop of cherries!!

It is also the time of the year when I realize how tenuous farming must be. A rain storm during the bloom and the crop drops. I have seen it in our yard. Last year we had very little grapes but a bumper crop of apples. I think this year might be just the opposite. It kind of shows how monocropping can be a real boom or bust economy. We definitely do not do the monocrop...we hardly have a duplicate of anything.

Observing my yard is like looking into a crystal ball. I can start to see the future crops that will be on our table this summer and next winter. Cannot count my chickens before they hatch, but it may look like we will have our first kiwi out of the yard this year. Also hoping to have my first avocado(s), but do not know if anything is pollinating the flowers, which seem to be open only one day and then are gone. Lucky for the tree, there are lots of flowers!! The citrus trees are looking to be loaded. The biggest bloom I have ever seen is about to happen.

Speaking of citrus...the lemon. It is all we are going harvest for the next few weeks. After the mandarins, oranges, and grapefruit are gone, my body seems to still crave the daily vitamin C fix, so I take two lemons, squeeze them and put that into a pitcher of water. No sugar, just lemon and water. Quite refreshing and it really makes you feel good.

An five-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 86 ($43.00)
Oranges: 8 ($4.00)
Grapefruit: 5 ($5.00)
Salad Greens: 5 salads


Year 2, Day 262
Gone

Year 2, Day 263
Gone

Year 2, Day 264
1) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 265
1) 5 lemons
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 2 oranges
4) salad greens

Year 2, Day 266
1) 10 lemons
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 3 oranges
4) salad greens

Year 2, Day 267
1) 1 lemon
2) 1 orange
3) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 268
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 269
1) salad greens

Year 2, Day 270
1) 6 lemons
2) 1 orange

Year 2, Day 271
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 272
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 273
1) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 274
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 275
1) 2 lemons
2) salad greens

Year 2, Day 276
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 277
1) 5 lemons

Year 2, Day 278
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 279
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 280
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 281
1) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 282
1) 6 lemons

Year 2, Day 283
1) salad greens

Year 2, Day 284
1) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 285
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 286
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 287
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 288
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 289
1) 5 lemons
2) 1 orange

Year 2, Day 290
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 291
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 292
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 293
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 294
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 295
1) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 296
1) 3 lemons

Five-Week harvest: $57.00
Total Produce Harvested : $3021.25
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $370.00 (seeds, lettuce, fertilizer)

Days 571 - 626 Spring Back

Spring is back!! It really never quite felt like winter this year with 70 degree temperatures in the middle of winter and very little rain (until this week!!)

As we wind down the citrus harvest over the next couple of weeks, we will start to see the stone fruit start to develop and grow. Right now it looks like a large Aprium crop is coming and if the Peaches and Nectarines got pollinated before this rain, they too will have large crops. There sure were a lot of blossoms!! And the bees were out working early with all of the warm weather.

The pears and apples are still in the process of flowering. The Asian Pear tree is in full flower and I am hoping that the Bartlett flowers before the Asian Pear drops its flowers...since a pollinator is needed for both. The Cherry tree and the apple trees are just about to explode. I see the citrus trees blooming soon too. Hope there are some breaks in this rainy pattern so that they set a good crop too.

In the veggie garden, I took out the Kale and we now have lettuce starts, a bed of chard, and a bed of beets. Add that to the garlic which is doing really well this year and it looks to be a fine April/May. This is the time of the year when we run out of oranges and grapefruit, so the veggie garden needs to kick in soon.

I have to say, it is pretty cool that we have been harvesting citrus for 4 months solid and fruit since June 1st!! That is 10 months of uninterrupted fruit harvest. I feel spoiled :)

Hope to update this a bit more frequently in the future. Every 4 weeks seems fair...I was a slacker with this eight week delay!!

An eight-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 56 ($28.00)
Mandarins: 161 ($40.25)
Oranges: 154 ($77.00)
Grapefruit: 41 ($41.00)
Salad Greens: 1 salad

Year 2, Day 206
1) 1 orange

Year 2, Day 207
1) 1 orange
2) 8 mandarins

Year 2, Day 208
1) 2 oranges
2) 7 mandarins

Year 2, Day 209
1) 2 oranges
2) 6 mandarins
3) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 210
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 mandarins

Year 2, Day 211
1) 1 orange
2) 2 mandarins
3) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 212
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 mandarins
3) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 213
1) 3 oranges
2) 4 mandarins

Year 2, Day 214
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 mandarins
3) 3 lemons
4) salad greens

Year 2, Day 215
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 mandarins

Year 2, Day 216
1) 2 oranges
2) 15 mandarins

Year 2, Day 217
1) 5 oranges
2) 5 mandarins
3) 3 lemons
4) salad greens

Year 2, Day 218
1) 2 oranges
2) 6 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 219
1) 3 oranges
2) 22 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 220
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 221
1) 3 oranges
2) 6 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 222
1) 2 oranges
2) 18 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 223
1) 3 oranges
2) 6 mandarins

Year 2, Day 224
1) 2 oranges
2) 5 mandarins
3) 2 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 225
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 mandarins
3) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 226
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 mandarins
3) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 227
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 228
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 mandarins

Year 2, Day 229
1) 7 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 2 mandarins

Year 2, Day 230
1) 4 oranges

Year 2, Day 231
1) 4 oranges
2) 2 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 232
1) 5 oranges
2) 3 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit
4) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 233
1) 7 oranges
2) 5 mandarins

Year 2, Day 234
1) 3 oranges
2) 5 mandarins
3) 2 bunches kale

Year 2, Day 235
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 236
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 mandarins
3) salad greens

Year 2, Day 237
1) 5 oranges

Year 2, Day 238
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 239
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 240
1) 3 oranges
2) 4 lemons

