Running a Muddy Trail

Garlic Up To Here

{ 10:10, 3 June 2008 } { 0 comments } { Link }

This spring has been really nice to us. Plenty of rain, warmth, coolth, sunshine & energy to get things done around this place. One of the beautiful things about farming though, is the plants don't need constant coddling. This garlic, for example, was planted in October, sprouted around November sometime. Sat around all winter and started growing again in March.

Since then, as you can see, it has really taken to this growing thing. Its up past my bellybutton and starting to put up scapes. The necks, where they enter the ground, are as thick as a narrow wrist. We're hoping the bulbs reflect this incredible growth when their time comes. But it does it by itself: no coddling, no coaxing, no daily feedings. When the patch started to get weedy, we weeded it once and laid down a thick layer of hay/mulch/grass cuttings.

Its been a good lettuce year too, the weather has just been perfect for lettuce and for the first time ever, I have been able to grow nice heads of tasty lettuce (as opposed to ugly heads of tasty lettuce or nice heads of bitter lettuce). No bug damage, no bolting, nothing to it, right?

Well, at least, when the weather lines up properly there's nothing to it. The swiss chard, on the other hand, has been much less impressive this year. So it goes, one year its one thing, another year something else.

I'm looking forward to eating lots of good apples this year (the trees are loaded). All the blossoms around

here were frosted off last year, so no local apples. It was alright, because we had a bountiful and delectable crop of raspberries, elderberries & wild blueberries in the summer, so we've been overflowing in preserved fruit products for our PB sandwiches through the winter. But after the 12 month break, a warm bowl of fresh applesauce is certainly going to be something to look forward to for this fall.

Apparently I have this thing for fruit. I've always associated closely with it, in fresh, preserved or dried forms. Dried peaches, dried applesauce or any number of other dehydrated fruit products were my fuel of choice during high school and college cross country meets. My mother sent me every fall in college, a box of apples. Friends were receiving "care packages" of cookies, candies and snacks, I got a box of apples -- my favorite variety.

And now, our yard is coming into its fruit. The strawberry plants are loaded and each morning we go out and sample a couple fruits. I waited until 10am this morning so the berries were sun warmed and so sweet. I can still taste it.
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