A Picture Post from the CityFarm

Here are a few pictures of things still growing at the CityFarm.....

Peaches galore.....can't wait for a few more weeks and we will be enjoying many dishes featuring peaches

Apples have also done well this year and should be ready for some applesauce and apple butter in a few weeks

Grapes are finally starting to look big and beautiful!

We have a few pumpkins hiding in the patch :)

Yummy watermelons......hopefully it will taste as good as it looks!

These are just a few of the things still producing here on the CityFarm. I will talk more soon about our second plantings that are going on. We feel like it is so important to maximize the planting time we have. Happy Planting :)

Preserving the colors of summer

With such a bountiful harvest in July I am rapidly working on preserving the colors of summer. I love, in the middle of winter, pulling out a jar and being reminded of the wonderful things summer has to offer. The colors, flavor and smells.

So far the CityFarm has preserved Beets, Zucchini, Dill Pickles, Apricot Preserves and Apricot fruit leather........and so much more still coming! What are you preserving to remember this beautiful season?

July Tally

The official harvesting has begun.....Take a look at our tally for the month. We have truly been blessed to have such a bountiful July. Hopefully August will be even better!

Apricots - 23 lbs 6.0 oz

Beets - 3 lbs 5.90 oz

Carrots - 1.7 oz (pulled one as a test)

Cucumbers - 5 lbs 14.70 oz

Green Beans - 8 lbs 6.50 oz

Zucchini - 118 lbs 8.20 oz

Pattypan Squash - 1 lb 14.50 oz

Peas - 5 lbs 5.50 oz

Peppers - 1.00 oz

Raspberries - 1.30 oz

Red Potatoes - 41 lbs 5.00 oz

Strawberries - 5.60 oz

Tomatoes - 6 lbs 14.00 oz

Turnips - 4 lbs 12.50 oz

Yellow Crookneck Squash - 19 lbs 11.90 oz

Yellow Onions - 6.60 oz

Yellow Straightneck Squash - 41 lbs 2.54 oz

Yukon Gold Potatoes - 15 lbs 7.00 oz

Total Harvest: 297 lbs 2.44 oz

August should provide us with a lot more tomatoes, squash and fruits. Happy Harvesting!!!

It won't be long until they are all gone....

Have you ever stopped to wonder why we have an endangered list for some animals but not for other animals or crops. Did you ever think we would need such a thing? Take a look at the following article about endangered crops and animals....it is an eye opener. I don't think I will look at most turkeys the same way :)

Click here to read more....

I would love to know what you think!

How useful is your yard?

One of the main things that I love about veggie gardening is how something so wonderful comes from something so unexpected.

Baby grapes from our garden. A prolific plant that in spring transforms from dead looking vines into a jungle of leaves and baby grapes. It is amazing to watch it change daily.

Banana Peppers. How such a small plant produces such large, beautiful peppers is a beautiful thing!

The roses we grow not only get dried for different fragrances, etc. but our chickens also enjoy to munch on them.

Edible and useful plants come in such a variety of forms. One of the challenges of transforminga "normal" grass filled yard into a CityFarm is that neighbors assume that it will be ugly or unsightly but, on the contrary, it can be one of the most beautiful yards around.

No yard is perfect and we are all constantly improving but it is amazing what just one productive plant can do. Take a look at your yard and see where you might be able to feature some of these beautiful and useful plants!

Breathless Moments

There are just those perfect moments that take your breath away. Recently, while working in the garden after a brief rain shower, I looked up to spot this amazing rainbow that seemed only feet away. We stood and watched it for awhile.....to enjoy the majesty of nature all around us. How many moments a day are we blessed with beautiful images such as this that we don't take the time to actually see?

The following quote inspires me to take a moment and let my breath be taken away....I hope it inspires you as well.

"It's not what you look at that matters,

it's what you see."

Henry David Thoreau

Another Picture Post From The Farm

The summer squash is here and we get to enjoy those beautiful flowers

Flowers on the Royal Burgundy Beans.....Purple beans are so much fun!

Onions, Onions and more Onions

Peas galore....we will be picking these today too!

Carrots, Turnips and Beets....Remember how they looked a few weeks ago....take a look on a previous post and see how they have grown.

My how things are growing fast. Looks like I will be canning beets this afternoon so I will post pictures of that adventure soon. Happy harvesting!