Garden Update

We were having company last weekend so Hope blessed me with a flower arrangement from the garden. We haven't been in the garden as much this year. It has been a strange garden year for us. Things have grown well, but we are just now getting enough tomatoes to can. I picked an entire basket yesterday and there are many more just about ready. I will be making sauce in the next few days. Our peppers are beautiful, but they haven't started turning red at all. My okra hasn't even grown knee high yet. I can't figure it all out because we planted pretty much on time this year. I am wondering if our beds need some organic matter added to them. Before I plant my fall garden, I plan to spruce up the beds to see if that helps. The weeds have been prolific so maybe that has been one of the issues.

We are heading out this morning to pick green beans at a friend's farm. He offered us whatever we wanted. Since I only have 7 quarts of canned beans and I need about 60, we decided that we would go pick in his garden. I did plant a new bed of beans. I have been diligent to keep them weeded and I was excited about the possibilities. Apparently the sheep were excited too because they have been munching on the beans every chance they get. It has been very hard to contain them since we have separated them from their moms. The little lambies are trying my patience.

Yesterday Hope and I planted broccoli and cabbage seeds for the fall garden. I am more excited about my fall garden this year than I have ever been. Perhaps it is because I feel like this summer's garden hasn't done what I expected it to or perhaps it is because I have been planning it for the last few months. My goal this year is to see how long we can grow fresh food. We will use our hoops and plastic to protect the plants from the frost. I will be direct seeding lettuces, carrots, collard greens, spinach and peas straight into the garden. The fall garden usually sneaks up on me and I am unprepared, but this year I am armed and ready!!

grace and peace,

julie