The warm season harvest has begun! Actually, it began last week right at the end of July and now I am so distracted by my crops that every time I go out to the garden to do some maintenance I end up harvesting a ‘handful of this and a handful of that’. See what I mean…
Have you ever heard of a handful of strawberries a day keeps the doc away? Me neither but I’m getting a good handful everyday so hope it works!
First artichoke is barely a handful…it’s going to make a tasty appetizer for our next dinner.
2nd, 3rd, 4th,5th and 6th ripe cherry tomato…I ate the 1st the day before…couldn’t wait…yum!
Handful of raspberries makes me smile…this is my first crop ever of raspberries and I think there will be many more handfuls to come.
Yes, stopping by every plot (I have three food areas) to see what’s ready is fun…
But the weeds, overgrown foliage and faded flowers are not rescuing themselves off to a better place! And the pots are not fertilizing themselves nor the seeds for Fall season crops planting themselves!
Hmmm…maybe because it’s August and the “Dog Days of Summer” have hit I cannot seem to get past the activity of harvesting a handful. Oh, and preparing and eating the harvest. You see I have a thing about the food I’ve grown…I cannot let any of it go to waste. Therefore, I have to go beyond my weekly “regulars” and find new recipes or pull out seasonal ones to take advantage of the fresh goods.
It is fun to be creative with food and eat something fresh everyday but it sure can take time…I think I’ve got to get out of the’ handful of this and that’ habit and get into planned “to do” lists for maximum time efficiency.
For soon the tomatoes are going to turn into bowlfuls and watermelons, beans, carrots, onions, peppers, basil and cabbage are going to join the harvest party. Darn it dog days, I’ve got to get over you!
Do you feel a natural slow down in this part of the summer? Do any of you that grow food have a strong need to not waste ANY of it? Do you can, pickle, or freeze every last bit. Do you call neighbors multiple times to see if they could use this or that? I certainly do, and wonder about you?
igardendaily 
Your harvested foods look like they’re supposed to! Mine seem to never make it past the bloom stage or, at best, they begin to make a veggie but then it falls off at about 1/2″ in diameter. I don’t understand it! I have yet to harvest one edible thing! I know I planted my zucchini too late, but that was a known. Also, my hydrangea NEVER bloom! I bought them with blooms on three years ago and they haven’t bloomed since! I moved them from urn pots two weeks ago, into the ground, hoping that will help….I can’t understand my plants 😦
Well, don’t get too discouraged…gardening is a trial and error process. I’ve been doing it for 15 years and am still learning what works and what doesn’t. I’m not real familiar with your gardening climate so I don’t know about your veggie growing season. Maybe search for a gardening blog on growing veggies in Florida. Your county extension office web site is another great place to check. County extension offices usually have great general growing information available. With regard to the hydrangeas, do you have them in full shade? It depends on the variety, but many hydrangeas need at least a few hours of morning sun to form blooms. They are known as a shade plant but to get blooms they need some sun or bright shade in some cases. In fact, many varieties do well in mostly sun as long as the soil is kept moist. Hope this helps.
Lovely handfuls … bet they are tasty too.
Thank you and yes they are!
How wonderful to have handfuls of harvests! My produce is all done. Not much of a harvest this year due to our heat, but I have big hopes for fall’s garden. I have learned how to can this year, and it’s so satisfying seeing those wonderful bits of summer in the pantry.
Yes, I think it would be fun to learn to can. I’m not at that level yet and do the best I can (no pun intended) by freezing as much as possible.
I have a feeling though that I will get into canning in the next few years…
Perhaps with some of your crops u cant handle you can look into donating them to a local organization such as a community center, food bank or home for the elderly?????
Great idea, thanks!