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Monday, July 11, 2016

Harvest Monday - July 11, 2016

There isn't anything new in the harvest baskets this week but I can't complain because most of what has been coming in has been very nice.

The snap bean harvests continued, I've been harvesting them every 3 or 4 days lately, which made for 2 harvests in the past week.

Rolande Filet
Royalty Purple Pod, Slenderette, Red Swan
Roc d'Or
Cucumbers are just trickling in. So far only the Green Fingers Persian cucumbers are producing. The Gagon cucumber plants have already topped the 5 foot tall trellis without producing a single cucumber. Two female blossoms have opened but did not set. I don't have much patience for plants like that so I've already got some Japanese cucumbers started in pots and I'm going to replace the Gagon plants with the Japanese ones as soon as they are large enough to set out. Maybe I'll try another Gagon plant in another part of the garden later, if space opens up, maybe.

Green Fingers Persian Cucumber
Green Fingers Cucumbers

Dorato d'Asti and Pink Plume celery
The celery has far exceeded my expectations. The Pink Plume plants keep producing larger and larger stalks. And I found a Dorato d'Asti plant that is growing from a root from an overwintered plant that I had removed earlier this spring. I think it actually grew from just a piece of root that I had dug in after removing the plants. It's a nice healthy plant and is showing no sign of bolting.

And as I said, I got to harvest beans twice last week and they all got photographed.

Pink Plume Celery and
Red Swan and Royalty Purple Pod Beans
Rolande Filet Beans

Roc d'Or and Slenderette Beans

I used a good portion of one of the bean harvests in a mostly vegetable Thai style curry, which also included onion and zucchini fresh from the garden, roasted sweet peppers from the freezer, and a red coconut curry sauce spiced up with some fresh Makrut lime leaf, basil, and mint from the garden. It was almost vegetarian with the exception of some ham that was in the fridge that needed to be used but was totally optional to the dish.

The last of the spring lettuces were bolting so I had to cut them. They have not turned bitter yet and they keep quite well in the fridge so I won't run out of lettuce for a week or so. There were two harvests like the one shown here but I only got around to photographing one of them. I set out more Manoa Crisphead the other day but yesterday afternoon I found that a rabbit had figured out how to get into the tunnel and had started to nibble on them. I set up extra defenses around the tunnel and sprayed the entire perimeter of the garden and each bed with some really stinky deer and rabbit repellent. I also set a Havahart trap baited with lettuce and broccoli to try to capture the little you-know-what, grrrrr. The stinker will get to go live with its relatives elsewhere in the valley if I have my way.

Manoa Crisphead and Ruby Gem Romaine Lettuces

The Romanesco zucchini plant produces a good sized zuke every 2 or 3 days. This one got away from me a bit and got to be extra large but it was still nice and firm and tasty, not at all seedy. The winter sown Batavia broccoli plant put out a few shoots and I got to harvest most of them, the rabbit got the rest. Grrrrr.

Romanesco zucchini and Batavia Broccoli
I sure hope that **** rabbit falls for the trap, my summer broccoli is just starting to form some nice heads and I DO NOT WANT TO SHARE WITH THE **** RABBIT! Am I PO'd about the rabbit? Extremely...

And last but certainly not least, more of those oh-so-cute tangy little Mouse Melons! Hopefully not rabbit sized as well.


I also harvested but didn't photograph more bolting onions, a couple of other zucchinis, and more capers.

Oh wait, there's one more thing to show off that won't hit the tally yet.

I'Itoi Onions grown from a single bulb
The tops of the I'Itoi onions were falling over so I lifted them when I prepped that section of the bed for the fall/winter brassicas. The best clump that I started from one shriveled tiny bulb produced at least 40 little onions and the other 4 clumps were nearly as prolific. They aren't big, only about the size of a small shallot, but they sure are productive. I haven't sampled them yet, I'm letting them all cure, and then I'll save the best of the harvest to replant and then I'll cook with the rest. They have an interesting story which you can read about here.

