Greens from the Garden

As the summer goes, so does our garden continue to grow and grow. We have had some major problems with rabbits this year causing the beets, peas, spinach, chard, and head lettuce harvest to be almost non-existent. However, we have a new system for staking our tomatoes and this has been the best year for green beans so far. I guess it is a give and take, and every year we learn something new as we overcome some other challenge. With all this learning, one day we might be really great gardeners :-)

Dill beginning to blossom - dilly beans should be coming soon!

Basil is thriving, we have already frozen several batches of pesto in addition to lots of pesto pizza being served at our house lately!

Blossoms and baby beans.

Flowers and fruit... I can almost taste the tomatoes!

Greens, greens, and more greens!

We bagged about ten gallons of leaf lettuce, and four of arugula. We gave lots away to tenants at the apartments, used some for a dinner party this past weekend, and we have been eating salads constantly around here!
Miles helped from the stroller - talking to me all along while I washed and spun lettuce in the garden.
One of my personal favorites is this "Freckles" lettuce. It adds color and a soft little leaf to any salad. Unfortunately the rabbits seems to love it too - it has been a fight to let them get large enough to harvest.
Rabbits do not like arugula however. Lucky for me because I love it! We have had a constant supply since early spring and I cannot get enough. Some of the plants have bolted and sent up their sweet little spires capped with delicate flowers... I am happy to let them go to assure next seasons harvest!

Miles sat with me towards the end of the harvesting and I can hardly believe how big he is now. He is so inquisitive and he loves to be a part of any and all activity taking place around him. As Yia Yia Liz says, "He doesn't miss a thing."

I imagine next summer he will have a little trowel and help me plant the seeds. For now he seems content to oversee the work that needs to be done.