What are you harvesting -Spring 2014

[hendi_alex]

RogueRose, do a second planting arugula after the weather has settled with the lows in the 50's. Moving from cool temp to warm causes arugula to bolt fairly quickly. When planted during warmer temperatures in the range of 50-85 degrees, arugula will germinate and develop quickly and will grow all the way through the fall until killing winter temperatures. Here ours produces all winter then bolts very early in the spring. We plant an early and late spring planting and harvest arugula all year.

[Cola82]

Something is very odd if you are harvesting tomatoes before broccoli.

Well it could be a couple things--the variety (romanesco), and the length of time I had them in nursery pots. Today is the first day I've seen heads.

And in fairness the tomatoes are an early variety. I ate one today and it was the first one that wasn't mealy.

Going to harvest more arugula tonight and maybe some kale. I have three more ripe tomatoes.

[applestar]

What I DIDN'T harvest... I saw four more nice asparagus today plus one of those "female" 1.5-2" in diameter ones coming up. Since the ones that were ready to harvest were from crowns that had been rather stingy this spring (I actually thought they had died at first because nothing was coming up) I decided not to harvest them.... But maybe I should have. I seem to remember I did this last year, too, and they ended up producing tons of GIGANTIC fronds after I gave up harvesting. Maybe these are SUPPOSED TO grow later?

If they are still at edible size tomorrow, maybe I'll pick them after all (8:30 and sundown here)

[imafan26]

I got a late start.
strawberries, asparagus, lettuce, my first corn of the year should be ready before it turns into summer, zucchini, beans, tomato, roselle, sesame, fennel, borage, onions, Jalapenos, super chili, anaheim, Trinidad Scorpion, thai basil, sweet basil, mint, lemon grass, araimo, ginger, eggplant, calamondin, chayote and chayote shoots, beans and kale.

[brandon558]

Cuke's by the loads... Few bell and sweet peppers. Tomatoes are starting to turn red and beans are not far behind. Okra is going good.... So far so good! Glad everyone else is having fun and harvesting some goods!

[hendi_alex]

My cucumber plants have been big enough to have been producing for almost a month, but this has been one of those years when the plants started out making only male flowers. First cukes started being harvested about three days ago. Same thing with squash and zucchini, as the first two or three weeks of fruit failed to set, though have been harvesting about a week now. Disease is much more prevalent in tomatoes for this time of year. I'm afraid that the plants will be decimated when morning lows rise above 70 and days get into the 90's.

[feldon30]

Cuke's by the loads... Few bell and sweet peppers. Tomatoes are starting to turn red and beans are not far behind. Okra is going good.... So far so good! Glad everyone else is having fun and harvesting some goods!

Did you use high tunnels or a greenhouse to get things coming on so early? My cukes are about a week away. Tomatoes and peppers are ~3 weeks away.

[erins327]

Here is my morning harvest. A little okra, jalapenos, yellow peppers, lots of Sungold and Yellow Pear tomatoes, green beans, green tomatoes and tomatillos.

[McKinney88]

I got a good handful of snap peas today.

[brandon558]

Did you use high tunnels or a greenhouse to get things coming on so early? My cukes are about a week away. Tomatoes and peppers are ~3 weeks away.

Nope I started these April 20 due to that last cold snap killed my first cukes.

I did plant in some fresh horse manure I hauled in and these things are going nuts. Picked another 21 today along with a few cherry tomatoes and banana peps.... Another 15 or so cukes tomorrow or thursday.

[freedhardwoods]

I set out 27 spindly strawberry plants 4 years ago. (I don't remember what kind.) So far this year we've picked 24 gallons from that patch. We should get 4 or 5 more gallons before they're done.

[bryce d]

Just made stir-fry with snow peas from the garden.

[bryce d]

Did I mention that I have been harvesting lots and lots of "morning glory".
Oooh , any one want some morning glory stew.

[grrlgeek]

Enjoying the tail end of the early spring cool crops... Last of the kale will be out this weekend along with a round of broccoli shoots from the last plant standing. One more cauliflower head coming - watching that closely since it's hot every day now. There's been enough lettuce and mixed spicy greens and mesclun for big salads every day. Occasional strawberries for nibbling in the yard. Turnips! Artichokes are getting smaller, but they keep coming. Waiting on the beets and carrots to get bigger but pulling a few babies here and there... they need to finish before the heat finishes them! Garlic isn't bulbing much yet, but I keep pulling them anyway. Same for onions. Chives, parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme - all plentiful for fresh cooking. Every day is a blessing and having the time of my life!

[lakngulf]

My Rattlesnake Pole bean arbor is loving the early summer growing weather, and we are enjoying the beans.

[imafan26]

Harvested my first two zucchini.

