July into August

When I started this blog, I had every intention of posting at least once a week. But life has a way of interfering with those "best laid plans of mice and men."

The end of July began a new venture - an experiment if you will. We opened a small farm stand at the end of our driveway hoping to entice summer visitors with fresh vegetables and homemade bread. The first week was a whopping success which kept me in bread dough up to my elbows. The subsequent weeks have been slower, but that has allowed me to put up lots of jars of raspberry jam. Yesterday I canned chicken broth and soon I will have to can green beans.

I've been picking cherry tomatoes by the dozen every other day or so. The other tomatoes are beginning to ripen, and I have found only two hornworms so far on the plants. (These are rather beastly fellows despite their good looks. They will destroy tomatoes overnight. I usually drown them in soapy water which seems the least disgusting way to dispose of them since they are anywhere from 2-4 inches long.)

The Japanese cucumbers were a trial vegetable this year. About 18 inches long, dark green, and spiny, they have a very good texture and flavor. I also tried bush varieties of pickling and regular cukes in the upper garden. The chickens have somehow managed to get into the kitchen garden and dug up all of the new cucumber seeds I planted over the last few days. I have now put up the white flag, and admit defeat.

Garlic, and now shallots, have been harvested, and in their place I planted some cabbage plants that Papa found along a walking trail in Waterville. Someone had dumped the seedlings along the path. Crazy what one can find if you keep your eyes open.