Harvest - July 18, 2024 @goldenoakfarm

On Thursday morning I was up at 5:15AM, got the post up, and was in the Small garden by 6AM. I harvested the sugar pod peas first, and then looked to see if there was anything on the green peas.

Once those were in the house where it was cooler, I went back to look for zucchini, summer squash, and to see what else was out there. I found the first cukes were ready! So all those went into the house.

If I get my helper friend soon, he can help me take down the pea fences. That will stop that raiding.

Ready at the Big garden

I went and got my equipment and moved over to the Big garden. The first thing I wanted to do was tie up tomatoes. On the first tomato, I was supervised while I worked. Once I finished, he moved over to the artichoke.

The paste tomatoes were starting to be hit by blight. Many plants aren’t doing well this year. My helper friend used to foliar feed each week. With the 12” or so of rain we’ve gotten of late, I expect a lot of the nutrients have washed away. The plants are sorely missing his attention this year.

The eating tomatoes were doing a bit better, very little blight so far. I moved onto the peppers to tie them up and they also are not doing well, lots of bug pressure. The hollyhocks have very bad rust too.

Red hollyhock

Next I moved to the broccoli and found many heads ready for harvest. So I went and got my biggest bowl and harvested them. I checked the green beans and they are just coming in. I will have to do the first harvest on Sunday and process it.

Last I checked to see if I had any heads on the cabbage, and there were several. If I finally get my helper friend back, he’s a whiz at fermenting, so we will make sauerkraut.

The garlic definitely needs harvested on Friday.

So this was the harvest.

It was about 9AM by the time I got my notes made, photos taken, picked up outside, and went inside. I was soaked to the skin from all the dew and the humidity. So I got a shower and sat down for half an hour before I got started.

First I had to get the broccoli ready and soaking for an hour. Then I set up for blanching and went to the living room to watch a movie while processing the peas.

Most of the sugar pods were too old, so I shelled out what peas I could. This is all I ended up with.

Once the peas were ready, I went out and cleaned up the broccoli. I was surprised how little bug pressure it had, considering it’s not been fed all summer.

I got the water heating to blanch and set up to package the vegs. I got to sit down for a little while the water heated.

I got the broccoli done and dumped the water. Broccoli is strong smelling and I didn’t want broccoli smelling peas. So I cleaned up the kitchen some and sat down again until the water was boiling.

Echinacea purpurea flowers

I finished just after 4PM with 5¾ containers of 1½ pints each of broccoli, 1 pint of sugar pods and enough peas for supper. I cleaned up the kitchen and was done.

On Friday my #2 intern will be here at 8AM to harvest the garlic. I planned to be out in the garden digging by 6AM. It’s not to be so hot and humid but the garlic is the first hit by the sun. When she gets here we will set up on the north side of the house and clean the garlic and hang it in bundles in the woodshed. This job ought to finish me off for the day.