[grrlgeek]

Today's harvest, swiss chard - leaves have way fewer holes in them thanks to judicious use of diatomaceous earth. a couple turnips to open up more light for the beets, first tomatoes of the year!, the last cauliflower because I caught an earwig touching it, a couple onions - finally bulbing for real, and some very cool carrots... the yellow and white ones were really sweet.

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[applestar]

Strawberries, shell peas, snowpeas, asparagus, lettuce, Swiss chard, cherries. Green onions

[applestar]

Life can be a bowl of cherries

Mostly White Gold with some Emperor Francis yellow cherries

...and strawberries (well and asparagus)

[applestar]

Following yesterday, we have our first mulberry harvest ...and more cherries and wild strawberries (big ones are Seascape) and a few more shelling peas from the early planting in the patio windowboxes. I put the peas in the bowl with the fruits because these are received with equal enthusiasm by the kids.

Mulberries, cherries, strawberries, shelling peas... And etke(ze)zi paprika.

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I also harvested the green Etke(ze)zi Paprika to let the overwintered plant keep growing in the little container it's in right now. I need to plant it in the ground.

[hendi_alex]

Tomatoes are coming off in force now. Froze about 8-10 pounds over the past couple of days and started drying 4-5 pounds today. Squash and cucumbers are being harvested much faster than we can eat them. Perhaps will make some pickles this year. Harvested first egg plant today. Jalapeños and bell peppers are now covering our daily needs. Green beens and corn are about ten days away.

[lakngulf]

Tomatoes are coming off in force now. Froze about 8-10 pounds over the past couple of days and started drying 4-5 pounds today. Squash and cucumbers are being harvested much faster than we can eat them. Perhaps will make some pickles this year. Harvested first egg plant today. Jalapeños and bell peppers are now covering our daily needs. Green beens and corn are about ten days away.

What is your process on freezing tomatoes? Peel and bag, or do you use heat in any way?

[imafan26]

More zucchini, my tomatoes are finally ripening, hot peppers, lettuce, beans, corn is taller than I am and estimated day to harvest is June 16, eggplant, bitter melon, calamondin, herbs available all the time rosemary, thyme, oregano, Mexican oregano, Mexican tarragon, pandan, fennel, roselle, sesame, green onions, chives, cutting celery, basil : cinnamon, Thai, African, lemon, and holy, bay leaf, curry leaf, lemon grass, ginger and turmeric.

[hendi_alex]

Peel, chop with ring cutter in sauce pan, bring to a simmer for a minute or two, set pan in ice bath, freeze in rectangular pyrex dishes. Run hot water on bottom of container and pry out block of tomatoes. Wrap in plastic and place several in a gallon freezer bag. Last year we used similarly prepared tomatoes in soups and sauces and the were oh so much better than any from cans! I also prepare and freeze marinara which holds up very well and makes for a quick meal. This year we are buying a small dedicated freezer to extend the season mostly for tomatoes, but also for greens, corn, okra, blueberries, and perhaps a bit more.

[JayPoc]

Had my first real multi-veggie meal. We had been eating lots of lettuce, kale, collards, and broccoli, but tonight we had an Asian inspired stir fry with broccoli, onion (bulb and green), and peas (young, in pods) - all from the garden - with ribeye steak, carrots, and celery.

Still have as much lettuce as we can eat, and it looks like we'll be picking squash within the week.

[hendi_alex]

We now are in full swing of what I consider the summer garden. For us most evening meals consist of about 70%-80% home grown. We never get tired of such meals, and always are sad to see them go in the late fall. Winter time, we probably drop down to about 20% home grown, but with this year's use of the freezer, perhaps can move that up to closer to 40%. We try to have at least something from our yard/garden every day of the year. So far in the winter that has amounted to frozen tomatoes, fresh greens, garlic, and frozen blueberries.

[applestar]

Repeat of yesterday... Basically doubled.... More mulberries!

I have an old woven nylon shower curtain that gets used for various garden duties. Right now, it's a mulberry harvesting sheet. I spread it under the tree and grab the nearest branch and shake vigorously. Pick up a few that missed the curtain and fell in the grass, move the sheet and repeat. I can only reach about five branches from the ground. If I want to be more serious about harvesting, I have to cover three times the area with floating covers, etc. and stand on a picnic bench to reach higher branches.

As it is, today's harvest was about 2X yesterday's. It's a good thing because the kids ate nearly all of yesterday's. Any berries that don't get eaten are frozen akin zip bags and when we have a bagful, we start making fruit smoothies.

I put a good 1/2 cup or more in a big salad made with freshly harvested lettuce, Swiss chard, green onions, shelled fresh peas, plus store bought lotus roots, caramel peanuts, and sliced leftover teriyaki chicken. Dressing was salty plum vinegar, apple cider vinegar, EVOO, and a touch of roasted sesame oil.