Year 2, Day 241
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 mandarins

Year 2, Day 242
1) 4 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 243
1) 4 oranges
2) 3 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 244
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 245
1) 6 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 246
1) 3 oranges

Year 2, Day 247
1) 1 grapefruit
2) 3 lemons
3) 3 bunches kale

Year 2, Day 248
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 6 lemons

Year 2, Day 249
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 250
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 251
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 252
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 253
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 254
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 5 lemons

Year 2, Day 255
1) 1 orange
2) 2 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 256
1) 5 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 257
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 258
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 259
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 260
1) 1 orange
2) 2 grapefruit

Year 2, Day 261
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 3 lemons

Eight-Week harvest: $187.25

Total Produce Harvested : $2964.25
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $370.00 (seeds, lettuce, fertilizer)

Days 543 - 570 Year-to-Year Variation

Harvesting mandarins every day for the past 4 weeks is pretty amazing...and although it may seem like we have harvested a lot of mandarins this year, we really have only harvested about 1/2 of what we did last year. Now, last year was a bumper crop of 1127 mandarins and this year is "only" at 582 with probably 100 or so more on the tree.

Which brings me to year-to-year variation and why it is a good thing to have a variety of different types of produce growing in the yard. Some years may be great for the apples but low for the grapes (this year) and others may be just the opposite. By doing this blog, it has me keeping track of all this and I am looking forward to what ten years might look like.

Since the last post, I tallied up what has come out of our little yard and it is pretty amazing. Here you are with the totals and in parenthesis are year1 + year2 quantities. Citrus year 2 numbers are not complete. You can see the affect the late rains had last year, particularly with the grapes and peaches.

Strawberries: 36 baskets (30 + 6)
Blueberries: 28 baskets (9 + 19)
Raspberries: 24 baskets (10 + 14)
Apriums: 10 (9 + 1)
Nectarines: 7 (3 + 4)
Zuchini: 103 (62 + 41)
Cherry Tomatoes: 29 baskets (8 + 21)
Peaches: 230 (161 + 69)
Tomatoes: 277 (133 + 144)
Pears: 304 (66 + 238)
Asian Pears: 12 (0 + 12)
Pickles: 16 lbs (11 + 5)
Cucumbers: 154 (62 + 92)
Grapes: 68 lbs (49 + 19)
Apples: 579 (79 + 500)
Chard: 77 bunches (77 + 0)
Figs: 297 (74 + 223)
Mandarins: 1709 (1127 + 582)
Limes: 36 (25 + 11)
Oranges: 162 (157 + 5) (2nd year not complete)
Grapefruit: 29 (29 + 0) (2nd year not complete)
Lemons: 361 (307 + 54) (2nd year not complete)
Kale: 53 bunches (27 + 26)
Garlic: 87 (87 + 0) (2nd year not complete)
Salad Greens: 17 (16 + 1) (2nd year not complete)
Beets: 51 (51 + 0) (2nd year not complete)

A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 12 ($6.00)
Limes: 1 ($0.25)
Mandarins: 323 ($80.75)
Apples: 1 ($0.50)
Oranges: 5 ($2.50)
Salad Greens: 1 salad

Year 2, Day 178
1) 15 mandarins

Year 2, Day 179
1) 9 mandarins
2) 1 lime
3) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 180
1) 10 mandarins
2) 1 apple (last)

Year 2, Day 181
1) 8 mandarins

Year 2, Day 182
1) 14 mandarins

Year 2, Day 183
1) 4 mandarins
2) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 184
1) 20 mandarins

Year 2, Day 185
1) 12 mandarins
2) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 186
1) 10 mandarins

Year 2, Day 187
1) 19 mandarins

Year 2, Day 188
1) 14 mandarins

Year 2, Day 189
1) 15 mandarins
2) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 190
1) 9 mandarins
2) 3 lemons
3) Salad Greens

Year 2, Day 191
1) 14 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 2, Day 192
1) 11 mandarins

Year 2, Day 193
1) 10 mandarins

Year 2, Day 194
1) 10 mandarins

Year 2, Day 195
1) 8 mandarins

Year 2, Day 196
1) 12 mandarins
2) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 197
1) 5 mandarins

Year 2, Day 198
1) 13 mandarins

Year 2, Day 199
1) 20 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 2, Day 200
1) 14 mandarins
2) 1 orange
3) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 201
1) 14 mandarins

Year 2, Day 202
1) 5 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Year 2, Day 203
1) 10 mandarins

Year 2, Day 204
1) 8 mandarins

Year 2, Day 205
1) 10 mandarins
2) 1 orange

Four-Week harvest: $91.00

Total Produce Harvested : $2777.00
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $350.00 (purchase an Apricot Tree)

Days 508 - 542 Citrus aplenty...but a drought?

Here we are at the end of December and I had to water the citrus trees. Never have I had to water any fruit trees after November 1st, but we have only seen a trace of rain this December...bummer for the ski season and I had to do some watering.

I have to say that the quality of the mandarins are as good as ever. The magical flavors that come from a fresh-picked citrus jsut cannot be bought at the supermarket. I did a little experiment the other day with a mandarin that was sitting on my desk for a few days (perhaps a week) vs. one that I had just picked that day. The one off of my desk tasted like store-bought citrus. It should of course because the ones in the store are just like that. Picked at least a week ago!!

With the lack of rain, I am taking advantage of the time to prune my trees. Did copper spray for the peaches and nectarine trees and have pruned all but the grape vines. No skiing, so I might as well get it done so that when the snow does come to the mountains I do not feel like I need to stay home to tend the garden.

