So how does your garden grow?

Norm · July 30, 2011, 09:33:23 AM

We've been really hot and humid here in central Iowa for the month of July. Miserable weather but it sure makes for some good looking crops and a bountiful garden.

I shot a short video of Patty out picking supper for us while I did the grilling meats part.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBQg5kAUwEk

How's everybody's garden doing in their area?

Norm · July 30, 2011, 10:26:27 AM

Just back in from the orchard with fresh peaches. They got hit hard with the hot and humid weather but will work great for pies and jams.

Patty whipping up a fresh peach pie.

Roxie · July 30, 2011, 05:13:19 PM

Y'all are so lucky that I don't live in Iowa. I'd sit there with a cup of coffee and wait on that pie to come out of the oven, although my favorite way to enjoy peaches is sliced up over ice cream. Cinnamon ice cream.

My gardens over the years have gotten smaller and smaller until this year when I didn't plant anything at all. We do have a volunteer tomato plant and three stalks of sweet corn though. This year, the Old Order folks started a local produce auction that runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. For the first time in my life, I can buy produce for less than it would cost me to grow it, and the quality is excellent. I've been canning and freezing just as much as I ever did, and maybe even a bit more. Of course, I still have my grapevines and they are having a banner year!

Mooseherder · July 30, 2011, 06:09:00 PM

That garden looks great.

Our garden isn't looking good this year. It's the worst looking part of the yard.
You guys have a big yard. :D

SwampDonkey · July 30, 2011, 08:44:00 PM

I used to grow a big garden here, but it was too much for one fella. So it's the raised beds for me. I've already gone through the spinach and have been eating beat greens, hot peppers, lettuce, onion, carrots. Tomatoes won't be ready until mid August, same with the cukes. Picking the peas tomorrow to shell and maybe some string beans are ready (I saw some little ones on the vines but still new blossoms coming on). I've picked 20 boxes of raspberries to make juice from 11 of them, froze 3 large bags (2 boxes each) and ate the rest and still eating and tons more to pick if they don't go too ripe before long. I'm kind of curious if the grapes will amount to anything. I can only see one butternut this year, way up near the top of the tree. Got tons of apples that are ready in August.

thecfarm · July 31, 2011, 06:04:22 AM

We are selling produce at out stand. Find us on face book,The C Farm.The garden is doing great. People sure do like beat greens,which are long gone.Need to plant ALOT more next year.Going to try beet greens in the fall. I did not try to get anything early so everything is right on time,except for the cukes. I had a real hard time with bugs this year. Really set them behind. Just really starting to get some now. Tomatoes are starting to ripen too. Swiss chard is going great. I'm planting string beans at different times. Trying to have some all summer. Have 2 rows just about to stop bearing and the 2 more just starting to bear.Peas are are their way out.Very happy with the way the garden is making money for us.The wife is making whoopie pies,cookies,mini bread and biscuits. She also has her aprons and pot holders,bibs and place mats for sell.Some days I don't get much done around here,due to the customers and picking,but some days I do. We do not not have the best location.We are on a dead end dirt road,but enough too keep the people that come happy. That's all that matters to us.
swampdockey,hang in there,I picked up a nut from my butternut yesterday.

SwampDonkey · July 31, 2011, 07:01:47 AM

Quote from: thecfarm on July 31, 2011, 06:04:22 AM

swampdockey,hang in there,I picked up a nut from my butternut yesterday.

I think the trouble is the shoot moth worms in the spring hitting the tips. The pollen grows off the sides of the shoots on little round buds and the nut flowers come off the tips and those buggers mine out the tip buds. >:( >:(

Norm · July 31, 2011, 07:14:02 AM

I know you're busy Ray but if you do get a chance throw a picture of the garden up, I'd love to see it.

SwampDonkey · July 31, 2011, 09:36:24 AM

Here's what the grapes are doing this year.

Might actually get a sizable grape after 25 years. :D :D :D

Looks like they are going to be a red grape.

scgargoyle · August 01, 2011, 07:49:28 AM

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?"

"It burnt to a crisp on May the 5th, til October it won't grow no mo'."

