Harvest Tuesday

Here's what we harvested for Manresa today:

Pac choi, cauliflower (two kinds), radishes, beets (three kinds), turnips, pea shoots, carrots (five kinds), kale (three kinds), New Zealand spinach, Bordeaux spinach, rapini, savoy cabbage, tatsoi, lettuces (three kinds), Violas, Calendula, fennel, mizuna, Chrysanthemum greens, red mustard, parsley, sorrel, cress, red cabbage sprouts, mache, minutina, arugula, chard, hon tsai tai and cardoons.  Oh, and we threw a few chicken eggs in the picture just for fun.

Comments

[Annette]

I love that photo! I have some cauliflower also that is yellow and very "loose". Is that normal for that variety?

[Nate]

such a beautiful bounty.

[Rose Kahn]

My garden is sleeping right now, but it hasn't stopped m from taking advantage of what's good in the market right now. Butternut Squash! Steam it, put half in the bottom of a baking dish, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and put half a container of pesto on it, then layer the rest of the squash on it, with more cheese and then rest of the pesto... bake... YUM!

[Charles Bellavia]

This is the time of year I give my garden a rest. When ever the soil is dry, I turn the soil and pick out the roots. Since these are raised beds, I will take some of the dirt to use in other areas of my yard. Compost will be mixed in to replace the dirt I take away.

[Jerry]

Wow, all those cool season veggies do look good! One year I'll have to try some of those, maybe when we have a warm cool season (coming soon I hear). But right now I'm content with cleaning up my tomotoes and picking my persimmons. I think I planted some onions before it got too cold.

[Cindy]

Do wish those wonderful vegetables were in my garden. It is under a blanket of snow but on top of that snow is broken egg shells and cut up banana skins waiting to rest on the soil to enrich it as the snow melts.

[Cathy B]

While I always have wanted to garden during the fall and winter months, I get so busy and I don't get a chance to plant. This week I roasted vegetables (brussel sproats, carrots and onions). We also had asparagus and green beans. I love to cook during this time of year :)

[Scott]

Nice cauliflower!

My garden beds are waiting under a blanket of snow. Soon I will make a trip to the beach to get a load of seaweed to spread on top. My compost bin will be emptied on top of that. Shredded leaves will go on top of that. Then they will wait for the spring when I plant them.

[Lauren Mcnitt]

This winter I have been reading Elliot Coleman's, "The Four Season Harvest", and imaging how to extend the harvest season here is Colorado. I was excited to see in your photos some of the techniques he describes, and your description of how you manage them: the floating row covers, the covers over hoops in the outdoor beds, the covers over beds within a hoop house. But even more exciting was the picture of all that bounty in winter. I am planning my seed lists now with winter harvest in mind, and am filled with optimism after seeing your photos.

[J. Carey]

I just got 4 bunches of broccolli, planted in July, a head of cabbage, and 2 bunches of Kale from my garden yesterday. I still have chard and tree collards, some ruffled-type cabbage, and green onion from sets. The last of my tomatoes are ripening on newspaper out in my garage. I wish I had planted lettuces, brussel sprouts,and peas.

[John M]

Grew 5 tomato plants this year. Went by the book, great success. I couldn't believe how strong the roots when I pulled them out! Seems like the best idea is spraying with the aspirin. Got some worm casing and manure from the Ben Lomand natural store, great people, I'm prepping the soil preparing for next year. Can't wait. Your help is the best.

[dave eder]

great looking veggy's, i am so jealous. i am just starting to garden and have planted a few things this winter. i planted kale, carrots, romaine, spinach, beets and garlic. i planted 2 month's ago and things are growing but very slowly. i will continue planting throughout the winter as i live in san diego area. i hope one day to have a harvest like you.

[Steve R]

Still getting alot of chard, arugula and kale......and my 2008 vintage of compost is looking really good............

[Heidi M.]

I'm really enjoying your newsletter -- the articles and photos are wonderful. My garden is not doing much right now but I still have one very active basil plant. We grew three types of heirloom tomatoes this summer and each one was delicious and so beautiful -- with a great harvest. I made lots of fresh tomato sauce and froze a few jars to enjoy during the winter. Lately, have been enjoying organic carrots steamed with cardamon and sweetened with a bit of honey that is local to my neighborhood! Fantastic!

[Kathy St. John]

My mother and a friend are visiting from New England and they can't believe we're still bringing in beautiful and delicious veggies from our garden. The first morning of their visit we had breakfast burritos with salsa made fresh from our tomatoes and cilantro. That night we had roasted veggies with eggplant and pac choi and other greens from the garden. Last night we had cheese fondue with broccoli, cauliflower and cherry tomatoes from the garden. It's such a treat to share our harvest, especially in December! Thanks for the great seedlings and gardening tips, Cynthia.

