Margo Leadbetter
This year’s vegetable gardens have produced pretty well. I would have liked to have had better tomato production, but with this summer’s weather, I’ll take what I can get.
Onions were plentiful although smaller than last year. Potatoes have been great, with 2 types of fingerlings Swedish peanut and Banana. We have enjoyed many delicious grilled dinners. We will begin digging the 6 other varieties of potato soon. Carrots are long and sweet. The lettuces have been wonderful and I am now letting the heirloom varieties go to seed. These plants in flower are beautiful and seed production is great. No one seems to recognize these plants in bloom, they often reach 4 ft. and add a different look to the small vegetable garden.
Then and finally are the green beans – I grow bush beans and this year planted 2 rows about 20 foot long. In past years I have grown “Derby” a good production plant. It’s claim to fame is that the majority of the beans are produced at the top of the plant, hence the name “Derby”.
This year I wanted to try a new variety and picked “Bronco” and I will never go back. I have bagged and frozen 25 quarts and the plants are still blooming strong. I’m close to providing at least 1 meal a week for 6 months …That is if I can get through the SNAPPING OF THE BEANS!!!
We made the mistake years ago of encouraging our pets to eat their vegetables. Or our vegetables,
Yoshi and Miko
I guess. With the beans being picked every three days our 3 dogs have taken to waiting by the window to see if I am bringing the beans. We have two small Japanese Chins, wonderful toy dogs and Margo our English Bull dog. Every bean that is shared has to be shared equally (who’s idea was that?) so the snapping goes something like this….. snap the stem end then snap the bean, 1 for us 3 for them! Of course I’m exaggerating but it does slow down the process. The tree all have teir favorites and many are seasonal. If you were to ask them which spring vegetable is their favorite, they all would pick asparagus. After picking asparagus in the spring we have taken to disguising the harvest in a covered container, that way we only have to share when we prepare the asparagus for dinner and we NEVER share the tender tips, just the end cuttings.
All in all they are wonderful dogs we love them dearly and we are careful not to overdo any food type. Remember onions, garlic, grapes and chocolate can be poisonous to our pets.
I’m off to pick more beans, John is going to bring in what tomatoes are ripe and I think we’re both in trouble, I haven’t even begun to tell you what they think about tomatoes!!!