Here's the details of the harvests for the past week:

Red Swan beans - 10.2 oz.
Roc d'Or beans - 11.9 oz.
Rolande Filet beans - 2.2 lbs.
Royalty Purple Pod beans - 5.7 oz.
Slenderette beans - 3.2 oz.
Batavia broccoli - 6 oz.
Capers - 6.3 oz.
Dorato d'Asti celery - 2.8 oz.
Pink Plume celery - 13.2 oz.
Green Fingers cucumbers - 15.1 oz.
Mouse Melons - 1.4 oz.
Manoa Crisphead lettuce - 1.5 lb.
Ruby Gem Romaine lettuce - 2.2 lb.
Ramata di Milano onions - 2.6 lb.
Yellow Spanish Utah onions - 12.7 oz.
Romanesco zucchini - 2 lb.

Total harvests for the past week - 16 lb. (7.2 kg.)
2016 YTD - 352.8 lb. (160 kg.)

Harvest Monday is hosted by Dave on his blog Our Happy Acres, head on over there to be inspired by what other garden bloggers have been harvesting lately.

13 comments:

  1. Lots of beans this week. I can see making an entire meal from beans, not sure the spouse would agree. I'm way behind you on everything else. The I'Itoi onions are interesting, that's a good yield from one bulb.

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    1. My Dave loves making a meal off of beans, or really any veggie, especially if it can be eaten from a bowl with a spoon. He's a lazy eater! :)

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  2. While everything is beautiful, as always, do you find much difference in the taste of the snap beans?

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    1. I can't say that I find a big difference in the flavors of the various beans, but the textures can differ, some are more tender and others more meaty. I've grown a couple of varieties in the past that I don't grow anymore because the cooked beans have a slippery skin that I don't like.

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  3. I hope that rabbit stays away from your broccoli, so frustrating to lose harvests! I've noticed rabbits getting closer and closer to my garden. I haven't seen any damage yet and I always make the dog run off any rabbits. I also brush my dog in the garden and leave clumps of fur to hopefully scare the rabbits away although I have no evidence that this works. A few days ago, J saw a large coyote behind the garden- good for keeping rabbits away and eaten, but now I worry about my dog!

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    1. This is one of those times when I wish I had a dog! And the local coyotes don't seem to be hanging about lately, nor do the raptors. My cat Zeke is a good hunter and used to deliver headless bunnies to me, but he's confined to the house these days.

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  4. Seems like it's The Week of the Bean! I wish mine would hurry up... I also like the look of those little l'ltoi onions (what a strange name).

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    1. The name is Native American for a mountain in Arizona. This onion has naturalized there and is gathered by the local residents.

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  5. Such lovely beans you have! I'm hoping my pole beans will kick in soon. Your June garden tour convinced me to order some of those I'Itoi onions. I read the Slow Food USA writeup plus the listing at Native Seeds. It sounds like a tough and productive plant for sure, with a fascinating story. I'll have to figure out how to pronounce the name though!

    I feel your pain with the rabbit. I had one living in my garden before I replaced my fencing with something truly rabbit-proof. I do have good luck with apple slices in my traps, which seems to work for rabbits, groundhogs, possums and raccoons.

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    1. Oh, thank you for the tip about baiting the trap, I'm going to give it a try right away. I guess I should count myself lucky to not have to deal with groundhogs, possums, and raccoon as well...

      I'Itoi is pronounced e-toy, the first I is silent.

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  6. Our beans just starting to set flowers. It will be a little while before we have any beans on them.

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  7. Those filet beans are gorgeous! I'm really looking forward to my first batch this year...the plants are flowering, so not much longer to wait! I have my first "Green Fingers" cucumber developing now (a selection inspired by your posts) and it looks like a beauty. So sad that I'll likely not be here when it's time to pick, but I'll have my daughter keep an eye on it and pick it when I'm away. And wow to the division on those l'ltoi onions! Can't wait to hear what you think of them once you try them in the kitchen.

    Oh I so HEAR your rabbit woes - once they find your garden, they will keep coming back for more. Good luck in your rabbit hunt!

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  8. I'm glad you like the mouse melons! I have a few plants in hanging containers but they aren't doing so well and nothing to show but the odd flower at this point.

    I just love that pink plume celery!

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