Summer Garden

Well, the holiday weekend is over and it it time to really start thinking about summer. We came home from a weekend at the lake and I had to pick peas. Granted, I only got about a pint, but it was still at least enough for a meal. My green beens should be ready for their first picking either today or tomorrow. I actually expect good things from the green beans this year. They are just covered with bloom and baby beans. If I can keep the bugs and the birds out of them, I should have a really good crop.

I am really going to start looking at farmer's markets now. I have great hopes that we will be able to find a lot of our winter supplies there this year. We should be able to find peaches and apples since we didn't get the killing frost they predicted for us this year. I did put up some asparagus in the freezer while it was still in season and I have gotten some corn put up that I got at the grocery store on sale, but I am still looking for more.

My dad isn't really going to have a very good garden this year. The weather here has just been horrible. His garden has flooded out 3 times so far this year and because of that, he has only managed to save a couple of squash plants, a few tomatoes and a pepper plant. All of his beans, melons, and cucumbers are gone and have to be replanted, and I think he said that he was going to put out tomatoes again if he can find some plants. So it doesn't look like I will be mooching off of Dad this year.

I did find a recipe online for hominy that doesn't use lye to swell the corn. So I asked Dad if any of his neighbors have corn in this year. His best bud's house has corn planted beside it this year so I asked Dad to glean me a bushel or so this fall. I will try it and see if it works.

Since my beans are starting to put out, I think I am going to make a trade deal with a local guy who has dairy goats for some milk. Haven't tried goats milk before, but as long as it isn't "goaty" tasting, I don't see anything wrong with it. If nothing else, I can use it to make cheese.

I am hoping to find enough local produce to heavily supplement our winter's food supply. If I can get enough fresh foods put away, I may only have to go the grocery store for things like flour, sugar, cereals, coffee, and unless I can find a milk cow and some chickens, milk and eggs.