SwampDonkey · August 01, 2011, 03:26:07 PM

Don't have to worry about Africa burning up from drought, sounds like you guys have lots of drought across the US. :-\

Piston · August 01, 2011, 04:08:24 PM

Ours is growing a lot better than we ever thought. It's our first year ever doing a garden (well, 6 yrs ago we did try planting a few things but not too much grew)
We did 3 raised beds. We started almost all our plants from seeds indoors. I was really excited that everything seemed to be doing well before planting, we spent a day planting in the first week of May, and made the mistake of not putting a fence around the garden. Well two weeks later my dog went into her new 'sandbox' and kindly cultivated every square inch of the 3 raised beds.

My wife replanted with already established plants she bought, we fenced it in, and watered daily. We are amazed at how well the garden is doing. Our main problem was we didn't thin it enough, so plants are way too overcrowded. Next year we'll do a better job thinning.

SwampDonkey · August 01, 2011, 04:24:23 PM

I shelled a bowl of peas to have all week fresh and I did have some fresh string beans yesterday as well. More will be ready by tomorrow, but I have so much other stuff (corn and broccoli I bought) that a man can't begin to eat all them veggies every meal. :D

thecfarm · August 02, 2011, 07:33:41 PM

I did not forget you Norm.

This is the beans and zucchini

thecfarm · August 02, 2011, 07:40:50 PM

This is the tomatoes on the left and the peppers on the right. I put the peppers on the new part of the garden. Been working on it for 3-4 years off and on. Was not ready for the peppers. A big differant in the amount of peppers and the size of the plants too. They are going back to the old part next year.

This one is showing cukes,string beans,and the edge of the tomatoes and squash and pumpkins in the back.Just a corner of the rhubarb is showing on the upper left.Solar lights are for the deer to dine by.Notice the electric fence to keep the deer out.Can you see the the middle of the bean row looks kinda short? The deer chomped them right down.I put the fence up and no more dining by solar light.

ely · August 02, 2011, 07:58:31 PM

tomatos and peppers are doing great but the okra leaves alot to be desired. had to abandone the field garden now. too much work in watering over there.

Mooseherder · August 02, 2011, 08:12:44 PM

Nice huge garden and view thecfarm.

WDH · August 02, 2011, 09:57:52 PM

Beautiful garden! Where are you growing the grits ???

chevytaHOE5674 · August 02, 2011, 10:08:30 PM

Been eating peas and lettuce for a while now, last two weeks we have been getting Cukes, Zucchini, squash, green beans, onions, beats, rutabagas, celery, and probably other stuff I'm forgetting. Been selling to all the neighbors and at the local farmers market.

Should have tomatoes, and sweet corn in 1-2 weeks. And then taters to last through until next summer.

WildDog · August 03, 2011, 04:21:34 AM

Nice gardens there guys (and peach pie), down here we're having frost after frost after frost......Nicky pulled the corn storks out of 2 beds on Sunday and prepared a couple of beds for silver beet.

thecfarm · August 03, 2011, 06:09:15 AM

WDH,raccoons and porcupines must come from your area, they knock it down and eat before I can get to it. ;D But now with the fence it MIGHT slow down the coons,but those stupid porcupines,I doubt it it would do slow them down. My dog got bit by the fence. Now he won't get into the garden. He never would cause any harm,just would always get into the rhubarb and smell around it.

SwampDonkey · August 03, 2011, 06:11:59 AM

Nice gardens there at thecfarm.

WDH · August 03, 2011, 07:33:07 AM

How much doe porcupine go for a pound? :D

thecfarm · August 03, 2011, 07:36:34 AM

I'd like to make some money on those porcupines. Boo-Boo find 2 for me and I got one this year.He MIGHT be learning not to touch them. I said MIGHT be.

Norm · August 03, 2011, 07:39:08 AM

Thanks Ray, great looking garden! I don't facebook but Patty was telling me about your page and how hard your wife and you work on the garden and stand.

For some reason I don't have any problems with deer in our main garden. The sweet corn patch is fenced off with electric but that's mostly for the coons. For the deer control this time of year it's a 12ga to scare them off. After crops are out I switch to something more lethal. ;D