Harvest Monday - August 4, 2014

Carrots were the big harvest this past week.  The total harvest was not too bad, but I think they really should have stayed in the ground for another week or two.  I didn’t want to delay any longer however, as my fall carrots are going into the same bed and I am already pushing the limit on sowing them this late.

 

I’ve only grown Scarlet Nantes carrots (successfully) once before and I vaguely recalled them being quite a bit larger.   When I looked back over my records, I was right – back in 2012, the average weight of a typical Scarlet Nantes was 71 grams, while this year it was 31 – almost ½ the size.  Next year I really do have to get them into the ground earlier – not only would they be larger, but then I could also get my fall planting in the ground sooner which would give them a better chance of reaching full size.

 

"Little Finger" Carrots
 

"Chantenay Red Core" Carrots

 

"Scarlet Nantes" Carrots
 

When I pulled the Chantenay Red Core, I was a bit surprised.  They were a lot shorter than I would have thought – around 4” on average.  But then again, if the Scarlet Nantes are any indication, these are probably not full sized either.

As for taste, both the Chantenay Red Core & Scarlet Nantes were really good – much better than I expected.  I have a feeling the cool weather we have been having has allowed them to stay relatively sweet.  I’ll probably grow different varieties in the spring next year, however, as this coolish summer weather is really not typical.  I’m not loving the Little Finger variety, however.  They don't seem to be as sweet and also have a bit of a strange aftertaste.  I don’t think I will be growing these again.

One of the wonderful things about homegrown carrots is that the skin is so beautiful & thin that you don’t have to peel them.  Just give them a good scrub and they are ready to eat.

 

Freshly Scrubbed "Scarlet Nantes" Carrot
 

I harvested a whole whack of cilantro as the leaves on a few of the plants were starting to appear a bit “feathery”, which is a telltale sign that the plant is about to bolt.  I am very impressed with the variety I grew this year.  I remember growing cilantro in the distant past and harvesting only a small handful of leaves before they bolted.  This variety is called “Slo Bolt” and I purchased it from Baker Creek Seeds.  Mind you, the unseasonably cool weather we have had in the past few weeks likely helped as well.


Cilantro
 

I really need to get my fall peas in (hopefully today) so I finally got around to pulling the spring planted pea vines.  I have been waiting for most of the peas that were left on the vine to dry out so that I can save them for seed, but it has been taking a very long time.  In fact, the vines were still flowering sporadically right up to the day I pulled them.

 

I harvested all of the pods that were starting to dry & placed these on newspaper in the garage to continue to dry out.  I was able to harvest quite a few fresh pods for eating as well – the final harvest.  They are so good – especially after going a couple of weeks without.

 

Sugar Snaps - Last of the Season
 

The Contender beans are coming in well – So far, I’ve only had to throw a handful away because of the bacterial brown spot.  A few more cucumbers were harvested, including another Suyo Long, and we have been getting one or two Bloody Butcher tomatoes each day.

Bloody Butcher Tomatoes, Suyo Long Cucumber & Contender Green Beans
 

A few more tomato varieties are ripening – finally!  Siberian and Aunt Ruby’s Yellow Cherry joined Bloody Butcher in the harvest basket this week along with a few more hot peppers:

Hot Peppers with a Trio of Tomatoes
Tomatoes Left to Right:  Bloody Butcher, Aunt Ruby's Yellow Cherry, Siberian
 

Also harvested but not photographed this week were a couple of lettuce pickings.

My harvest totals this week were:

Beans – 1,084 grams (2.39 lbs)

Carrots – 4,681 grams (10.32 lbs)
Cucumbers – 970 grams (2.14 lbs)
Lettuce – 350 grams (0.77 lbs)
Peas – 796 grams (1.75 lbs)
Hot Peppers – 226 grams (0.50 lbs)
Tomatoes – 880 grams (1.94 lbs)
Herbs – 100 grams (0.22 lbs)

Total for Week – 9,087 grams (20.03 lbs)

Total to Date – 44.03 kg (97.06 lbs)

To see what everyone else has been harvesting over the past week, head on over to Daphne’s Dandelions, our host for Harvest Mondays.

Today is a “civic holiday” in most parts of Canada.  It has different names in different parts of the country and, although it is used in some areas to celebrate local culture or history, around here it is simply a day off for no specific reason.

 

We had some hot weather yesterday, being almost 30°C with the humidity (86°F), so we decided to spend the day at the beach...

 

My Family Heading to the Beach for some Fun in the Sun
 

So for any Canadians enjoying this extra day of relaxation – have a wonderful holiday!

Till next time…☺