Tomatoes, Canning, Cilantro, Beans, Winter Squash and a Minor Injury

Sunflowers Everywhere 

This week has been a busy and uncomfortable one. We had hot weather at the beginning of the week and by the end temps were nearly 25 degrees cooler. Preserving season is starting to pick up and it looks like there will be bumper crops.
Here is the garden this week

Dark Galaxy 

Brandywine and Thorburn's Terra-cotta

Tomatoes are ripening up in an array of exciting shapes and colors. I absolutely love this time of year!

All of those tomatoes are not going to waste. I made the first batch of pasta sauce this week. With three teenage boys, we go through a lot of sauce in a year. I also put up the first of the shelf stable pickles

The cilantro has gone to seed. The bees are loving the blossoms and I am loving the delicate laciness of the plants. I should get a good amount of coriander seeds to add a pop of flavor to dishes over the winter

The soup beans have become a lush leafy forest. I usually like to plant half a dozen varieties to mix together for winter soups, but this year, due to space restrictions, I only planted four (plus a dual purpose variety). Despite that, I think that this crop will surpass any previous one I've grown

Galeux D'eysines 

Mystery squash 

The winter squash are still going strong, despite the chickens getting into the bed and testing the hardness of the young squashes. I lost a few but there are still plenty

I somehow bruised my heel, right behind the arch. Not a major injury but when you are on your feet all day, harvesting produce, planting fall crops and canning sauces, pickles and jellies, it's quite a hindrance. Hopefully it will heal soon. In the meantime I'll continue to hobble through my day

Weekly Harvest: 

2 pounds 6 ounces zucchini 

2 pounds 6 ounces onions

3 pounds 15 ounces beans 

19 pounds 7 ounces plums

1 pound peas 

2 pounds 8 ounces shallots 

19 pounds tomatoes 

7 pounds 7 ounces cucumbers 

Yearly Total: 

150 pounds 7 ounces