Today's harvest

It is so nice to be harvesting daily from my garden.  This is just the veggies that I picked today - I also picked raspberries and plums and I'm about to go and pick enough apples for a crisp. 

Today's harvest included a few sugar snap peas - they are really done and I need to pull the plants up but since there were a few on there I picked them, pole beans - both yellow and green, tomatoes - both roma and grape, cucumbers and bell peppers.

What are you harvesting?

First Fresh Salsa of the Season!

The tomatoes had a slow start this year due to the cold spring but they are doing well now!  The first batch of fresh salsa is always the best every year.

This batch won't make it until sundown - the first batch never does.  I also have lots of bell peppers and onions in the garden so I think I'll make fajitas for dinner.

Fresh salsa with fajitas - YUM!

Mini Bell Peppers

This is the first year that I planted mini bell peppers.  They are so much fun!  The plants are all loaded. 

We have been enjoying them fresh sliced up in salads - I just cut the top off and then slice them so they are in circles. 

My son requested shish ka bobs for dinner the other night and I just popped the mini bell peppers on the ends of each one whole - they were so good - and so much less work than cutting up in chunks. 

A sinkful of freshly washed plums!

Oh the possibilities!

The plums are later this year - probably because of the late spring - but they are ripe now and the tree is loaded. 

So far all I have done with them besides eating them fresh is make a plum cobbler and I added some to my morning oatmeal. 

I'm not really sure what I will all do with this years haul but I'm sure some will end up as jam, I'll freeze some as both slices and as puree in ice cube trays (to use in smoothies), I'll dry some, and I'll probably make some sorbet. 

Any other ideas?  What is your favorite way to use fresh plums?

Dried Raspberries

I've never dried raspberries before - always had plenty of other ways to use them up.  This year, however, I'm thinking about making some homemade granola and granola bars and I thought they might be really tasty with dried berries. 

Raspberries are super easy to dry - just place them in the dehydrator and turn it on.  Easy Peasy. 

I think I'll dry some strawberries and blueberries also - although I don't grow either of them so I'll have to buy some. 

If I ever make the granola, I'll post the recipe.  I'm also thinking about making some instant oatmeal to take with when we go camping.  I usually just cook oatmeal at home but I'm thinking some instant might be a good fit for camping. 

Fennel

My fennel is doing well and just about big enough to harvest. 

This is the first time I have grown fennel.  As  a matter of fact until a couple of years ago I didn't even know I liked fennel. 

My first experience with fennel was when my neighbors were growing it and gave me some.  I had no idea what to do with it.  It smelled like licorice and I really detest licorice and I couldn't get past the smell so into the compost pile it went.  Then after I joined my current CSA I started getting fennel in my box - not knowing what to do with it - it either ended up in the compost or the swap box. 

As money has gotten tighter I became determined to not waste any CSA veggie and I started experimenting with fennel and fell in love.  It got to the point that every week last year that there wasn't fennel in my box I was disappointed - so this year I decided to grow some - between the CSA and my garden I hope my desire for fennel is satiated. 

I make a mean chicken garbanzo soup with fennel.  I also like it just sauteed up with other fresh veggies (or by itself) with a little onion and garlic.  Yum. 

Fennel is a really healthy vegetable.  It is high in vitamin C and fiber as well as some wonderful antioxidants. 

Fennel is easy to grow. 

Are there any other fennel lovers out there?  Do you have any good recipes to share? 

June 2nd and the garden is finally planted!

I think this is the latest I have ever planted my garden.  I did plant a couple of things 2 weeks ago but the bulk of the planting was done yesterday and today.  As it is, my tomatoes and peppers aren't liking the cool weather and really wish they were back inside.  I hope it warms up soon and they make it.  

 My main garden.  I have Egyptian walking onions, pole beans, fennel, snow peas, beauty heart radishes, carrots, lettuce, beets and mini bell peppers. 

 I have potatoes in my earth boxes on my patio.

 Yummy brussells sprouts! 

 Herbs - basil, parsley, sage, rosemary, marjoram, oregano

 Bell peppers in the lower part of my new raised bed garden - 6 are mixed colors regular bells and 3 are mini bells - we love peppers, can you tell?

 Tomatoes (roma) in the upper part of my new raised bed garden.  They are not happy to be outside in the cold - I hope they perk up and make it.

And back behind the fence is Andy's garden and as usual he has planted cucumbers and watermelon.  We added an A frame this year for the plants to grow up instead of having them all on the ground. 

How about you?  When did you plant your garden this year?  If you are in Minnesota, haven't you just loved this weather?