Coons have been getting into the corn.  Trampling down whole rows of stalks, peeling open the ears, and taking only the juiciest ones.  Oh my, if it weren’t for the boys intense reaction to all the devastation left behind, and my full knowledge of the truth behind how completely adorable those little fluffy creatures are, well then I would be angry.  But, its ok because its corn and everyone is growing some.  I am quite sure if we must, we can purchase some from a roadside stand and all will be well.  I started harvesting some broom corn, and googling with gusto how to create a broom.  I am not sure what got me started down this path, but now that I am here, I am determined to make a sweeping mechanism with all these bristly stalks.  Or maybe several as it turns out.

The winter squash are getting ginormous.  I absolutely need to work on my labeling as it turns out, it is a guessing game out there, searching beneath the blanket of hand shaped leaves.  I don’t know what is what and its sort of exciting to try to guess.  Sort of.  I believe I have spaghetti squash for years, kuri squash about ready to be harvested, a few watermelons, loooots of butternuts, and the humungous pink banana.  The flesh on this one is a soft silky yellow inside.  I have sliced it and baked it and am ready to puree her up to go into a few batches of muffins.  Oh I had forgotten about this variety of muffin altogether and am glad it swirled itself to the front of my memory for the occasion.  This link does NOT include the recipe.  If it interests you, let me know, I can type it up.  But it does give a mouth-watering image of such the baked good.

Tomatoes are ripening, I managed to stake them (better late then never??) last week and am plunking dozens a day.  I am planning on pureeing lots of them and saucing the rest.  Its been far too hot to enjoy standing in the kitchen canning, so I feel confident that I will be freezing them.  Besides I just got a killer deal on craigslist for a new to me giant freezer.  We are a two freezer family now!  Yippee!!

Zucchini are still coming out, right alongside his yellow sister the summer squash.  At this point we are leaving some on the vine to be matched against the finest farmers around for the LARGEST ZUCCHINI at the worlds fair next month.  Quite exciting, I know, contain yourself.

Up in the fenced in garden, its sort of a madhouse.  I cleared out two beds yesterday of gone by broccoli, chard, beets, fava beans, and cabbage and replaced it with spinach, daikon radish and a teeny valentines mix.  I am not sure where I am going wrong, but I am truly a terrible radish grower.  I am hoping this batch proves that statement wrong.  I have spread wood ash around to hopefully keep the root maggots at bay.  Nasty little suckers they are.  And I am planning on re-instating a daily watering up top here.  I let that go off the wayside this year, but its just not wet enough to allow for much production.  The lower pasture on the other hand stays a sponge all summer long.  I have gourds and Brussel sprouts budding up, and kale for days.  And days.  And days.  There is the ever producing pole beans and bush beans keeping our bellies full, not so much the freezer (where does the time go!  I swear each day its on my list!).

August gardens are so rewarding.  Even with minimal effort being allowed for her she gives and gives and gives.  If you are wondering, the maximum effort is being placed upon those three boys of mine.  Geez… they are so time-consuming 😉

One place I always wish for more time for though is individual time with those lads.  Yesterday, I got my wish!  I spent the days entirety with this sweet little almost six-year-old.  I can not explain what a perfect day it was.  He is cordial and understanding, loving and thoughtful, and absolutely steals my heart.

Happy Monday!!!!