Last year we picked 1080 mandarins and it looks like we are on target for another big harvest. What looked like a light year has me doing a double-take as the fruit starts to change color and "magically" appears on the trees. We are a bit over 250 mandarins for the season so far. Not sure it will be over a 1000 this year, but we should be picking through January and perhaps into February.

By the end of the week, I want to have a tally of what has been harvested for the year and a half that I have been on this quest. Stay tuned!! It should be interesting to see what comes out of a single yard that is planted well.

A five-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Kale: 5 bunches ($10.00)
Lemons: 17 ($8.50)
Limes: 5 ($1.25)
Mandarins: 237 ($59.25)
Apples: 41 ($17.50)

Year 2, Day 143
1) 2 mandarins

Year 2, Day 144
1) 6 mandarins

Year 2, Day 145
1) 18 apples

Year 2, Day 146
1) 24 mandarins
2) 4 limes
3) 2 bunches kale

Year 2, Day 147-150
gone

Year 2, Day 151
1) 7 mandarins

Year 2, Day 152
1) 4 mandarins

Year 2, Day 153
1) 4 mandarins

Year 2, Day 154
1) 5 mandarins
2) 5 apples

Year 2, Day 155
1) 4 mandarins

Year 2, Day 156
1) 3 mandarins
2) 8 apples

Year 2, Day 157
1) 9 mandarins

Year 2, Day 158
1) 3 mandarins

Year 2, Day 159
1) 6 mandarins

Year 2, Day 160
1) 5 mandarins

Year 2, Day 161
1) 7 mandarins

Year 2, Day 162
1) 7 mandarins

Year 2, Day 163
1) 10 mandarins
2) 4 lemons

Year 2, Day 164
1) 1 mandarin
2) 2 lemons

Year 2, Day 165
1) 8 mandarins

Year 2, Day 166
1) 8 mandarins
2) 4 apples

Year 2, Day 167
1) 8 mandarins

Year 2, Day 168
1) 6 mandarins
2) 2 apples

Year 2, Day 169
1) 10 mandarins
2) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 170
1) 16 mandarins
2) 1 lemon
3) 1 bunch kale

Year 2, Day 171
1) 12 mandarins
2) 6 lemons

Year 2, Day 172
1) 6 mandarins
2) 1 apple

Year 2, Day 173
1) 11 mandarins
2) 1 apple

Year 2, Day 174
1) 11 mandarins
2) 1 apple
3) 1 bunch kale

Year 2, Day 175
1) 4 mandarins
2) 1 apple
3) 1 bunch kale

Year 2, Day 176
1) 26 mandarins
2) 3 lemons
3) 1 lime

Year 2, Day 177
1) 4 mandarins

Five-Week harvest: $96.50

Total Produce Harvested : $2686.00
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $330.00

Days 473 - 507 Citrus Returns to the Table

Breaking 500 days is quite the feat. I was talking with someone the other day and he was saying that he visits his garden every day to do a little of this or that. In a way, this blog is making me visit the garden too. I have too!! Now that the daylight hours are waning, I have to make a real effort to get out before work, otherwise I may find myself in the dark after work.

As the title states, we are finally getting some citrus. Where last year I remember harvesting mandarins on November 1st, it was not until November 17th this year before we decided that it was time. Even now though, the fruit is a little green on the skin...but inside they are bright orange and do they ever brighten the day!!

As I was filling in the days below, I pretty much harvested some quantity of apples each day. Looking at the totals, we have picked over 450 apples this year and I can still see reaching 500. Nice though is that we picked over a 2 month time period. We started harvesting September 17th and we are pretty much winding down now. My daughter asked the other day why we did not have a lot of apples like the farmer who brought apples to their school. I told her that we actually have picked almost 500 apples and now that she understands what the number 500 is, she was pretty excited. She just never sees more than 10 at a time!!

As for the rest of the garden. We still have Kale, I planted garlic a couple of weeks ago and it is sprouting up right now, planted Arugula at the same time and we have a nice bed out there that is about 1/2 inch tall. I planted a cover crop on the other beds to add nutrients and to keep the weeds down as much as possible. I do need to get out to the strawberries though...tons of weeds invading!!

A five-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Kale: 4 bunches ($8.00)
Lemons: 2 ($1.00)
Limes: 5 ($1.25)
Mandarins: 22 ($5.50)
Figs: 29 ($7.25)
Apples: 232 ($147.50)

Year 2, Day 108
1) 6 apples
2) 2 bunches kale

Year 2, Day 109
1) 7 apples

Year 2, Day 110
1) 5 apples
2) 4 figs

Year 2, Day 111
1) 7 apples
2) 4 figs

Year 2, Day 112
1) 8 apples

Year 2, Day 113
1) 9 apples

Year 2, Day 114
1) 1 apple
2) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 115
1) 9 apples

Year 2, Day 116
1) 5 figs

Year 2, Day 117
1) 13 apples

Year 2, Day 118
1) 8 apples

Year 2, Day 119
1) 4 apples
2) 6 figs

Year 2, Day 120
1) 14 apples

Year 2, Day 121
1) 1 apple
2) 1 lime

Year 2, Day 122
1) 19 apples
2) 1 lime

Year 2, Day 123
1) 7 apples

Year 2, Day 124
1) 10 figs

Year 2, Day 125
1) 10 apples

Year 2, Day 126
1) 1 apple

Year 2, Day 127
1) 10 apples
2) 1 lime

Year 2, Day 128
1) 6 apples
2) 1 mandarin (tester)

