Neither Will nor I like hot weather. Perhaps that’s one reason we live in Northern Minnesota! But boy oh boy have we ever had hot weather lately. It makes getting at those dratted weeds in the garden even harder. Will got the last row of potatoes hilled for the second time and they look great. He did find three potato bugs on them, so I went out and sprayed again with pyrethrins. We don’t want them to get ahead of us again this year. Last year, we fought them until fall! They came in hoards. So far, no blister beetles though!
Yesterday, we went to our friend, Sherri’s house where she, her husband, John, and Dara, had fixed a wonderful Mexican dinner for a late birthday celebration. Oh my, were the carnitas, beans, salsas, pickled onions, rice, and finally, a cherry cheesecake, wonderful! What a great day, among friends and such great food. I’d gone out in the morning, to the Wolf Garden to weed and tuck tomatoes in their cages but by 2 o’clock, when we had to get ready to leave, we were plenty ready to knock it off in the heat for a while. Our car’s AC had gone out and I couldn’t get an appointment until this Friday and only the passenger’s window works, due to a broken wire in the driver’s door that costs like $800 to fix. Nah … Driving in the heat isn’t pleasant!
Today, Will’s finishing up fixing the riding lawnmower as the spindle and blades were shot. (Not only do I mow the lawns with it but also the orchard and sometimes sections of the garden that need it.) When he gets done, he’s going to start haying for the first time this year. Earlier, it rained, rained, and rained, making getting into the fields impossible unless he wanted to bale nasty hay.
Although our weeds are king in the gardens, so far, we are getting a nice stand of plants, with the first tomato ripe today, a Moravski Div, a small slicer with terrific flavor. Our flower beds are weedy, but the flowers are awesome this year. I can walk along them then hop on the golf cart, head to one of the gardens to weed and feel good; they’re food for the soul.
— Jackie
Hot as blazes here too and rain keeps going around us. So dry. The spring/summer garden is done except for okra, peppers and some tomatoes. Been a bad summer for tomatoes. With birds and squirrels ruining them (they DO have water to drink) we’ve been bringing them in the house half ripe to finish. Then they start going bad before fully ripe so we haven’t been able to put up much. So many tomatoes ruined. Didn’t used to have this problem.
I’ll be planting Big Red Ripper cowpeas today in the former corn rows. After tilling I mulched the rows to cool the soil so the heat won’t prevent germination and I”ll plant through that today. Meanwhile, the fall garden plan is done. Wish the heat was! :)
I totally get that! Our heat wave broke and it’s in the 70’s today. Other than the Canadian wildfire smoke that’s so thick, it’s nice working in the garden now. I feel for you with the tomatoes. For us, it was the drought, then rain, rain, rain. It drowned out our corn and some of the beans and melons. Seems like there’s always something, doesn’t it?
Folks here in our area have gotten 2 cuttings of hay already and might get a 3rd and if fall holds off a 4th. We are normally triple digit early in July. Hit triple digit for the first time this year today. Starts cooling off here (N. Central TX) in September. And YES, there is a HUGE difference between 99 and 100! I do have A/C in the car, but I do not have A/C else where. Yes, we do this with fans.
Wow, we just started our first cutting and there probably won’t be a second crop, but for maybe the reed canary grass. Our car AC is broke and only the passenger window goes down due to that darned broken wire. So, when it’s hot and you have to drive, it really sucks. We don’t have AC in the house and do use fans. Luckily, logs hold the cooler night temps when we leave the windows open, at least until late afternoon.
Had some low 80’s here in Copper Basin Alaska, not as bad as a lot of places in the lower 48 but enough to melt us! I have zucchini and cucumbers but no ripe tomatoes yet, even though they are in green house. Lots set also lots of peppers set but none big enough to harvest.m
80’s is hot enough for us northerners. I can’t imagine having triple digits and high humidity too. We’ve got plenty of ripe jalapenos and some bell peppers. The zucchini has flowers but just tiny zucchinis so far. Our first cukes got drowned out so the second planting will be late. Oh well….
Dear Jackie, yes, it is terribly hot. I think it seems hotter this year than ever before; but maybe I am just getting too old. I love the gardens, weeds or not; but I buy at Amish farms now that I can’t garden anymore. I am like you. Folks need to quit being so negative about EVERYTHING. And blaming everyone for everything. LEFT or RIGHT. They need to get a life and change oneself. Then the world would be better one person at a time. I wonder sometimes if those folks ever sweated in the field or know what work really is. Or hard times as far as that matters. Keep on homesteading and try to enjoy life as you have it while you can. Tomorrow, you may die or worse. You can’t garden at all!!!
Heaven forbid! Yes, there is a generation or two out there that has no clue what physical work is like. They’re too busy dying their hair purple, playing video games, having pedicures and going to concerts. And being nasty to everyone that isn’t just like them. Ugh! I agree, if each person would make some sort of effort to better themselves, it would be such a nice world!
I’d very much like to try the broccoli and the tomatoes you mentioned. How do I get a copy of your seed list?
seedtreasures.com might just get you there. Scroll up to the bottom of the actual blog. There is an advertisement there.
Have a blessed day and keep gardening.
