Summer Time And the Livin Is Yummy…

By Cheryl Ryan

My first summer harvests are coming in hot!  Last year, the squirrels got every single peach and I was ready to go Caddyshack on them. But for some unknown reason, they don’t care this year. It’s Squirrels zero and me with all the peaches.

So now I’ve got to figure out what the heck to do with them. Because of my obsession with homesteaders, especially @ruthannzimm, I’ll be trying my hand at canning. Then I can whip up a peach pie whenever I want all winter long. But before that, I’ll be making all the good fresh peach stuff, like this roasted corn and peach salad, this peach bruschetta and maybe even this peach cobbler.

Another bumper crop for me is cucumbers.  I’ve never planted them before. They’re coming in fast and furious and are making me feel like a successful gardener.  Now I have to figure out what to do with all of those too.  I think I’m going to try to make my own pickle relish and if you’re a dill pickle fan you could try this recipe. I’ve never liked dill pickles but this recipe makes me want to. I’ve also found this lovely fresh cucumber salad recipe.

Summer Harvest

So far, my no-till garden experiment is getting a big thumbs up. It’s producing the best outcome I’ve had in this yard.  By not having a garden box it’s allowing my vines to spread out and I have more room to plant.  I’m using grass clippings and dried leaves to keep the weeds down and the moisture in. I’m also working on (with plenty of help from my gardener) my drip watering skills, especially during this drought. 

I was worried about pests since the plants weren’t raised above ground. There is something eating a few of my kale leaves. But it seems that whatever is eating the kale is satisfied and not eating anything else which is actually an organic farming technique. So thats accidentally working out and I’ll take it. Honestly, I almost have too much!

I hope you’re all enjoying the simple pleasures of summer…especially the food, drinks and being able to share it side by side with friends again.