Year 2, Day 129
1) 11 apples

Year 2, Day 130
1) 2 bunches kale

Year 2, Day 131
1) 12 apples

Year 2, Day 132
1) 4 apples

Year 2, Day 133
1) 15 apples

Year 2, Day 134
Gone

Year 2, Day 135
Gone

Year 2, Day 136
1) 10 apples

Year 2, Day 137
1) 6 apples
2) 1 mandarin

Year 2, Day 138
1) 1 apple
2) 1 mandarin

Year 2, Day 139
1) 11 apples
2) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 140
1) 2 apples
2) 3 mandarins

Year 2, Day 141
1) 6 apples
2) 10 mandarins

Year 2, Day 142
1) 9 apples
2) 6 mandarins
3) 2 limes

Five-Week harvest: $170.50

Total Produce Harvested : $2589.50
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $310.00

Days 452 - 472 The Fall Crops

The weather has cooled and the rain pretty much put an end to the fig harvest. The tomato and zuke plants were taken out this week. The change in light really makes a difference in the veggie garden. We still have Kale and I planted more Kale this week in preparation for the winter crop.

The star of the garden is now our Sierra Beauty apple tree. Loaded with "beauty" apples, we have been harvesting about 8 - 10 apples a day. Kids are eating 1 - 2 per day and the grown-ups even more. Bringing some to work each day to share with colleagues is just a pleasure. The fruit is just getting better as it hangs on the tree and soaks up the fall sunlight and experiences the cool fall nights. Our other apple tree, Pink Lady, was just planted last year and although it flowered this year, I removed the fruit to allow the tree to put its energy into growth. Looking forward to enjoying those in a couple of years.

The next time I write will probably see the first of the citrus. The mandarins are not quite as numerous as last year (over 1000 mandarins!!), but I am looking forward to the fresh citrus once again.

A three-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Kale: 4 bunches ($8.00)
Zucchini: 6 ($4.50)
Tomatoes: 27 ($27.75)
Grapes: 1/2 lb ($1.00)
Lemons: 3 ($1.50)
Figs: 84 ($21.00)
Apples: 182 ($113.00)
Acorn Squash: 2 ($5.75)

Year 2, Day 87
1) 40 figs
2) 2 tomatoes
3) 5 zukes

Year 2, Day 88
1) 10 apples
2) 1/2 lb grapes
3) 1 tomato

Year 2, Day 89
1) 11 apples
2) 7 figs
3) 2 acorn squash

Year 2, Day 90
1) 10 apples
2) 9 figs

Year 2, Day 91
1) 14 apples
2) 10 figs
3) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 92
1) 10 apples
2) 9 figs
3) 5 tomatoes

Year 2, Day 93
1) 1 fig
2) 3 tomatoes
3) 2 bunches kale

Year 2, Day 94
1) 18 apples
2) 5 figs

Year 2, Day 95
1) 10 figs
2) 3 tomatoes

Year 2, Day 96
1) 17 apples
2) 5 tomaotes

Year 2, Day 97
1) 3 tomatoes

Year 2, Day 98
1) 5 tomatoes
2) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 99
1) 27 apples

Year 2, Day 100
Gone

Year 2, Day 101
1) 2 figs

Year 2, Day 102
1) 10 apples

Year 2, Day 103
1) 10 apples
2) 1 fig

Year 2, Day 104
1) 14 apples
2) 1 zuke

Year 2, Day 105
1) 2 bunches kale

Year 2, Day 106
1) 14 apples

Year 2, Day 107
1) 7 apples

Three-Week harvest: $182.50

Total Produce Harvested : $2419.00
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $290.00

Days 431 - 451 Ripe Fruit

Wow, in three weeks we have seen the departure of our pears and now into full swing on the apples and figs. The veggie garden is slowing a bit, although we did harvest 73 tomatoes in the past three weeks!!

Ripe fruit... This reminds me of a workshop I went to at Google last year. At the workshop, there was a nice spread of fruit to have with our breakfast and I was talking with a guy who pointed at a fig and asked, "what is that?" Well, he had lived in the midwest for his life and just moved to the west coast and thus had never seen a fig before. I told him what it was but warned him that it would probably not be very good...and sure enough it was not. On the other hand, we have harvested 77 figs in the past week and a half and they are ripened to perfection.

Why is it that we are allowing ourselves to eat such bad tasting fruit? Will it be some day that we do not even know what a good piece of fruit tastes like? I sure hope not, but for many, there really is no choice. Take it off the supermarket shelf or never eat fruit!! Too bad for those people...because figs are really tasty.

A three-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Kale: 2 bunches ($4.00)
Raspberries: 3 baskets ($6.00)
Strawberries: 2 1/2 baskets ($5.00)
Cherry Tomatoes: 2 baskets ($4.00)
Zucchini: 5 ($8.00)
Cucumbers: 9 ($7.00)
Tomatoes: 73 ($47.50)
Grapes: 7 lbs ($14.00)
Lemons: 5 ($2.50)
Figs: 77 ($19.25)
Apples: 54 ($35.00)

Year 2, Day 66
1) 3 tomatoes

Year 2, Day 67
1) 1 basket strawberries
2) 1 cucumber
3) 4 tomatoes
4) 1 apple

Year 2, Day 68
1) 12 oz grapes
2) 5 tomatoes

Year 2, Day 69
1) 12 oz grapes

Year 2, Day 70
1) 1 cucumber
2) 1 zuke
3) basket cherry tomatoes
4) 7 tomatoes
5) basket raspberries
6) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 71
1) 12 oz grapes