Never‘rain but it pours! Too cold TooWetToo hot but your three beautiful tomatoes are the rewards Along with your sweat! In the weeds! Boy do I hear you on that! Humid heat is worse than our dry100+ heat. It’s summer! My tomato s are growing only one hornworm-so far.Dry beans are really promising but snap beans are reluctant. Mexican foods are Wonderful! 3 times a day you are so right. Looking at my peppers are Really coming! Hopefully I can try your cowboy candy recipe this year! Take care Jackie!
HUMID and 100 for me today. :)
Yep, I can’t handle the humidity either! And, boy have we had that lately. Thankfully, it quit today so we can actually work. Now I’m fighting blisters!! Did you realize that tomato horn worms are the larva form of hummingbird moths, which we love? I didn’t know that for the longest time. Now I plant a few extra tomatoes for them and don’t squish them.
One time you showed a picture down your driveway and said new people had bought the next door property next to your fence and were clearing everything. Whatever happened to that property?
We tried to buy it but the owner wouldn’t sell. It’s growing back to young trees now.
We were lucky to get first crop hay done. It seems to rain every other day here. The weeds are gaining on me in my 2 gardens. Picked and pressure canned green beans today. Sounds like a great meal. Your umquah broccoli is terrific. Hopefully some cooler weather ahead.
Yep, it’s cooler today, only 76 degrees F. We love Umpquah broccoli too. It’s so sweet I use lots of the stems too as it’s not tough. Our weeds are ahead of us too. I got blisters, pulling weeds today. Ugh! It rained yesterday but we didn’t get the horrible storms they got in the Cities. Gee, I’d better check my Providers; I haven’t done more than till next to them. They are so sneaky and early. Guess I know what I’ll be doing soon, huh?
Boy, can I ever identify with you saying you hate to weed in this heat.
I normally don’t mind weeding, but getting out in this oppressive heat makes me avoid weeding right now.
I hear you Colleen. I do what I can, but I think I hear the weeds laughing at me when I leave with sweat pouring off my face.
Yes, heat no fun! Glad you are doing so well and your maters look fantastic!
Our tomatoes are coming along very nicely. I’ve seen lots of big green ones and a few that are starting to color up. Won’t be long now before I’m starting to save tomato seeds.
I found one very, very small slicer rotting on the vine (I really had to look to see it). I got it off the plant – bottom of the plant I should day. Another fruit is starting to turn so fingers crossed first BLT/BAT of the season this weekend. Better half loaded up on bacon on the local butcher shop last week. We split 3 slices (which do NOT shrink) and a breakfast sausage patty each for tonight’s breakfast supper. Local raised eggs, local baked bread, and home grown potatoes.
A couple of paste tomatoes were almost ripe, I picked them and put them on my “to finish” area. One is okay, the other had a split spot which quickly made the tomato icky soft – compost time.
Carnitas – you just cannot beat them. Frijoles, arroz, all you were missing was pickled jalapenos! We frequent a family owned Mexican restaurant 50 out of 52 weeks a year. We consider them family as they do us. Now I know what I’m having to eat next week lol..
You know what I like about your blog is your inclusiveness. Far, far too many other blogs want nothing but like minded, lock step members. I know all who post are not on the political same page but we all are on the same page for growing/foraging/preserving food.
Better half was considering fall asparagus planting (at least he planned to till the area). Until I told him three plant-in-the-fall plants were $20! He wanted at least two dozen. Not happening – till and keep the area ready for spring planting.
Fingers crossed that our new hot spot for morels is more than a one time thing. Garlic harvest, which was pretty good IMHO, is in storage.
Well, we did have my “cocaine” dip, made with cream cheese, sour cream, Gaucho relish and Mexican cheeses. I can eat Mexican food every day, three meals a day. And I love my chiles!! I really find myself absenting from various blogs and Facebook pages I would have liked to follow except for the political or religious slant. I think we all need to lighten up and quit being so divisive. And downright mean! Holy cow, should we be talking about homesteading, canning and gardening instead of blaming the “left” or “right” for every darned thing??? While some folks will be busy fighting about things that can’t be changed, I’ll be encouraging homesteading and preparedness. And getting ALONG!!
@Jackie – I prefer to spend my time on productive things. I really don’t care about the legal status of a hungry child (or of his/her parents/their religion or lack thereof). I find it appalling that children (or adults) don’t have enough to eat. Walk the walk or don’t bother talking the talk.
IMHO, too many downright gullible people – suckered in by red meat/wedge issues to vote against their own best interests. While this will end my post, I often wonder why some claim to be religious.
Weather is supposed to break tomorrow (rain and lingering humidity I’m sure). Since it is “super Friday” at work, perhaps I will call in sick. So tired of we want to be a big player, not spend any more money, line our “shareholders” pockets (a good number of which are executives). I don’t remember ANY business classes that said a public corporation needed to shell out 80/80+% of profits as dividends to “shareholders”.
Remember, cash rules (king, queen, take your pick). No debt mean you are in control of your own financial destiny.
We love the Moravski Divs. They are invariably the first to produce and the last to quit, after a couple of light frosts! Smaller than standard slicers, yes, but crazy productive and delicious. So thankful that you carry these–they aren’t easy to find–except at Seed Treasures. Wouldn’t be without them.
God is good to create these wonderful foods, and we are blessed that you and Will generously–and often sacrificially– distribute them.
We really love finding all these rare and wonderful varieties from all over the world. Some folks mistakenly think all tomatoes (or beans, or corn, or melons) taste the same. Until they graze through our gardens. It’s so cool!