[Ag-eq] Garden

[Tracy Carcione]

Well, the apple harvest is starting to roll in.  I have to get busy
processing it.  I wish I had a quick way to peel and core apples.  I have a
gadget, but my apples are smaller than commercial fruit, so it doesn't work
so well.  So I tend to default to applesauce, because I just have to whack
the apples into chunks, and take out the seeds and peels with the food mill.

I've also done the garlic harvest, which makes it time to plant next year's
garlic.

The tomatoes are doing real well.  I'm getting plenty of plum tomatoes,
which means fresh tomato sauce.  Yum!

I put an eggplant out in the front yard, inspired by Nella.  It's doing
well.  I'm actually getting eggplants, which I usually don't.  The critters
seem to be leaving it alone, either because it's out front where there's
more traffic, or because it's surrounded by marigolds.

The stuff out back, except the tomatoes and the pole beans, is not doing
well at all.  The possum or whatever did a real number on most things, and
the rest just isn't doing well.  I want to plant fall crops, but I'm trying
to think how I can protect them first.  It's too late for marigolds.  Next
year, marigolds all around.  Or some equally smelly plant, if I can think of
one.  I have mint, oregano, and sage, but they also tend to take over. 

The fig has several figs, so I might get some soon.  The raspberries are
working on their fall crop.  And the passionflower is running wild.  It's
supposed to produce fruit, but is only producing seeds and offspring.  The
bees love it, and it smells nice.  But, come fall, I'll have to yank a lot
out.

 

That's my story.  I'm trying to think how I can improve things, especially
out back.  Besides a vigorous application of compost.  Wish I had some
manure.

Tracy