Year 2, Day 72
1) 2 tomatoes
2) 7 cukes
3) 3 figs

Year 2, Day 73
1) 2 figs
2) 2 bunches kale

Year 2, Day 74
1) 9 oz grapes
2) 3 figs
3) 1 tomato

Year 2, Day 75
1) 10 tomatoes
2) 8 oz grapes
3) 9 figs

Year 2, Day 76
1) basket cherry tomatoes
2) 9 oz grapes
3) basket raspberries

Year 2, Day 77
1) 10 tomatoes
2) 12 oz grapes
3) 6 figs
4) 1 lemon

Year 2, Day 78
1) 3 zukes
2) 12 figs
3) 12 oz grapes
4) 1 apple

Year 2, Day 79
1) 1 zuke
2) 7 apples
3) 3 figs
4) 6 tomatoes

Year 2, Day 80
1) 1 basket raspberries
2) 1 basket strawberries

Year 2, Day 81
1) 6 figs
2) 10 oz grapes
3) 10 tomatoes
4) 4 apples
5) 1/2 basket strawberries

Year 2, Day 82
1) 11 apples
2) 8 figs
3) 11 oz grapes

Year 2, Day 83
1) 10 figs
2) 10 apples
3) 8 oz grapes
4) 1 lemon
5) 1 tomato

Year 2, Day 84
1) 6 tomatoes
2) 11 figs

Year 2, Day 85
1) 8 tomatoes
2) 10 apples
3) 9 figs
4 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 86
1) 10 figs
2) 10 apples


Two-Week harvest: $150.25

Total Produce Harvested : $2236.50
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $270.00

Days 417 - 430 The Tomato

We wait for this time of the year...the time for ripe tomatoes!! There are some who watch their green tomatoes never quite turn before the cool weather sets in, pretty much setting the stage for another year "without". Yet, those same people will plant again the next year in hope that they will get those special summer treats that we all love so much.

We are quite fortunate here in Healdsburg that even in a relatively cool summer we have enough heat to ripen these treats each year. Right now we are in the middle of a great harvest. We picked 30 tomatoes in the past two weeks, with various varieties sharing the table: Celebrity, Rainbow, Kellogs Breakfast, and Black Krim. One of the Rainbow tomatoes weighed in at over a pound!!

I do plan on planting some chard tomorrow and perhaps set a bed of Arugula seeds down for a spicy salad green.

As for the harvest, we really do not even look at the fruit at the grocery store at this time of the year. We have been eating those pears as they ripen and we harvest a cluster or two of grapes almost daily for the kids' lunches. As you can see down below in the summary, we have harvested 10 different varieties for a total of $162 over the two-week period. Sure helps the food budget stretch itself!!

A two-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Kale: 1 bunch ($2.00)
Raspberries: 6 baskets ($12.00)
Strawberries: 1 basket ($2.00)
Cherry Tomatoes: 7 baskets ($14.00)
Zuchinni: 7 ($8.50)
Cucumbers: 18 ($16.00)
Tomatoes: 30 ($33.00)
Pears: 75 ($53.00)
Grapes: 7 lbs ($14.00)
Potatoes: 1 1/2 lb ($1.50)

Year 2, Day 52
1) 1 zuke
2) 3 tomatoes
3) 2 baskets raspberries

Year 2, Day 53
1) 11 oz grapes
2) 13 pears
3) 5 cukes
4) 1 tomato
5) 1 basket cherry tomatoes

Year 2, Day 54
1) 12 pears
2) 12 oz grapes
3) 1 basket cherry tomatoes

Year 2, Day 55
1) 4 tomatoes
2) 1 cuke
3) 8 oz grapes

Year 2, Day 56
1) 1 basket cherry tomatoes
2) 8 oz grapes
3) 2 baskets raspberries

Year 2, Day 57
1) 3 cukes
2) 20 pears

Year 2, Day 58
1) 3 tomatoes
2) 2 zukes
3) basket of cherry tomatoes
4) 1 1/2 lb potatoes

Year 2, Day 59
1) 1 tomato
2) 1 bunch kale
3) 4 oz grapes

Year 2, Day 60
1) 1 lb grapes
2) 16 pears
3) 8 tomatoes
4) 2 cukes

Year 2, Day 61
1) 9 oz. grapes

Year 2, Day 62
1) 4 zukes
2) 3 tomatoes
3) 14 pears
4) 7 cukes
5) 12 oz grapes

Year 2, Day 63
1) 1 basket strawberries
2) 1 basket cherry tomatoes
3) 2 tomatoes

Year 2, Day 64
1) 7 oz grapes

Year 2, Day 65
1) 5 tomatoes
2) 1 1/2 lb grapes
3) 2 baskets cherry tomatoes
4) 2 baskets raspberries

Two-Week harvest: $162.00

Total Produce Harvested : $2084.25
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $250.00

Days 396 - 416 The Pear

In the middle of the summer provides quite the bounty. We harvested 14 varieties of produce in the past 3 weeks with some days having 6+ varieties within a single day. Gotta love the bounty!!

This post has to be about the pear though... with a harvest of 163 pears in the past 3 weeks we have been gorging on the silky smooth Bartlet Pear that comes from the oldest tree on our property. This gnarly old tree was looking so bad when we moved here that I almost took it out to plant something else. I gave it a chance, pruned it well and after learning the hard way about fire-blight (almost taking out the tree again), it is one of our most productive trees that we have. I have since planted an Asian Pear nearby and we reaped our first harvest of those this year. They are a favorite of my wife and son. I personally prefer the Bartlet.

Something the you do want to know about harvesting pears though is that you do not wait until they look like they are "ripe" on the tree. If you do that, you will be disappointed with a bunch of mushy, rotten fruit that you will have to toss. What you do want to do is wait until it is about the "right time" which you learn about soon enough (or you can refer to the Dave Wilson Nursery fruit harvest chart to get a rough idea) and then start "testing" them. If you bend the fruit up a bit and it "snaps" off of the tree, then it is ready to pick. If it does not let go, then leave it be for a little while longer and try some others. If no fruit seen to snap off then wait a week longer. After you pick them, let them sit on your counter and as they start turning yellow, they will be ready to eat. I like them with a little green still showing but if you leave then go all the way yellow, you will need a napkin to catch all of the juice that runs off of your chin!!

