July is almost over, and it’s time for another harvest update from Happy Acres. Our harvests are in full swing now, and it’s keeping me busy bringing them in and preserving them. It has been a good year for cabbage here, and I have brought in over 20 pounds in total. I’ve made a lot of sauerkraut, and I pulled the last cabbage plant in Mid-July which we used for fresh eating. It’s also been a great year for the container eggplant, and we have enjoyed it for many a meal. The in-ground plantings will begin bearing soon, so we should have plenty to eat for some time to come.
early July harvest
It’s also looking to be a good year for the cucurbits – the summer squashes and the cucumbers in particular. I have the cucumbers growing in the greenhouse where they usually keep producing until early August. We’ve enjoyed eating most of the squashes, plus I’ve frozen some and given a few away to friends. One new favorite is a hybrid white pattypan called Moonbeam. It is tasty when cooked and it has been productive for me as well. It has certainly earned a spot in our future plantings.
July harvest
Moonbeam squash
Another new plant I’m growing this year is an AAS Winner called Murasaki Fioretto 70. It’s a sprouting cauliflower with a bright purple color and is quite tasty. The flavor is a bit hard to describe – not exactly a cauliflower and not exactly a broccoli either, but delicious all the same. My wife and I both enjoyed eating it and I’ll be growing this one again for sure.
Cauliflower Murasaki Fioretto 70
top of Murasaki Fioretto 70
The harvests in late July have become quite varied, with squashes, cucumbers, tomatoes and a few hot peppers making an appearance. It’s nice to have a variety of homegrown goodies to choose from when planning our meals. I baked one of the Goldilocks orange acorn squashes last week, and it was tasty as usual.
late July harvest
The summer lettuce is still keeping us supplied for salads. It’s not as pristine looking as that grown in cool weather but we are enjoying it. And on the positive side, it’s not giving us cryptosporiasis either! That’s one big bonus of growing your own food as far as I’m concerned. You know where it’s been and who has been handling it.
summer lettuce
I always look forward to tomato season, and ours are beginning to come on strong now. I’m getting a nice selection of small ones as well as the big slicers. I love tomatoes and nothing beats a ripe homegrown one in my opinion. Pink Delicious was one of the first slicing types to ripen this year, and it’s an AAS Winner I’ve grown since it was released a few years back.
late July tomato harvest
Pink Delicious tomato
There’s always new tomato varieties to try, and this year I’m trialing several. Mimosa is an orange grape tomato that has been early to fruit and prolific so far. It’s a colorful addition to our mix for sure.
Mimosa tomatoes
Honey Bee is one I grew last year along with the slightly larger Queen Bee. They were bred by Johnny’s Selected Seeds in collaboration with the late Fred Hempel (Artisan Seeds) . Both are pink and yellow striped and late-blight resistant, and quite tasty. We loved them last year and I have no doubt we will enjoy them as much this year too!
Honey Bee tomatoes
The lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes are joining up for our July salads. I can afford to use the veggies liberally when they are plentiful as they are now!
salad with homegrown goodies
In non-harvest news, we have quite a few of the hardy hibiscus blooming now. The blooms only last for a day, but new ones come on to put on a show that lasts for many weeks.
Luna White hibiscus
Midnight Marvel hibiscus
Peppermint Flare hibiscus
And last but definitely not least, my wife planted Becky Shasta Daisies around our mailbox back in late May. They are blooming now, and quite lovely to see when we go to get the mail or pull in or out of our driveway. They will only continue to get more beautiful as time goes on.
Becky daisies
closeup of Becky daisy
I hope you have enjoyed this update, and I’ll be back soon with more happenings from Happy Acres!