End of September Round Up

We had an offer of horse manure a few weeks ago so off to Blandford!... driving up, up, up to a beautiful farm with a view for miles and miles and miles, where we could see as far away as Ironbound and Tancook. Truly splendid!

The Contributors, Sheila and Frosty

It's a great gift, receiving composted goodness for the garden, and appreciated very much. Some, we dug by hand but the rest was loaded by tractor..... a team effort for sure. The ladies supervised  ;-)

It's that time of year when my thoughts are turning to next year's garden. I listen and talk, as I walk and harvest. "Why didn't you taste better" I asked the tomatoes. "Too much rain" they said back. Yes..too much rain. I didn't know it would water down the flavor, but it makes perfect sense. The paste tomatoes and the cherry tomatoes didn't seem too affected but some of the heirlooms were.

Mexico Midget, Black Cherry and Sun Gold tomatoes with Fortex Beans

Speaking of  cherry tomatoes, we are barely keeping up with eating them fresh, but I have been slicing them in half, tossing with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and roasting in a single layer (shallow dish) for twenty minutes at 400 f oven.  Quite a lovely lovely dish served with crusty bread and a bit of basil. Adding some garlic wouldn't hurt either, now that I think of it. The tomatoes should still have their shape, but soft inside.

Inside the cottage garden, the veg love is resting, mostly, waiting to be harvested and preserved, or eaten.  Highlights, along with Verbena Bonariensis and spilling nasturtium, include Amaranthus grown from a spring planted, variety pack. Months ago it didn't look as if  it would turn into much. Come September though, it has the most beautiful tassels and as far as I know, all Amaranthus are edible. The Goldfinch and even the Junco's hang from the stems eating the miniscule seeds of this plant commonly called Love Lies Bleeding.

There is one rather exciting triumph in the garden. Back on the bean wall, where we trellised tomatoes this year, a few beans, cucumbers and one Trombocino squash for the first time...well I don't know which I love more about this squash...the leaves reaching for the sky, shadows dancing in the sun....

....or the outstanding fruit of the vine which hangs rather frighteningly from the supports. This is edible, but the jury is out on the taste...some say great, others say yuk! I grew it mostly as a novelty, something I rarely do, but it makes me smile. How big will it grow?????

So that's a bit of a roundup in the garden. Still lots to eat for a family of two, sometimes four..... beet greens, beets, chard, summer squash, last of the beans, kale, leeks, last of tomatoes, a few baby eggplant, cabbage, potatoes and fingers crossed, maybe some Brussels sprouts. That's another story.  Arugula, mache and spinach were planted a week or so ago and  have germinated; so, late season salads will soon be on the menu.