Did break another milestone, blowing through 400 days of harvesting!! i think we are good at least until February now with a decent citrus harvest coming.

A three-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 3 ($1.50)
Kale: 5 bunches ($10.00)
Raspberries: 2 1/2 baskets ($5.00)
Strawberries: 1/2 basket ($1.00)
Blueberries: 3 baskets ($6.00)
Peaches: 28 ($30.00)
Cherry Tomatoes: 7 baskets ($14.00)
Zuchinni: 19 ($18.00)
Cucumbers: 47 ($30.00)
Pickling Cucumbers: 3 lb ($6.00)
Tomatoes: 10 ($10.50)
Pears: 163 ($100.00)
Grapes: 3 3/4 lbs ($7.50)
Asian Pear: 12 ($6.00)


Year 2, Day 31
1) 1/2 basket strawberies
2) 7 pears
3) 1/2 grapes
4) 2 bunches kale

Year 2, Day 32
1) 1 tomato
2) 8 pears
3) 3 cukes
4) 2 zukes
5) 1 basket blueberries
6) 3/4 basket cherry tomatoes

Year 2, Day 33
1) 8 pears

Year 2, Day 34
1) gone

Year 2, Day 35
1) 5 pears
2) 3 tomatoes
3) 5 cukes
4) 5 zukes
5) 6 peaches

Year 2, Day 36
1) 3 peaches
2) 1 asian pear
3) 9 pears

Year 2, Day 37
1) 4 asian pears
2) 2 lb pickling cukes
3) 6 cukes
4) 1 basket cherry tomatoes
5) 1 zuke
6) 1 peach

Year 2, Day 38
1) 2 cukes
2) 1 asian pear

Year 2, Day 39
1) 1 lb pickling cukes
2) 2 cukes
3) 10 pears
4) 1 basket cherry tomatoes
5) 1 tomato
6) 4 peaches
7) 2 lemons
8) 2 asian pears

Year 2, Day 40
1) 1 bunch kale
2) 3 zukes
3) 5 peaches
4) 1 asian pear
5) 6 oz grapes

Year 2, Day 41
1) 22 pears
2) 7 cukes

Year 2, Day 42
1) 1 tomato
2) 2 baskets blueberries
3) 1 asian pear
4) 1 lemon
5) 2 peaches

Year 2, Day 43
1) 2 cukes
2) 1 basket cherry tomatoes
3) 2 zukes
4) 1 young acorn squash
5) 1 asian pear
6) 10 oz grapes
7) 1/2 basket raspberries

Year 2, Day 44
1) 6 peaches
2) 16 pears
3) 1/4 lb grapes
4) 1 basket cherry tomatoes
5) 1 asian pear

Year 2, Day 45
1) 9 cukes
2) 1 basket raspberries
3) 1 basket cherry tomatoes
4) 1/2 lb grapes

Year 2, Day 46
1) 10 pears
2) 1/2 basket cherry tomatoes
3) 1 peach

Year 2, Day 47
1) 10 oz grapes
2) 16 pears
3) 1 zuke
4) 4 cukes

Year 2, Day 48
1) 2 oz grapes
2) 12 pears
3) 1 bunches kale
4) 1 basket raspberries

Year 2, Day 49
1) 1 basket cherry tomatoes
2) 3/4 lb grapes
3) 13 pears

Year 2, Day 50
1) 2 tomatoes
2) 1/4 lb grapes
3) 12 pears
4) 3 zukes
5) 9 cukes

Year 2, Day 51
1) 1/2 lb grapes
2) 15 pears
3) 2 tomatoes

Three-Week harvest: $245.50

Total Produce Harvested : $1922.25
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $230.00

Days 368 - 395 Late garden...but ramping up again

As the lemons finally finish, giving 6 months of fruit for lemon water, tabouli, guacamole, and hummus, we now start seeing another part of the garden kick in to take their place. Will I miss having that citrus around? Of course I will...but with peaches, blueberries and cucumbers filling in their place and tomatoes ramping up, I think that we can do without for the next six months.

What we are doing could not happen with a proper balance of produce planted in the yard, especially the fruit trees. I have mentioned in a past post about the Fruit Harvest Chart that Dave Wilson Nursery has on their website and still tout that as a real gardeners resource (especially if you are just starting out in the process of planting).

The blueberries really produced this year. What a treat to be able to walk out to the backyard as the kids are still sleeping, pick a cup or pint of blueberries and have them waiting on the breakfast table as they wake up. I wonder if they are getting spoiled (I feel like I am for sure) and just take if for granted that this is the norm...

