August pics of the farms

(Joyce with 2 eggplants)

(Growing cucumbers)

(Growing blue corn patch)

(Black-eyed Susans)

(Bolted broccoli)

Whats happening at the Farms

(Spaghetti Squash)

(Many headed sunflower)

(Another many headed sunflower)

(Growing green pepper)

(Yellow Squash)

Since the last blog much has happened at the farms. We have harvested red lettuce, mesclun lettuce, collards, cucumbers, zucchini, white squash, arugula, basil, chamomile, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, peppers, tatsoi, kale, beets, mint, parsley, yellow squash, spaghetti squash, eggplant, mustard greens, garlic, swiss chard, rhubarb chard, hot peppers and radishes. We have planted hummingbird mix, agrostmma, quinoa, chicory and sweet pepper. We pulled up bolted collards, arugula and kale and began drying and saving the seeds. Tara has been drying seeds from tomatoes and peppers for later use. We have had to stake and re-stake tomatoes as they grow and get larger and heavier. Some of the leaves on our squash plants became dry or diseased so we had to cut them off. Our 6 foot sunflowers began to lean as they grew larger so we had to tie them against the fence. I went to the Garden at St. Vincent's Hospital to pick up a large amount of lavender from Chris since we decided to either use them to make soap or to sell them at the Farmer's Market. In preparation for the Farmer's Market we have been weighing our produce to keep track of how much we yield at each harvest. For example, on 7/30 we harvested:
3 lbs. 9 oz. of collards
8 oz. of rhubarb chard
4 lbs. 6 oz. of tomatoes
4 lbs. 1 oz. of cherry tomatoes
6 lbs. 12 oz. of cucumbers
3 lbs. 4 oz. of eggplant
1 lb. 4 oz. of spaghetti squash
5 lbs. 11 oz. of kale
15 oz. of white squash
2 oz. of hot peppers
1 lb. of yellow squash
One day, we harvested more than 20 lbs. of cucumbers from one location and on another day over 20 lbs. of tomatoes from another location. The numbers are amazing if you take into consideration that we are in two backyards of the largest metropolitan city in the world and not in a rural, country environment. Finally, in terms of culinary activities, Natalie made a grated beet salad and sauteed zucchini with spices while Roberto made a salad with tomatoes, basil, mozarella cheese and balsamic vinegar. They were very good.

More pics of both gardens

(Growing parsley)

(2 sunflowers)

(Growing squash plant)

(Growing fig tree)

(Growing tomatoes)

Here are more pics of both gardens.

More pics of both gardens

(Blue corn between Roberto & Natalie)

(Close-up of mostly growing greens at the side of the building)

(Growing greens at the side of the building)

(Blue corn)

(Head of broccoli)

Here are more pics of both gardens.

More pics of both gardens

(Blooming rose bush)

(Growing green pepper)

(Growing Morris Ave. garden)

(Close-up of ladybugs)

(Pack of ladybugs)

Here are more pics of both gardens.

Pics of both gardens

(Bamboo sticks used for staking tomatoes)

(First two compartments of compost bin)

(Growing squash plant)

(4 growing beds)

(Opening sunflower head)

Here are more pics of both gardens.

The Garden Grows

(Growing bed)

(View from the top tier)

(Third tier of tomatoes)

(Strawberries)

(Thyme, lavender, and ?feverfew?)

We have begun harvesting plants. So far we have harvested collards, lettuce, broccoli, mustard greens, kale, rhubarb chard, swiss chard, arugula and sage. This year we are weighing our produce to keep records of the lbs. of food that we grow. Natalie bought ladybugs to release into the garden since they eat the harmful insects like aphids. Here are some pictures of both gardens.