Kathy

[Cheri Matthews]

I still have a couple heirloom tomatoes sitting on the vines over here in Tracy, CA. But mostly, I need to pull out everything. Now I'm inspired to plant a winter garden. Thank you!

[Diana Chapman]

I am in the midst of building raised beds for a vegetable garden I plan to start this spring. I am very excited to learn more from you on how to grow the most vibrant food possible!

[D J]

Not much going on in my garden beside weeds and rain. Did I say weeds!?!? Gotta pull them now so they'll be gone come spring time. Also ammend the soil a bit so my luscious tomatoes will conitnue to be such next summer!

[Steve Fosth]

The last month has been the battle against the slugs for us. Despite a mad rush to the pan of beer enough were left sober (and alive) to destroy our salad greens.

In another bed full of braising greens bed only worms went for a beer--a very sad discovery--yet only the mustard is doing well. It looks like this year will be the winter of root vegetables: carrots and beets are thriving. My son's peas also look lush.

The biggest surprise was finding a new stalk of asparagus only two weeks after cleaning up the summer's growth. My favorite breakfast treat: fresh picked asparagus, onions and eggs still warm from the girls! Yummmmmmm. Add some jam from the summer and I'm a happy "farmer". :)

[Jarrod]

My garden is getting organic material tilled into it and the electric fence recieved a maintence check-up. In about a week, i will start tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers inside to be ready after the frost for transplant.

[Kasey]

My tomatoes just came out of the ground. We were picking on Thanksgiving day! They're all canned and we've been sneaking sauces out of them already. Thanks to Chez Pim, I also sundried some and packed them in olive oil. They're the most wonderful morsels of goodness. The winter garden will be tended next week as I finally have some time to spend with the garden. Your photos are inspiring. Thanks!

[Helen]

Besides growing the vegetables on garden plots I also have them growing in large container boxes and halved wine barrels. I use companion planting method (as much as I know) and are grown organically.

On garden plots I have growing are Sugar Snap Bush Peas, Giant Noble Spinach, Large Ribbed/Ruby Red/Lucullus Swiss Chards, Red Russian/Halbhoher Gruner Krauser Kales, Provider Bush Beans, De Cicco Broccoli, Perfection Savoy Cabbage, Red Giant Mustard and Mibuna.
Eastham/Rapadi Di Milano Turnips and Lauretian Rutabaga are growing with Hairy Vetch.

In large container boxes I have growing are Hollow Crown Parsnip with Hailstone/Early Globe Radishes. Box 2 - Scorzonera Hoffman's Schwarze. Box 3 - Blue Star Kaiilan/Choy Sum/Tatsoi Asian Greens and Tennis Ball Lettuce.

In halved wine barrels I have growing are Oregon Blue Garlic with Nam Pan Daikon. Barrel 2 - Killarney Garlic with Gold Beet and Yu Choy. Barrel 3 - Elephant Garlic with Crosby's Egyptian Beet. Barrel 4 Chesnok Garlic with Jaune Du Doubs Carrot.

[Damara]

Thank you for your lovely newsletter and for the community it fosters. I live and garden in Santa Cruz, CA.
This winter in my garden I am so grateful for the hardy greens - Kale. Broccoli Raab, Chard, Mustards...and for the root veggies - the carrots and beets. Together with some potatoes and broth they make wonderful comforting soups.
I am also enjoying reading about gardens and food when it is to cold or dark to be out. I have enjoyed Micheal Pollen's The Omnivores Dilemma and Barbara Kingsolover's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
"Gardening is an instrument of grace" ~ May Sarton

[Robert Moats]

Made the mistake when saving Hippy Zebra seeds of letting them sit too long in the slime water where some of them started to sprout. Felt I had to get those sprouters in the ground and now they are struggling to survive in the winter weather - poor things. The seeds I started from the Grow Winter Veggies class {a month ago or so] all started out great and then some creature ate all the tops off the plants, so all I have left from that class is my hand written notes. Sure could use the three packages of seeds mentioned elsewhere. RCM

[Jan Kampa]

Your newsletter is a wonderful resource to consult when "breaking ground." Yesterday, I took the opportunity to clean my tomato plot during a break in our wonderful belated rains. It'll lie fallow, awaiting an early spring amendment process per your "Bed Preparation" (November 4) article. I have all the recommended ingredients (available from Lumbermens in Santa Cruz) and can't wait to mix 'em in. I'm confident I'll best last season's production with a healthy prep this time around. Ciao!