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
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
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
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
Sunday, July 31, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
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
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
Sunday, June 5, 2011
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
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
Sunday, May 8, 2011
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
- 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
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Days 242 - 283 Garden Rebirth
Phew, six weeks is a long time between postings. Each week I had great intentions of writing the next post, only to have something come up that was just a bit more pressing...like my job, my family, or my class that I am taking!! We have now harvested 283 days in a row and on my way to make then entire year. I am amazed that we have made it this far...that is a long time!! I hope we can make it all year. We have lemons and are just starting to get veggies from the garden plots. All other fruit is gone. This is a difficult time for fruit and we will not get anything until late-May (Cherries) or early June (berries).
Anyhow, we had a great deal of rain in since last time. The beets that I planted hardly moved at all and are just starting to show some growth now that the sun is coming out in earnest. This may be one of those change of seasons that occur in a day...winter one day, summer the next. Not so great for the spring veggies, but I have planted some and we are reaping the rewards of last year's chard as well as this year's kale. Before I know it I should start thinking about tomato starts and one of my favorites, cucumbers.
On the fruit side, we have finally harvested all of our oranges. We made it through the end of March this year and I believe that we should be able to make it an extra month if we have a larger crop next year. Last year we had rain during the bloom and we had a small crop. The citrus bloom is still yet to get underway. There are a few orange blossoms, but that rain really slowed things down on the citrus trees. The peaches, nectarines, apricots, and apriums got hit by the rain. We will still have a decent peach and nectarine crop. The pear, apple, and cherry trees are looking like they got snowed on...they have so many blossoms. Looks like my work will be cut out for me when it comes to thinning this year!! The avocado is about to flower after getting many of its buds frozen off in late February. It is my experiment tree.
Looks like we will have a decent blueberry crop and I will have raspberries in June this year because I pruned them for two crops. Grapes are budding out and I already see little clusters forming on the Interlaken vine.
Right now we are getting lemons. Almost 100 in the past six weeks!! Nice to have them around.
A six-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Oranges: 54 ($27.00)
Lemons: 99 ($24.75)
Grapefruit: 11 ($11.00)
Chard: 10 bunches ($30.00)
Kale: 5 bunches ($10.00)
Day 242
1) 2 lemons
Day 243
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 244
1) 1 lemon
2) 5 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 245
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 246
1) 3 oranges
2) 3 lemons
3) 2 grapefruit
Day 247
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 248
1) 1 orange
2) 5 lemons
Day 249
1) 1 orange
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 2 lemons
Day 250
1) 2 oranges
2) 6 lemons
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 251
1) 3 oranges
2) 4 lemons
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 252
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 253
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 4 lemons
4) 1 bunch chard
Day 254
1) 3 oranges
2) 3 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 255
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 256
1) 6 lemons
2) 2 oranges
Day 257
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
Day 258
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 lemons
Day 259
1) 3 oranges
Day 260
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 lemons
Day 261
Gone
Day 262
Gone
Day 263
1) 2 lemons
Day 264
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 lemon
Day 265
1) 3 oranges
Day 266
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
Day 267
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 268
1) 2 oranges
Day 269
1) 3 lemons
Day 270
1) 2 lemons
Day 271
1) 2 lemons
Day 272
1) 2 lemons
Day 273
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 274
1) 2 lemons
Day 275
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch chard
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 276
1) 6 lemons
2) 1 garlic green
Day 277
1) 2 lemons
Day 278
1) 2 lemons
Day 279
1) 2 lemons
Day 280
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch kale
Day 281
1) 2 bunches chard
Day 282
1) 2 lemons
Day 283
1) 3 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
Six-Week harvest: $102.75
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1287.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $150.00
Anyhow, we had a great deal of rain in since last time. The beets that I planted hardly moved at all and are just starting to show some growth now that the sun is coming out in earnest. This may be one of those change of seasons that occur in a day...winter one day, summer the next. Not so great for the spring veggies, but I have planted some and we are reaping the rewards of last year's chard as well as this year's kale. Before I know it I should start thinking about tomato starts and one of my favorites, cucumbers.
On the fruit side, we have finally harvested all of our oranges. We made it through the end of March this year and I believe that we should be able to make it an extra month if we have a larger crop next year. Last year we had rain during the bloom and we had a small crop. The citrus bloom is still yet to get underway. There are a few orange blossoms, but that rain really slowed things down on the citrus trees. The peaches, nectarines, apricots, and apriums got hit by the rain. We will still have a decent peach and nectarine crop. The pear, apple, and cherry trees are looking like they got snowed on...they have so many blossoms. Looks like my work will be cut out for me when it comes to thinning this year!! The avocado is about to flower after getting many of its buds frozen off in late February. It is my experiment tree.
Looks like we will have a decent blueberry crop and I will have raspberries in June this year because I pruned them for two crops. Grapes are budding out and I already see little clusters forming on the Interlaken vine.
Right now we are getting lemons. Almost 100 in the past six weeks!! Nice to have them around.
A six-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Oranges: 54 ($27.00)
Lemons: 99 ($24.75)
Grapefruit: 11 ($11.00)
Chard: 10 bunches ($30.00)
Kale: 5 bunches ($10.00)
Day 242
1) 2 lemons
Day 243
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 244
1) 1 lemon
2) 5 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 245
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 246
1) 3 oranges
2) 3 lemons
3) 2 grapefruit
Day 247
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 248
1) 1 orange
2) 5 lemons
Day 249
1) 1 orange
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 2 lemons
Day 250
1) 2 oranges
2) 6 lemons
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 251
1) 3 oranges
2) 4 lemons
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 252
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 253
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 4 lemons
4) 1 bunch chard
Day 254
1) 3 oranges
2) 3 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 255
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 256
1) 6 lemons
2) 2 oranges
Day 257
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
Day 258
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 lemons
Day 259
1) 3 oranges
Day 260
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 lemons
Day 261
Gone
Day 262
Gone
Day 263
1) 2 lemons
Day 264
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 lemon
Day 265
1) 3 oranges
Day 266
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
Day 267
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 268
1) 2 oranges
Day 269
1) 3 lemons
Day 270
1) 2 lemons
Day 271
1) 2 lemons
Day 272
1) 2 lemons
Day 273
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 274
1) 2 lemons
Day 275
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch chard
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 276
1) 6 lemons
2) 1 garlic green
Day 277
1) 2 lemons
Day 278
1) 2 lemons
Day 279
1) 2 lemons
Day 280
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch kale
Day 281
1) 2 bunches chard
Day 282
1) 2 lemons
Day 283
1) 3 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
Six-Week harvest: $102.75
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1287.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $150.00
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