A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 11 ($5.50)
Kale: 3 bunches ($6.00)
Raspberries: 2 1/4 baskets ($4.50)
Strawberries: 1 basket ($2.00)
Blueberries: 15 baskets ($30.00)
Peaches: 41 ($45.00)
Cherry Tomatoes: 1 basket ($2.00)
Zuchinni: 9 ($10.00)
Cucumbers: 16 ($10.50)
Pickling Cucumbers: 2 lbs ($4.00)
Tomatoes: 4 ($3.50)
Figs(first crop): 8 ($2.00)

Year 2, Day 3
1) 5 lemons
2) 1 peach

Year 2, Day 4
1) 2 baskets blueberries
2) 2 baskets raspberries

Year 2, Day 5
1) 1 cherry tomato
2) 2 peaches

Year 2, Day 6
1) 1 basket blueberries
2) 1 bunch kale
3) 3 lemons

Year 2, Day 7
1) 1 peach
2) 2 baskets blueberries
3) 1 basket strawberries

Year 2, Day 8
1) 2 peaches
2) 1 basket blueberries

Year 2, Day 9
1) 1 peach
2) 3 lemons
3) 1/2 basket blueberries
4) 1/4 basket raspberries

Year 2, Day 10
1) 1 peach

Year 2, Day 11
1) 1 peach

Year 2, Day 12
1) 3 peaches
2) 3 baskets blueberries

Year 2, Day 13
1) 1 basket strawberries
2) 4 peaches

Year 2, Day 14
1) 2 basket blueberries
2) 6 peaches
3) 2 figs

Year 2, Day 15
1) 2 zukes
2) 3 peaches
3) 1 basket blueberries

Year 2, Day 16
1) 2 peaches

Year 2, Days 17 - 22
Gone

Year 2, Day 23
1) 3 cucumbers
2) 1/2 basket cherry tomatoes
3) 1 peach

Year 2, Day 24
1) 4 peaches
2) 5 zukes
3) 1 cuke
4) 2 tomatoes
5) 3 figs

Year 2, Day 25
1) 1 cuke
2) 1 peach
3) 2 basket blueberries
4) 1 bunch kale

Year 2, Day 26
1) 1 peach
2) 1 tomato
3) 2 zukes
4) 5 cukes
5) 1/2 basket blueberries
6) 3 figs

Year 2, Day 27
1) 4 peaches
2) 1 zuke

Year 2, Day 28
1) 1 peach
2) 3 cukes

Year 2, Day 29
1) 1 peach
2) 1 bunch kale

Year 2, Day 30
1) 1 peach
2) 1 tomato
3) 3 cukes
4) 2 lbs pickling cukes

Four-Week harvest (gone for a week): $125.00

Total Produce Harvested : $1676.75
Total Honey Harvested: $360.00
Expenses: $210.00

Day 340 - 367 One year and Counting!!

Yes, I am a bit late in this posting...life seems so busy at times when it really should not be all that busy. Well, we made it. We have harvested something from our yard each and every day (that we were here) for the table. I am proud of this feat and right now I would like to continue past the year and see how far we can go with this.

A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 41 ($20.50)
Kale: 5 bunches ($10.00)
Salad Greens: 1 salad ($0.50)
Garlic: 8 braids of garlic, entire harvest ($10.00)
Raspberries: 7 baskets ($21.00)
Beets (and greens): 36 ($36.00)
Strawberries: 9 baskets ($18.00)
Blueberries: 9 baskets ($27.00)
Nectarines: 4 ($4.00)

Day 340
1) 1 lemon
2) 5 beets and greens
3) 1 bunch kale

Day 341
1) 5 lemons
2) 1 basket strawberries
3) 1 basket raspberries
4) 1 garlic

Day 342
1) 5 lemons
2) 2 amazing strawberries

Day 343 - Gone

Day 344 - Gone

Day 345
1) 5 beets and greens
2) 1/2 basket blueberries
3) few raspberries

Day 346
1) 5 beets and greens
2) basket strawberries
3) few blueberries and raspberries

Day 347
1) basket strawberries
2) basket raspberries
3) few blueberries
4) All of the garlic

Day 348
1) 1 lemon
2) 2 beets

Day 349
1) 2 lemons

Day 350
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 bunch beets
3) 1 basket blueberries
4) 1 basket raspberries

Day 351
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 1/2 baskets strawberries

Day 352
1) 2 lemons
2) few raspberries and blueberries

Day 353
1) 1/2 basket strawberries

Day 354
1) 2 lemons
2) 1/2 basket raspberries
3) 1/2 basket blueberries

Day 355
1) some raspberries and blueberries

Day 356
1) 1/2 basket raspberries
2) 1 basket of blueberries

Day 357
1) 6 beets and greens
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 basket blueberries
4) 1 basket strawberries

Day 358
1) 10 beets and greens
2) 6 lemons
3) salad greens
4) 1/2 basket blueberries
5) 1/4 basket raspberries

Day 359
1) 1 basket strawberries
2) 4 lemons
3) few blueberries and raspberries

Day 360
1) last of the beets (lots of smaller beets)
2) 3 bunches kale

Day 361
1) 1 basket blueberries

Day 362
1) 2 lemons
2) 1/2 basket blueberries
3) 1/4 basket raspberries

Day 363
1) 2 baskets strawberries
2) 1 lemon
3) 1/2 basket blueberries
4) 1/4 basket raspberries

Day 364
1) 1/2 basket blueberies
2) 1/4 basket raspberries
3) 1 bunch kale

Day 365
1) 1 white nectarine
2) some raspberries and blueberries
3) 2 lemons

Day 366 or Year 2, Day 1
1) 2 lemons
2) 1/2 basket blueberries
3) 1/2 basket raspberries

Year 2, Day 2
1) 4 white nectarines

Four-Week harvest: $137.00

Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1551.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $190.00

Days 312 - 339 Bounty Returns, Thinning Fruit, and Bees

Variety has returned to the garden. Whereas a month ago it was lemons, lemons, lemons...we now are harvesting salad greens, beets, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, and kale...and soon we will be tasting our first blueberries of the season...and a big crop that is coming. Yum!!

Been pretty busy over the past few weeks. For one, school has ended so I now have more time for the garden. I will need it because I need to get some of my starts in, albiet late due to the first attempt being mowed down by pesky snails, slugs and I believe earwigs. I will be out defending the next starts I plant!! I do not use any sprays on my plants or fruit trees, but I find that a quick visit to the garden at 10PM before bed to take out the pests works pretty well.

