It has stopped raining...

And so I turned everything over again and decided today was the day to plant some things.

Beets, carrots, sugar snap peas.

All is decaying

The deer ate all my yellow squash while I was away in NYC. They ate all the leaves too. They left only a zucchini about the size of my right arm. Out of pure determination, I tried to eat it anyway. It was bitter.

This past weekend, my gay husband and I pulled out what was left, turned over the dirt, added compost, and emptied a 55 gallon rain barrel into the beds. It was 95 degrees and 100% humidity. It thoroughly sucked. I thought I might pass out. How do farmers do it?

We await cooler weather for a fall garden of broccoli, swiss chard, beets, carrots, and kale.

The Second Zucchini

I gave to my sister. There are many more coming. And yellow squash. And potatoes. They might all need a pickin' this weekend, and I will be in Manhattan.

OMG!!!!!!!!!

Wow. That is what zucchini tastes like? Awesome! I saved some for tomorrow morning's omelet.

The First Zucchini

Today I picked that little zucchini in the previous posts picture. My camera is out of commission, so you will have to trust me that it has grown substantially. I am going to eat it tonight.

There are at least seven more growing on that one plant... at least four have been plucked away by the large rodents with cloven feet. The yellow squash are going to be slower, but even more prolific.

I now have four more potato plants- all Russian Fingerlings- plus the one russet plant that happened on accident.

There is something I don't think I planted growing in a cluster in one of the beds... I don't know what it is exactly, but it looks like maybe you could eat it. The deer have left it alone though...

I also think the peas that died are making a comeback. It has been very cool the last few nights- they like that.

Biting Off More Than I Could Chew

Things I under estimated:

• Deer
• Frost
• Drought
• Heat
• The difficulty of working an hour's commute away and trying to maintain a house, the dogs, the lawn, and a garden
  

Things that managed to grow anyway:

• Zucchini
• Yellow Squash
• Potatoes

The Current Goal:

• Get a job in town
• Keep these plants alive
• Compost the other beds for fall/winter gardening

New Beginnings

Yesterday was a beautiful day. We prepped six raised 'lasanga' beds to bake for the next 4-6 weeks depending on the weather. Layered brown, green, brown, ash, brown and green mix, bone meal, brown...

It looked a little like a grave yard when we were done, but that was somehow fitting. There are so many reasons why I want to do this... continued grieving is one.