It’s time once again for Harvest Monday, where we celebrate all things harvest related. We’re getting plenty to eat from the garden these days, including many of the same veggies and fruits from last week. The squashes are abundant, and the broccolini plants are still putting out a few side shoots. It has been a great year so far for kohlrabi, and I’ve hauled in a whopping 31 pounds of it so far. The big Kossak variety is still making bulbs over a pound each, which adds up quickly. I made a batch of kohlrabi kimchi this week with some of it.
early July harvest
I did harvest a few new things though last week. I got the first of the Syrian heirloom marrow squash called Homs Kousa. These have a light greenish white skin and are used pretty much like zucchini. They are growing on rambling plants which I have trained to go up the garden fencing as best I can.
Homs Kousa
Another first was the Korean zucchini called Meot Jaeng I Ae Hybrid. These are a winter squash that is used at immature stage, and it has a dense flesh with few seeds. I sauteed the first one in a bit of olive oil, and it was delicious. It should work well in stir fries too. The name is a mouthful so I generally refer to them as “Korean zucchini” because that is easier!
Meot Jaeng I Ae squash
Other squash harvests included the yellow Tempest, Dunja and Green Machine zucchini and Centercut moschata squash. We are getting our fill of squash to say the least, and I am filling the freezer with it too.
assorted squashes
We’re still getting a steady supply of cucumbers from the greenhouse. Nokya is a long Asian style cucumber, much like the Tasty Jade I have grown in the past. It’s my second year growing it. It’s my first time growing the Poniente variety though, which makes long European style cucumbers.
Nokya and Poniente cucumbers
Poniente cucumber
The container eggplant are giving us lots of fruit now. Fairy Tale and Patio Baby do well in containers, and I’ve been cutting them in half and roasting in a cast iron skillet. Fairy Tale has got to be one of my favorite eggplants ever, with soft and tender flesh.
Fairy Tale and Patio Baby eggplant
The blackberries are starting to ripen now. The first ones were Osage, a recent introduction from the University of Arkansas breeding program. They are medium to large sized, and sweet with 11% soluble solids, a bit more than the Natchez I am also growing here.
Osage blackberries
It’s shaping up to be a good year for blueberries. My wife does all the harvesting on these, and she’s picked 13 pounds of them so far. The bushes are still loaded with them, and we are freezing what we don’t eat fresh.
blueberries
Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to share, add your name and blog link to Mr Linky below. And be sure and check out what everyone is harvesting!
Our blackberries will be a while off yet. You have a good variety of squashes,
I marvel at your blueberries and your blackberries; and the fairtytale aubergines – how wonderful!
My goodness, those are impressive totals for kohlrabis and blueberries! I love to read about all the different squashes you grow, and your opinions of them. I think I’m convinced now to plant the miniature eggplants in containers for next year.
The container eggplant should give you a jump on the season too Will!
What a beautiful harvest! I’m in awe of your bounty!
We shall not have blueberries for ages: yours look so perfect! And what a lot of aubergines too> How many plants do you have, Dave?
I have 5 plants in pots that are bearing at the moment.
The container eggplants are a great idea. I am limited in space and even three plants is more than we usually consume. Noted for next summer. Blueberries and blackberries look luscious.