Garden Goodness...

August has been good to us so far...

We've been having some gorgeous weather this week.  It's been hot, yes, but the humidity has dropped below it's normally (IMO) unbearable levels, and we couldn't ask for a nicer day today!

We've been enjoying produce from our garden...not nearly at the volume of other years...but maybe that's part of why I'm enjoying it so much!

The cantelopes are ripening all of a sudden...

I picked four so far, and there are two more that will be ready in another day or so.  I plant the Athena variety.  They seem to be disease resistant, and they're nice and sweet.

My Black Cherry Tomatoes are loaded.  This is the first year I planted this kind, and they're not quite what I expected.  They're a little larger than I thought they'd be.  I've picked a few ripe ones, and the jury is still out on the taste...

I'm glad I saw this guy before I reached in...

The first batch of regular tomatoes that I planted have all died, as usual, but I found some for a dollar at a neighbor's greenhouse late in the spring, and gave them a shot.  So far they're doing well, and haven't shown any signs of blight or whatever usually ails my tomato plants!  Maybe it's because the second half of our summer has been much drier than the first half?

The red raspberries are growing in leaps and bounds.  I planted three plants behind my garden shed a few years ago, and now they've gone wild!  These particular bushes bear all summer long.  I pick a few cups a day, and freeze them until I have enough for jelly or pancake syrup...

My new chickens like to hang out by the fence beside the bushes.  They like the shade they get there, as well as the occasional berry that falls on their side of the fence.

Earlier this summer the Japanese Beetles had a feast on the leaves, but now they've moved on and the bushes have set more fruit.  Don't they look delicious?

The chickens also eat my scraps.  These young ones are still learning that garden scraps are tasty.  They've eaten a few overgrown zucchini, they love watermelon rind, and are learning how good cantelope tastes as well.  They still don't come running when they see a bucket like the old ones did, but they're learning!  They're 18 weeks old, and will soon be laying a few small pullet eggs...

Here's a sample of what I found in the garden today...

My zucchini outdid themselves this year.  I found one small one yet this morning, and it might be the last one.  We'll see.

I don't think the kids will mind!

Raspberries!

I've always loved raspberries, and to have my own is so much fun, although getting enough to do anything with has been a long time coming!

In April of 2012, I bought 3 tiny plants off of a wagon at a farm supply store for $2 each.  I planted them behind my garden shed.

The dogs dug them up.  Three.  Times.

Thus, the fancy barrier around the bushes, in hopes of preventing more digging under the shed.  Who knows what they were looking for...

I think this picture was taken the next spring.

They grew.  A lot...

Now they overhang into the chicken pen, and the chickens love them!  For a while, they were fluttering up onto the top of the fence and now I know why.  They were eating all the berries they could find...

I was thrilled to find out that these raspberry bushes are ever bearing.  I'd never even heard of that!  Once they start to ripen, the plants produce until frost!

This summer the Japanese Beetles did a number on the bushes, and I sprayed them. I had to wait a week before harvesting any more, but thankfully, they made a full recovery, and are once again doing their thing. I don't get a lot at once, but every two or three days I go down and gather the ripe ones...about two cups at a time, and put them into the freezer.

This is my stash from the past month...

So...guess what I'm doing this afternoon?!

I'm thinking jelly.  Mmmm...on hot buttered toast.  My mouth is watering!

And oh yeah... shopping for a new dishwasher too.  Ours has flooded this morning for the last time.

Fresh Strawberries...

It's been a strange week.  Like spring usually is, it's been busy.

We've had strange weather...a couple of hot, humid, typical Pennsylvania late spring weather days, and now it's cold and rainy!  The insulated coveralls have been washed...again...and put away until next winter, but they almost got pulled out again this afternoon!  We don't know how to dress...but we don't mind putting off the hot stuff for another week or so!

1.  Chilly weather aside, look what I found in my garden this morning...

This is the first time picking my new patch.  Oh my, are they tasty!

2.  I've recently been reading a book...the Animal Vegetable Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver.  Hopefully I'll finish it soon...but every time I pick it up, I fall asleep.  Not the book's fault...it's very interesting!  Maybe it's a sign that I'm getting old!

3.  I spent some time this afternoon at Goodwill...digging through the clothing bins for barn shirts for .85 each.  If they get stained the first time they're worn...and they will...it's no great loss!  While waiting in line for what felt like forever...I got to talking to the people around me.  They were buying things to resell on eBay!  I had no idea, but they said they make a lot of money doing this.

4.  Here are last year's raspberries.  I had to protect them from the dogs digging them out...

...and here they are this year. I think they're happier now... and this is after I thinned them!  They have gone wild...and are already loaded with blossoms...

5.  There are only seven days of school left!  But who's counting?

Linking up today with Random 5 Friday