It’s hard to catch your breath this time of year. Just the harvest and what to do with it, occupies a lot of time. We are fortunate to have a lot of tomatoes, okra, green beans and snaps, squash, eggplant, cucumbers, and green peppers. The red kale is making a come back from the aphids and heat. The Swiss chard is making a come back from the deer. I finally planted the sweet potatoes that were making the most gorgeous plants, while sitting in a bag in my pantry since Christmas. For the harvest time we’re in, don’t forget the different ways to preserve your vegetables:
With my excess tomatoes, I’m making roasted tomatoes and either using them or freezing them to use later, because we have more than we can use in the fresh state. Bell pepper can be frozen fresh, if you want to use them for cooking later. Just cut them in half, seed them, and wrap for freezing.
I know we’re just starting our harvesting this year, but I’m already gearing up for fall gardening and next year! I ordered a catalog from Seed Savers Exchange, so I can order all heirloom and organic seeds. The selection is unbelievable. For tomatoes alone, you can choose between 73 varieties. We were in Austin this past weekend mainly doing the nursery circuit, and I managed to pick up several packets of heirloom seeds, some were from Seed Savers. We made it to Great Outdoors, Natural Gardener, and Shoal Creek Nursery. It’s not too early to start planning for the next harvest, because selection will be much greater. You can always store your seeds in the freezer, and mark your calendar for when to plant.