[hendi_alex]

We love mulberries. We had two small but producing trees through this spring. But our Illinois ever-bearing died down to the graft union. Will buy two new trees next season. Will try some of the more exotic large fruited.

[lakngulf]

Peel, chop with ring cutter in sauce pan, bring to a simmer for a minute or two, set pan in ice bath, freeze in rectangular pyrex dishes. Run hot water on bottom of container and pry out block of tomatoes. Wrap in plastic and place several in a gallon freezer bag. Last year we used similarly prepared tomatoes in soups and sauces and the were oh so much better than any from cans! I also prepare and freeze marinara which holds up very well and makes for a quick meal. This year we are buying a small dedicated freezer to extend the season mostly for tomatoes, but also for greens, corn, okra, blueberries, and perhaps a bit more.

I freeze tomatoes two ways:
I peel, de-core and cut regular size tomatoes into quarters, put in gallon zip lock, seal and freeze. Use these for any recipe calling for tomatoes, but especially homemade chili. Still trying to duplicate Wendys' chili

I peel, de-core and cut tomatoes into smaller units, slice about half as much okra, cook until boiling, cool, and freeze in zip locks. This stock I use for vegetable soup in the winter time. The veggie soup includes several items frozen from the garden: tomatoes/okra, sweet corn, bell pepper, sometimes green beans. It also includes venison from deer killed on the property. So 85% is harvested within quarter mile of my house.

I am convinced that the "freshly frozen" tomatoes adds more flavor to items and any other ingredient.

[rainbowgardener]

Harvested all the spinach which was bolting, used some and froze a bunch. I left a few plants to see if they would re-seed themselves.

Harvested a bunch of broccoli, likewise used some and froze some. There is still a bit more to come and some side heads, but I've started pulling the first plants to make room for tomatoes and peppers.

Harvested and froze a bunch of cilantro and celery.

Harvested and dried parsley, dill, chamomile.

Eating lots of swiss chard. Eating a few baby carrots to thin them.

Harvested garlic scapes and made garlic scape pasta carbonara (adding onions, spinach, broccoli from the garden to the recipe).

Plan to make home made mint chocolate chip ice cream today with the mint that is going crazy....

[imafan26]

With a few official days in Spring left I am harvesting tomatoes: Beefsteak and a volunteer cherry tomatoes. Chayote, chayote shoots, taro, cucumber, zucchini, herbs, peppers, strawberries, kale, beans, bitter melon leaves, calamondin, and herbs.

[lakngulf]

Having a great harvest of yellow squash, zucchini squash, and these Rattlesnake Beans. Easy pickin'

[Cola82]

My broccoli romanesco looked like it was flowering so we harvested it for dinner last night. The boyfriend roasted it and we had it with mashed potatoes and sliced tomatoes. It was ridiculously good.

[heidihouse]

I think this counts as the very end of spring in Canada still! I've been harvesting arugula (amazing on burgers), cos lettuce (super!), all the herbs (basil, parley, cilantro, chervil, chives like crazy, etc.), radishes (terrible this year), a few little strawberries.

For the past few weeks I'm out in the garden every single day getting a handful of lettuce, parsley, and chives for either the sandwich in my daughter's lunch, or our dinner salad. Even though it's not much, the harvesting feeling is unbeatable.

[JayPoc]

Pulled and shelled the rest of my peas, picked a couple of cabbages, and am now getting into zucchini and yellow squash.







The bigger of the two cabbages was 4 pounds after all the outer leaves were removed...

[grrlgeek]

This is where all the "work" to get here just fades from memory.

Lots of greens and lettuce in the front yard where it's sheltered from the afternoon sun. Took out all the Dragoon heads and I still have a few Red Sails growing to full size. Tomatoes are coming and coming and we picked the first cucumbers! I think they grew overnight! Made veggie sammiches 100% from our garden. Hubby said that sammies and salads are all he wants in his lunches this week.

Carrots are still small, but still sweet. It's a tradeoff. Onions are bulbing! Pulled the garlic because the box was in the way. I think it might have gotten bigger, but this was a small test planting and I have been pulling them young for a while now. We want to try a large planting of Music this fall.

Snuck out a few little potatoes and the first peppers (cayenne and an pepperoncini that started to turn red.) Many more kinds coming very soon. A few sad strawberries that the birds pecked first. Thai basil, basil, and cilantro growing faster than I can use it. Made some ice cubes out of all 3. Lots will go to seed but that was planned. Planted more seeds for fresh eating later in summer.

Harvested the first Early Wonder Tall Top beets. Chiogga, Bull's Blood, Baby, and Crapaudine are coming soon, hopefully before it gets any hotter. I boiled then chilled them and put them in a salad. I don't know what I am going to do when I run out and have to go back to canned. Lots of leaves now to pilfer too,

I never imagined how much I would enjoy this!

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