Here's something new and unusual from the garden this week. The peas in the photo above are the first picking of the Sugar Magnolia Purple Snap Peas. Most of the plants are turning out all purple pods, but one plant is producing green pods and one other one is producing green pods with purple blotches. Unfortunately, I can't tell you how they taste yet. We were going to eat them last night and then had a menu change. Tonight was supposed to be the night but 'round about 3:30 this morning I woke up with a stomach bug that has been quite persistent and the thought of eating continues to be rather undesirable. I'm thinking that what I need to do when my system is less rebellious is to stand in the garden and sample the various peas and choose the plants with the tastiest and most purple pods for seed saving. So, you'll be hearing more about these purple beauties in the future.
The Golden Chard survived being transplanted and was starting to produce some lovely leaves and then it started to bolt. So I harvested all the leaves and the plants will be pulled out. I've got some nice replacement plants going already, I figured the old plants would bolt, it just took longer than I thought.
I also harvested all the beets except for the Devoys. I made 3 quarts of pickles with them and saved 2 to roast for beet salads.
Yesterday this jaunty gal stopped by the finch feeder. I think she's an Acorn Woodpecker, they are quite common around here. She's got a nest bursting with chicks that is easy to keep an eye on in an oak branch nearby.
Here's the rest of the harvest for the past week.
Burpee's Golden Beets - 1 lb., 5 oz.
Chioggia Beets - 3 lb., 5 oz.
Renee's Golden Beets - 2 lb., 15 oz.
Piracicaba Broccoli - 5.5 oz.
Capers - 1 oz.
Golden Chard - 1 lb., 12 oz.
Green Garlic - 7.75 oz.
Garlic Scapes - .75 oz.
Butterhead Lettuce - 6.5 oz.
Noga Lettuce - 1 lb., 5.5 oz.
Sugar Magnolia Purple Snap Pea - 3.5 oz.
Romanesco Brocccoli - 7.5 oz.
Strawberries - 15 oz.
Total for the week - 13 lb. 10 oz.
Total for the year - 205 lb., 6.75 oz.
12 eggs this week
There are lots of harvests to ogle on Harvest Monday at Daphne's Dandelions, head on over there and check it out.
Gorgeous photo of your purple pea pods! I'm particularly captivated by the woodpecker. I'm such a bird lover, that's the 1st thing I noticed over the veggies! It's a type of woodpecker that we don't have here, so I was quite intrigued when I saw your post on my google reader;-)
ReplyDeleteThose peas look great, I wouldn't want to eat them! Well, actually I would want to taste. I've never eaten purple peas. Thank you Michelle for the Tuscan arugula seeds! We are eating arugula, but the plants are bolting now. Your harvest sounds great, good for you!
ReplyDeleteMichele,
ReplyDeleteThose peas look pretty good to me! Hope you feel better.
We have about 2 lbs of Sugar Snap Peas from our garden right now. The rains knocked them down and they are covered in flowers right now.
I wonder how the color of those snaps peas will change when cooked.
ReplyDeleteOn an unrelated note, I kind of need your help Michelle. I harvested a cooked my piracicaba broccoli. I was surprised to find that it had a slightly bitter edge to it like broccoli raab. Is this normal???? I thought it was supposed to be mild and sweet. I'm at a loss.
Those peas are so cool!
ReplyDeleteCool peas! Are they supposed to keep the purple color when you cook them or will they loose it like purple beans do? Do let us know when you get around to cooking them.
ReplyDeleteNice picture of the acorn woodpecker, it is our most common woodpecker and I love them.
Hope you get better soon!
Looks like your peas are about two weeks ahead of mine Michelle. It's reassuring to see that yours are showing as much variability as mine!
ReplyDeletePeas are looking great. I am also wondering if they will keep the color after cooking.
ReplyDeleteI am always amazed how many different veggies you have for a harvest each time.
What a large harvest (as usual). I hope you find some really tasty purple peas. But mostly I hope you get better soon.
ReplyDeleteSure hope you get over the stomach bug quickly... you have some gorgeous peas to eat! That photo arrangement / display is just beautiful. The colors and symmetry of it are both very appealing.
ReplyDeleteGreat harvest as usual!
Hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures of the peas and woodpecker. I'm with others, do the peas change color after cooking?
Thanks for all the get better wishes :) I'm feeling much better today.
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Jan, I do love those woodpeckers, they are so jaunty looking and they have a cackling call that sounds like they're laughing at a really bad joke, it's fun to hear.
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Tatyana, it is hard to eat something so pretty. But I'm more hesitatnt to try them for fear that they won't taste good enough, I want them to be both pretty and tasty. I hope the arugula was tasty to you!
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Randy, Two pounds of peas, I'm envious, or should I say greedy for snap peas, I love them so. . . I hope the purple ones taste good, they're my only snap peas this season.
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Thomas, I'll find out soon about the color, I need to cook them up today before they lose too much more sweetness. The Piracicaba mystery, I'm at a loss also, mine has never been bitter.
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Dan, They are!
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Angela, I suspect the peas will turn green when cooked, it seems that all purple veggies do. I love those woodpeckers also.
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Julie, You have the purple snap peas also? We need to compare notes.
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vrtlarica, the mild climate here makes it easy to have a varied harvest since I can plant almost year round. It's very forgiving.
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Daphne, The joy of a long and mild growing season . . .
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kitsapFG, Thanks!
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mac, I'll find out soon about the pea color, I'm getting my appetite back and those peas are on the menu today. I'll wait to report on flavor though, it's not fair to judge 3 day old peas.
I just adore acorn woodpeckers! They're total cuties, and are fun to watch, because they are so social. Do you have a "granary" tree or phone pole nearby?
ReplyDeleteAnd feel better, soon!
ReplyDelete(Where are my manners?)
Lisa and Robb, I haven't noticed a "granary" nearby but I'm sure there's one somewhere close, I'll have to keep my eye out. And I'm feeling much better today, thanks!
ReplyDeleteFound your page by searching information on growing capers. I just received a plant a couple of weeks ago - and it's already putting out new leaves. I had some caper seeds started at the time I ordered it and so far one seed (out of ten) germinated - I ordered the plant in case I didn't get any of the seeds to germinate. I would love to get seeds / cuttings from your pink flowering caper bush. I did not realize the flowers were so beautiful until I found your wonderful blog. THANK YOU for creating it! :)
ReplyDeleteNancy, I have some seeds left from what I saved last fall and you are welcome to some of them. Send me an email with your address and I'll put them in the mail. You'll find my email if you view my complete profile. I'm so glad you like my blog :)
ReplyDeleteSo, do the pods turn green when you cook them? I'd eat them raw. I can't resist eating the thickest sugar snap peas right off the vines. YUM! Glad you're feeling better.
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