Harvest

Munchkin and I had a recent foray into the Big Garden. He sits in his mini highchair in the shade while I garden. It does seem like I spend more time fishing his toys back onto the tray, or something or other out of his mouth than actually gardening though. I remind myself that hopefully I will gradually get more actual 'gardening' time and that this time outside, together, is not only building our relationship nice and strong, but also helping to foster an awareness and responsiveness to the outdoor world in my small son.

He wanted to eat grass. I convinced him to stick with a cherry tomato instead.

Here's my 'harvest basket' ready to head home. I've just recently started using this basket for gardening, after wanting to for ages (it kept finding other 'more important' uses until now I have finally claimed it for the garden!). I find the wide, flat nature great at holding an assortment of produce without things getting squished at all. Plus the other essentials such as water bottle and sunscreen! The mobile phone is my time-keeper at present after another watch broke...important not to get carried away and keep saying 'soon' to the Munchkin when he is grizzling, as it could spell disaster if he is left too long past either food or bedtimes!

The garlic has fallen all over the place, so I'm guessing it must be about time to harvest it. I did, last week, at any rate. Some really big cloves, some really small...we did end up doing two plantings as some of the first didn't come up. And it has been sadly neglected pretty much since the day it was planted! All in all a reasonable harvest.

The climbing beans (Blue Lake) started producing last week. Just in time too, as the dwarf butter beans have about done their dash and I only managed to get one row in this year.

The grapes look oh, so deliciously tempting. Better get some cabbage and make up a cabbage leaf brew to keep off those nasty green shield bugs once the grapes are close to ripening. And the bird netting needs to come out too. I don't mind sharing fruit and veges with the local wildlife, honestly, but I must at least get to eat SOME of what we grow!

I took home a babaco. These are relatives of papaya (paw paw) only taste quite different I think. My grandfather grew them on the Thames coast. They are subtropical and don't like frost, but manage okay with our light frosts here in Tauranga. Now both my uncle and my dad grow them. I hope to continue the tradition too. This one got chopped up and stewed with a little bit of sugar. I ate some with icecream and yoghurt, and some just on it's own. Munchkin sampled a bit and seemed to approve.

What have you been harvesting lately?

Amy

Friday, 28th January, 2011