Gardening notes for 2012

I’m going to put this in writing, for posterity as it were. Next year, when I’m getting ready to plant my vegetable garden, if someone could just point me back here, I’d really appreciate it. I seem to have a very short memory.

For a household of two human beings:

• 18 bean vines – yield about 10 pounds of beans a week
• 4 zucchini plants – about 8 zukes a week
• 4 patty pan plants – about 18 – 20 patty pans a week
• 2 cucumber plants – about 4 cukes a week
• 4 tire planters of herbs – enough for most of Tuscany to season their dishes for at least a month
• I’m not even going to discuss how much food one gets from 8 rows each of beets, carrots, rutabagas, and kohlrabi.

We also won’t discuss the issues that are going to be very apparent in a couple weeks when:

• 8 HUGE tomato plants all come ripe at once

About three weeks after that when:

• 96 white onions are ready for harvest
• 96 red onions are ready for harvest
• 48 heads of garlic are ready for harvest

Actually, the garlic could be fun. I think I’m going to try that whole braiding & hanging thing. Food + arts & crafts = fun!

Now, I’m off to process the 10 or 12 pounds of beans that I picked this morning. Turn on the tunes & French/blanch/freeze those little lovelies.

 

 

So easily amused

It’s year three with this little unit and I have to say, the blush is not yet off the rose for me. I truly, madly, deeply love my bean Frencher.

‘Cause hey, when your bean plants are producing about 10 pounds of beans a week, any little toy that makes them fun is greatly appreciated.

I ‘Frenched’ (now that’s an awkward verbing if ever I saw one) about two pounds of green beans for dinner tonight. What? That’s totally a normal amount for two people. Right? At least they are good for us.

Another fun thing today? When I walked into the train station the lady who gives me the free daily papers gave me this:

Betcha can’t guess!

Tape flags to make all the things you love in the new Ikea catalogue. Apparently it’s out. I am verklempt with excitement. I know, I know. They have some vaguely not nice business practices. Like being a registered charity and never paying much tax even though they make a butt load of money.

It blows, I agree, but all of our kitchen and most of our living room is outfitted from them. I’m prolly going to hell. I bet it will be in a Billy book case!

Summer in the city

I won’t say hot time, summer in the city, since yesterday was the first actual hot day we’ve had t his summer. It’s been super mild and everything in the garden is so far behind. I was finally able to pick some tomatoes yesterday. They were tasty but I don’t think our yield is going to be that great this year. You can already smell fall in the air when the sun goes down and I’m back to wearing a hoodie when walking to the bus in the morning. Winter is coming! Thank you Eddard Stark.

So far this summer has been all about:

Gardening

More gardening

Fun with the spoils of the garden

Decorated bus stops by interbenchion.blogspot.com

Stella discovered the joys of the frisbee

New glasses were acquired

Silly faces were necessary to ease the pain of having to get progressives.

Sock Summit was attended. Learned so much and spent *so* much!

I miss you Sock Summit!

Oh Powell's Books. I could live in you forever!

Mmmmm, food trucks!

Except for this one. That is the worst name ever for a food truck. Blargh!

While sniffing for free wifi this was my favourite network name.

Irony? Going to Sock Summit and buying a metric tonne of sock yarn then casting on a shawl. Nicely done!

This is Dancette in Plucky Knitter Primo. Really nice yarn, REALLY nice. So, how’s your summer been so far?