These weeks are usually the time to thin the fruit trees. I did not have to thin the peach or nectarine trees because they got hammered by the March rains. I generally leave 6 inches between fruit on those trees. The apple and pear were spared the rain and have set a heavy crop. Our pear tree seems to thin itself so I do nothing to it. I cannot say the same for the apple tree. I gennerally have to snip all but one fruit in each fruiting bud. Kind of tedious, but it has made for a much better crop in the past, especially taking care of the coddling moth problem.

The bees have been busy. I picked up a swarn a few weeks ago and I have already added an extra super for them. I then noticed that my box that I left out due to lazyness was repopulated. I guess a swarm found me. Convenient!! Last week I picked up another swarm (big!!) and gave it to a friend. I have been doing this with any extra swarms that I run into.

Looks like less than 4 weeks left to make my goal of harvesting every day for a year. I believe I will "hang up" the blog at that time...but not until I do a final tally and blog entry. There are less readers and I m busy with other things. I will still keep going on my own though and my wife says I should get it all on paper just in case the blog disappears into the bog heaven.

A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 38 ($19.00)
Chard: 2 bunches ($6.00)
Kale: 10.5 bunches ($21.00)
Salad Greens: 14 salads ($7.00)
Cherries: 22 ($1.00)
Raspberries: 1 basket ($2.00)
Beets: 4 beets ($3.00)
Strawberries: 2 baskets ($4.00)

Day 312
1) 3 lemons
2) Salad Greens

Day 313
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad greens

Day 314
1) 2 lemons
2) Salad greens
3) 1 bunch Kale

Day 315
1) 2 lemons

Day 316
1) 2 lemons

Day 317
1) 2 lemons

Day 318
1) 2 lemons

Day 319
1) Salad Greens

Day 320
1) Salad Greens

Day 321
1) 2 bunches chard

Day 322
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens
3) 1/2 bunch kale

Day 323
1) 2 lemons

Day 324
1) 2 lemons

Day 325
1) 3 lemons
2) 2 bunches kale
3) Salad Greens
4) Couple of cherries

Day 326
1) 1 lemon
2) 2 bunches kale

Day 327
1) Salad Greens

Day 328
1) 1 lemon
2) 12 strawberries
3) 1 bunch kale
4) Salad Greens

Day 329
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens

Day 330
1) 2 lemons
2) 4 raspberries

Day 331
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens
3) 4 cherries

Day 332
1) 3 lemons
2) 6 strawberries

Day 333
1) 1 basket strawberries
2) 2 bunches kale
3) 8 cherries

Day 334
1) 2 lemons

Day 335
1) 1 lemon
2) 2 bunches kale
3) 6 raspberries
4) salad greens

Day 336
1) 1 lemon
2) 5 raspberries
3) 8 cherries
4) Salad Greens
5) 4 beets

Day 337
1) 1 lemon
2) 8 raspberries
3) 1 basket strawberries

Day 338
1) salad greens

Day 339
1) 2 lemons

Four-Week harvest: $63.00

Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1414.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $190.00

Days 284 - 311 Hope we make it!!

More than 300 days have passed and we have harvested every day (that we were home). Reflecting on how amazing our climate and soil is to provide this makes me feel so fortunate to live here. Still about 50 days to go to make my goal and what do we have to look forward to:

- Kale and chard are still going strong
- Salad greens are just starting
- Largest Blueberry crop I have ever seen. The bushes are loaded!!
- Abundant Raspberry blooms and some berries are already forming.
- Cherries are the largest crop we have seen...hope the birds don't find them!
- Garlic will be harvested within the month.
- Still have lemons.

What has changed since last posting:
- Planted 10 tomato starts
- started some cucumber and zuchinni by seed
- planted some snap peas in the ground.
- picked up a swarm of honeybees.
- Perhaps some nectarines before July 1st
- No apricots this year...

What does it look like for after July 1st (have not decided if I will continue this blog)
- Abundant pear crop.
- Just thinned out the apple tree. Boy that was a lot of work. The fruit is abundant!
- A moderate peach harvest. The March rains knocked a lot out.
- The grape harvest is looking good...but rain is forecast in the next week. :(

I do believe we will make it to July 1st...but it may be tight in the middle of June since my late-June fruit is not there this year.

A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 51 ($25.50)
Chard: 8.5 bunches ($25.50)
Kale: 5.5 bunches ($11.00)
Garlic: 7 greens ($2.00)
Salad Greens: First Harvest
Mint (for tabouli)

Day 284
1) 1 lemon

Day 285
1) 1 bunch chard

Day 286
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard

Day 287
1) 1 lemon
2) 2 bunches kale

Day 288
1) 2 lemons

Day 289
1) 2 lemons

Day 290
1) Garlic greens
2) 1 bunch chard

Day 291
1) 2 lemons

Day 292
1) 2 lemons

Day 293
1) 2 lemons

Day 294
1) 2 bunches chard

Day 295
1) 2 lemons

Day 296
1) 1/2 bunch chard
2) 1/2 bunch kale

Day 297
1) 2 lemons

Day 298
1) 2 lemons

Day 299
1) 2 lemons
2) 3 garlic greens

Day 300
1) 2 lemons

Day 301
1) 1 lemon

Day 302
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches kale

Day 303
1) 2 lemons

Day 304
1) 2 bunches chard

Day 305
1) 8 lemons

Day 306
1) 3 lemons

Day 307
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch kale

Day 308
1) 2 lemons

Day 309
1) 2 garlic greens

Day 310
1) 4 lemons
2) mint

Day 311
1) 2 lemons
2) Bunch salad greens

Four-Week harvest: $64.00

Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1351.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $170.00