I’ve been remiss in postings lately. It’s not just because I’ve been consumed with raspberry and pea pickings, although that’s been adding to things. Did I mention that raspberries are the new tomato? They are that monkey on my back that needs to be picked continuously lest the fruit drop and rot under the vines and bring a host of diseases. Luckily the rats don’t seem to be interested in them, although we’ve found plenty of berries with snail trails on them.
I’ve been picking a colander or two per day for nearly two weeks now with likely another full week of picking to go. But what a problem to have! My freezer is full of berries that will hold their perfection until I have time to make jam and scones and pie. Oh Tullameen raspberries, where have you been all my life?
I’ve also had the pleasant distraction of visiting reporters peeking into my pantry, my freezer and my garden, a few garden tours, a tv pilot filming in my yard, and my parents who now reside in Arizona and a nephew from Alaska convening here. It’s been a busy two weeks!
I’ve also been harvesting the spring/summer carrots, the beets, loads of greens and feeding the bolted spring greens to the chickens. And did I mention the peas? Because at this point I’m closing my eyes when I walk past them. La, la, la, can’t see you. I’m ready for the peas to be done. I’ve blanched and frozen some and we’ve been eating stir fries constantly but they just keep producing. I’ve stopped watering them so the pods dry and I can save the seeds. The vines will go to goats up the street. In return I’ll get some nutrients to add to my compost pile, or perhaps some milk to make cajeta or chevre.
The garlic is ready for harvesting and braiding and the early potatoes are just about done as well.
How are your gardens coming?
16 responses so far ↓
1 Erin Littlestar // Jul 8, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Annette!
You cannot imagine my surprise and delight to pick up the first newspaper I have read in at least 6 months this morning, and find YOU on the cover! I am visiting Seattle until Monday night, and had actually thought about getting in touch with you again… so the paper was a clear sign that I must
What a fantastic article… I was reading it thinking “This woman and I would totally be friends!”… when I realized that I sort of already knew you, haha. If you are not too busy, I’d love to meet up, maybe for a cup of coffee? And I would happily lend a hand in the garden, should you need one.
Congratulations again on the fantastic press… you’re a sustainable food star!
-Erin
2 admin // Jul 8, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Erin I’d love you to come! Tomorrow would be great, and may actually be the only day I’m free until you leave. Come eat some real food!
3 Sandy // Jul 8, 2010 at 8:03 pm
My sister-in-law sent the article to me and I was pleased to see one of my gardening buddies featured. Congrats!
4 admin // Jul 8, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Sandy thank you! I already sent someone over to your site. They had a question about greenhouses of which I know nothing but I know who does!
5 Sandy // Jul 8, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Oh, a question for you. The article says you have almond trees. I didn’t think they could grow here. What kind do you have and have they produced?
6 admin // Jul 8, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Hi Sandy, I have something called an all in one and it’s doing just fine in a berm in the parking strip. Word is I won’t get nuts in years like this one but last year I might have had it been established. It gets reflected heat from the sidewalk on one side and the road on the other, faces south and is in full sun. I have hazelnuts in the back which I expect to get if I net them from the squirrels though.
7 Auburn // Jul 8, 2010 at 10:42 pm
Wonderful things happen to wonderful people. Congratulations, dear Annette. Please be sure to have someone put that TV pilot on YouTube so I can watch it from here. Can’t wait!
Wishing you much continued success!
Love,
Auburn
8 admin // Jul 9, 2010 at 12:14 am
xo Auburn – I’ve been missing you!
9 Sense of Home // Jul 9, 2010 at 7:52 am
I admire what you are doing, eating from your backyard. In my own small way I am trying to do the same. I need to take some time and read more of your blog.
Wish I had that many raspberries, mine are just starting to ripen since I moved them this spring.
-Brenda
10 admin // Jul 9, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Sense of Home, I’m hoping to encourage as many others to take whatever size steps they can towards something similar, even if it just means eating seasonally rather than buying out of season stuff from Safeway. The problem is determining what’s in season anymore!
11 Tiffany S. // Jul 9, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Great article! I would have thought you’d been doing this forever – not just since Jan ‘09! That was the same month we committed to whole foods. You’ve done so much in that time, I’m just blown away.
We’ve had a pathetic batch of raspberries this year – Chris thinks they did not like the zoo doo. We’ll “borrow” from friends and search out the loganberries when it’s their time.
Hope to see you around soon!
12 cityhippyfarmgirl // Jul 10, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Lots of great things happening at your place then, a good slice of crazy pie!
Interesting to read about the goats milk dulce de leche.
Home grown garlic, *sigh* if only. So tired of seeing international garlic on our shop shelves. I did try for quite a while to grow it in pots (no back yard) but no luck.
13 June // Jul 12, 2010 at 11:24 am
How wonderful that you have an abundance of two of my favorite treats. The baby goats found our raspberries this year, and my peas didn’t like the warm weather this year as much as they liked the rainy and cool weather last year. So I’m enjoying yours with you!
14 julia // Jul 14, 2010 at 9:56 am
It’s about time! What a great article. You deserve all the good stuff that comes your way. Lord knows you work hard enough. Keep up the good work!
15 tom @ tall clover farm // Jul 15, 2010 at 11:13 pm
Annette, I believe you grow more on 1/5 of an acre than I do on five. Nice work. Now about that tv pilot, do tell.
16 admin // Jul 18, 2010 at 10:42 pm
Tiffany I’ve heard bad things of the zoo doo. I think part of the problem is they don’t always feed organic or the bedding is not always organic. I believe they have even recalled it if I remember correctly.
CHFG it’s too bad you don’t have community plots there. I never had luck growing anything in containers. It’s still a surprise to me I can grow anything at all!
June I wish I could share – this was a good year for peas and berries here!
Thanks Julia!
Tom, I’m not sure anything will come of the pilot. They have to pitch it first but if it does, rest assured I’ll be blabbing on about it!
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